CHAPTER 10:

MOTIVATING
What is Motivating?

Motivating refers to the act of giving employees reasons or incentives to work to

achieve organizational objectives. Motivation, on the other hand, refers to the process of
activating behavior, sustaining it, and directing it toward a particular goal. This definition
is useful because it specifies three stages: activating, sustaining, and directing actions
towards the achievement of objectives.
 The Process
plus
of Motivation NEEDS MOTIVATION

which leads to
readiness for leads to
the next need

ACTION OR
NEED GOAL-
SATISFACTION DIRECTED
BEHAVIOR
which results in
FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO
MOTIVATION
The following factors influence a person to do his job well:

1. Willingness to Do the Job. People who like what they are doing
are highly motivated to produce the expected output.

2. Self-Confidence in Carrying Out the Task. When

employees feel that they have the required skill and
training to perform the task, they get more motivated.

3. Need Satisfaction. People will do their job well if

they feel that by doing so, their needs will be satisfied.
THEORIES OF MOTIVATION
There are various theories of motivation, but only the four most
influential ones will be presented. They consist the following:

1. Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Theory. Abraham Maslow, an

eminent psychologist, theorized that human beings have five
basic needs, which relate to the following: physiological,
security, social, esteem, and self-actualization. These needs
would have to be satisfied in hierarchical fashion, meaning one
need will have to be satisfied first before satisfying the other
needs.
 Maslow’s Hierarchy
of Needs

SELF-ACTUALIZATION NEEDS
Self-fulfillment

ESTEEM NEEDS
Status, respect, prestige

SOCIAL NEEDS
Friendship, belonging, love

SECURITY NEEDS
Freedom from harm, financial security

PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS
Food, water, sleep, sex, body elimination
a. Physiological Needs. Those that are concerned with
biological needs like food, drink, rest, and sex fall under the
category of physiological needs. These needs take priority
over other needs.

b. Security Needs. After satisfying the

physiological needs, people will seek to satisfy
their safety needs. They include freedom from
bodily harm and financial security, which may be
affected by the loss of job, or death of the family’s
breadwinner, etc.

c. Social Needs. After satisfying his physiological and security

needs, the employee will now strive to secure love, affection, and
the need to be accepted by peers.
d. Esteem Needs. They include the need for a positive self-
image and self-respect and the need to be respected by
others.

e. Self-Actualization. This topmost level of needs in the

hierarchy involves the realization of the individual’s
potential as a human being and becoming someone that he
could be.

The Relevance of Maslow’s Theory to Management. Even if

Maslow’s theory has been largely questioned, one basic premise cannot
be discarded: “a fulfilled need no longer motivates an individual.” If
this is the situation the subordinate is in, the manager will be at an
advantage if he identifies his subordinate will be motivated to work in
order to satisfy the unfulfilled need.
2. Herzberg Two-Factor Theory. