BA3UK90O – Managing People & Systems

Discuss theories of motivation and how to apply then

in the modern workplace

Student ID: 22000867

Student Name: Stelian-Razvan Badu

Academic Year 2022–2023

Abstract

The objective of this investigation is to scrutinise various motivational theories and deliberate
on their potential application in enhancing workplace efficiency. The achievement of
organisational success is contingent upon individuals experiencing a sense of appreciation and
being presented with challenging tasks within their work environment. The absence of a clear
sense of direction and motivation from an organisation may result in severe consequences such
as elevated levels of employee demotivation, attrition, and exhaustion. The act of motivating
employees is crucial to transforming them into a company's most valuable resource and
retaining their services. The study provides recommendations for organisations to establish
conducive settings that foster positive attitudes among employees towards their work and
interpersonal relationships. This research was examined using a qualitative method and
relevant theory.

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Contents

Abstract ..................................................................................................................................... 1

Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 3

Motivation................................................................................................................................. 4

Job Satisfaction..................................................................................................................... 4

Theory of Motivation ............................................................................................................... 5

Maslow’s Needs Hierarchy .................................................................................................. 5

Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory/Motivator Hygiene......................................................... 5

McGregor's Theories ........................................................................................................... 5

McClelland's Need for Achievement Theory ..................................................................... 6

Equity Theory ....................................................................................................................... 6

Value-Perception Theory..................................................................................................... 6

Vroom's Theory of Expectancy........................................................................................... 6

Porter-Lawler Model ........................................................................................................... 7

Organisational Demotivated Employee Risk Analysis ......................................................... 8

Operational Risk .................................................................................................................. 8

Employee Risks..................................................................................................................... 8

Reputational Threats ........................................................................................................... 8

Environmental Dangers ....................................................................................................... 9

Health Concerns ................................................................................................................... 9

Financial Risks...................................................................................................................... 9

Motivation at Work ............................................................................................................... 10

Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 11

References ............................................................................................................................... 12

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Introduction

Motivation is crucial to accomplishing personal, organisational, and national objectives in all

businesses, commercial or public. Numerous incentive theories affect employee work
satisfaction. According to the research of Saif, Nawaz, Jan, and Khan (2012), there are three
main categories of theoretical frameworks: theories of content, process theories, and
contemporary theories. Various theories have been proposed to explain human motivation,
such as Maslow's hierarchy of needs, Herzberg's motivator-hygiene theory, Alderfer's
existence-relatedness-growth theory, and McClelland's needs theory. The theoretical
frameworks proposed by Porter-Lawler and Vroom elucidate the concepts of motivation and
satisfaction. Goal setting, reinforcement, equity, control, and agency theories are part of
modern motivation theories. A critical study shows that all theories of motivation contribute to
employee satisfaction. Effective employee motivation requires content and process
philosophies. Hygiene variables in extrinsic motivation address necessities, whereas
motivators meet more complex wants. Hygiene factors, including wage, benefits, and working
conditions, are major contributors to employee discontent. A manager who values a self-
motivated team should not stress about squeaky-clean offices to achieve this goal. Managers
enhance workers' occupations by offering feedback and appreciation and making them more
demanding (Dessler, Barkhuizen, Bezuidenhout, Braine, and Plessis, 2011, p. 433).
Compensation as the primary incentive for staying with the company is one possibility; the
social and professional connections made at work and inside the company are also crucial
factors. Workers are more likely to stay with a firm if they feel valued as employees, have a
sense of belonging, and have access to resources if they encounter difficulties.

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Motivation

According to Saari and Judge (2004), Locke characterised motivation as a positive emotional
state that arises from the evaluation of one's job experiences. This emotional state is pleasurable
in nature. This description emphasises an employee's emotional attachment to their work and
the employer's careful evaluation of performance. Motivation is cognitive decision-making that
involves initiation and monitoring to achieve a goal, according to David and Anderzej (2010).
Reviews at work are done through appraisals, which have established criteria and may cause
an emotional response in the person, which will determine their satisfaction. Employee
satisfaction may be shown by good or poor ratings. Employee motivation might come from
incentives or from a drive to improve.

Job Satisfaction
To comprehend motivation, it is imperative to establish a clear definition of work satisfaction,
as individuals who are motivated tend to exhibit job satisfaction. According to the findings of
Kumar and Singh (2011, p. 12), job satisfaction is contingent upon an employee's evaluation
of the extent to which their work meets or surpasses their expectations. Job satisfaction involves
a feeling that cannot be seen. According to Jehanzeb, Rasheed, Rasheed, and Aamir (2012),
job satisfaction refers to the perception that employees have regarding their work, the
environment, and their expectations towards work. The productivity of employees is contingent
upon the rewards and incentives they receive, as well as the rationale behind their allocation
by management. As a means of fostering loyalty and boosting retention, businesses must appear
to support their staff in their day-to-day activities. However, when working with a diverse
workforce that includes men and women of varying ages, generations, and (to some extent)
backgrounds, as well as those with various levels of education and experience, it's important to
remember that no one factor is likely to garner unanimous approval or universal disapproval.

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Theory of Motivation

Maslow’s Needs Hierarchy

According to Smith and Cronje's (1992) description of Maslow's theory, individuals possess a
desire to achieve greater things and tend to prioritise their needs. Theories pertaining to the
content of work satisfaction centre around the desires of employees and the factors that bring
them contentment, as posited by Saif et al. (2012).

Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory/Motivator Hygiene

Saif et al. (2012) explicates that Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory, also referred to as Motivator-
Hygiene, was formulated based on research conducted on accountants and engineers to
comprehend the factors that engender job satisfaction or dissatisfaction among individuals.
Herzberg's research revealed five factors that contribute to job satisfaction, which he referred
to as "satisfiers." These factors include achievement, recognition, the nature of the work itself,
responsibility, and advancement.

McGregor's Theories
The X and Y models serve as representations of the two fundamental assumptions that underpin
McGregor's (1960) theoretical framework for categorising workers. The Theory X perspective
holds a negative view of individuals. In order for individuals to engage in labour, it is necessary
for them to be coerced, regulated, guided, and subjected to the possibility of punishment.
According to Saif et al. (2012), individuals exhibiting these characteristics tend to favour
guidance, avoid accountability, demonstrate a lack of drive, and prioritise stability. According
to Theory Y, the contributions of labour in terms of both physical and mental efforts are
considered equivalent to those of leisure and relaxation. Factors beyond the control of an
organisation may not be the sole impetus for certain actions. Individuals or employees may
exercise prudence and self-control in order to achieve their objectives, but their inclination to
engage in certain actions is contingent upon the magnitude of the rewards. According to Saif
et al. (2012), individuals who are not diagnosed with any psychological disorders may adapt to
the process of seeking and accepting responsibility (p. 1357).

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McClelland's Need for Achievement Theory
According to McClelland's need attainment hypothesis, some people desire "personal
accomplishment rather than extrinsic incentives" (Saif et al., 2012, p. 1387). This concept is
relevant within academic contexts and elucidates the rationale behind the exceptional
performance of certain educators despite facing obstacles. Specifically, these individuals
establish ambitious goals and exert concerted effort towards their attainment.

Equity Theory
Process theories explain "how" satisfaction happens, not "what" inspires it. Equity theory states
that employees will weigh their effort against a task's outcome and be happy with larger
rewards. According to the job satisfaction gap defined by Naveed et al. (2011), this is in
accordance with the concept of work satisfaction. This theory states that contented employees
get more than they provide. The job's traits influence employees' opinions. Clear tasks make
employees happy, dedicated, and engaged, improving job satisfaction.

Value-Perception Theory
The variability of individual values can result in differences in work satisfaction among
individuals. According to the value-perception theory, an individual's level of dissatisfaction
may depend on the discrepancy between their expectations and actual outcomes, depending on
the importance of the task at hand (Anderson, Ones, Sinangil, & Viswesvaran, 2001, p. 32).
The potential failure of this concept could be attributed to the interdependence of individuals'
preferences and values. The concepts are characterised by a conceptual differentiation that is
challenging to discern.

Vroom's Theory of Expectancy

According to Vrooms's expectation theory, actions stem from weighing available possibilities
and selecting the best one. Aiming for both employee satisfaction and dissatisfaction.
Performance is influenced by both personality and skill (Wagner and Hollenburg, 2007).
Performance, motivation, and effort, according to this idea, are determined by an individual's
valence, instrumentality, and expectancy. Working harder usually yields better results.

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Porter-Lawler Model
This is a more broad and diversified motivation theory. This model shows managers' perceived
link between work performance and attitudes. The model assumes human behaviour. The
concept assumes that people are rational, have distinct objectives, preferences, and needs, and
are affected by internal and external variables. Finally, people choose behaviours (Wagner and
Hollenburg, 2007).

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Organisational Demotivated Employee Risk Analysis

Workplaces with unmotivated workers harm corporate operations. Some personnel use
corporate equipment and tools regularly, some of which need extreme caution. So, the company
must balance workers' work-related emotions.

Operational Risk
Absenteeism: Van der Merwe and Miller (1988) quote the US Department of Labour's
definition of absenteeism as employees not showing up for work. This definition excludes
vacation, military service, block release, and suspension from absence analysis. Levy (2006, p.
412) defines absenteeism as the chronic or repeated failure of employees to report for work,
especially when the pattern suggests that either the absence is avoidable or that the employees
failed in their contractual or common law duty to attend work regularly and reliably.

Mediocre quality work: Disgruntled personnel won't perform at their best, resulting in low-
quality goods and services that are uncompetitive in the market and cost an organisation.

Toxic workplace: employee relations will suffer. Since morale is low, employees will act
differently.

Employee Risks
Organisations want long-term personnel. Companies invest heavily in staff training. Unhappy
workers will leave, costing the company all its resources. This will interrupt business and cost
extra to train new people. Strategic leadership drives company goals. Leaders' flaws may harm
the company (Hogan and Hogan, 2001).

Reputational Threats
Dissatisfaction: One unmotivated employee might lower workplace morale. Avoid having
dissatisfied workers resign. To keep clients, personnel must perform well. Customers may
quickly disseminate knowledge of a company's mediocre performance, which might damage
its image. Leadership is crucial because Stankiewicz-Mroz (2015) expects human resource
changes and paradigm shifts. For corporate repute, a manager is essential.

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Environmental Dangers
Dissatisfied workers will let others know. Unhappy staff will be rude to customers. Employees'
bad customer service will harm the company's reputation. A corporation must meet worldwide
environmental requirements as well as local ones (Darroux and Xixiang, 2013).

Health Concerns
Stress may affect unhappy workers. Stress-related diseases will undermine workplace wellness
programmes. When utilising risky machinery, stressed and demotivated workers may create
mishaps. Workplace stress and other psychological factors are global health issues for
employees and organisations. All levels of the corporation must ensure risk safety and
avoidance (Tasmin and Salehudin, 2016).

Financial Risks
Motivated workers will work hard and help the firm succeed. Work production will create
much-needed revenue. Happiness reduces absenteeism, saving companies money. Taylor
(2009 and 2012) agrees that economic conditions may trigger financial crises, making
commercial operations incredibly challenging. Acquisition issues will follow. Political
influence may also accommodate fiscal policy proposals outside of deficit accommodation,
according to Peter and Daniel (2013).

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Motivation at Work

A dedicated worker may inspire others. Employees self-motivate to achieve. Extrinsic

motivation uses rewards to increase employee morale and work ethic. Workers put in time for
money, but their output is entirely up to their level of intrinsic drive. People are driven to
succeed and delight customers, say Perry and Hondeghem (1999). Employees have no control
over the factors that determine their pay. Other than bonuses, employees may find job security,
pay raises, and advancement opportunities motivating. Companies need new methods of
employee motivation if they are to thrive and keep their current workforces. Employees who
feel appreciated for their efforts are dedicated to the success of the business. Employee
performance and creativity benefit the organisation when employees are inspired to do their
best (Yang Jie, 2010). Companies may save money on recruitment and training expenses by
retaining highly motivated workers. They also work harder because they feel secure in their
jobs. Motivated workers may form teams to supervise and produce tasks, freeing up
management time.

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Conclusion

Management style and motivation are crucial to staff productivity. Non-financial benefits may
also motivate staff. Leadership must establish and align theories to satisfy workers'
expectations. However, a variety of theories might be applied. To give workers more power,
they should be supported and given a place to talk about how they can be inspired. Rewards
and promotions after performance reviews may enhance morale and feedback. Employees
should comprehend and strive towards the company's vision and objectives. In other
companies, staff work in an assembly, so if one group is impacted, the entire factory suffers.
Motivated workers work hard because efficient manufacturing usually yields favourable
consequences. Results-oriented companies inspire their personnel to achieve their objectives.
Motivational tactics and theories need further qualitative study.

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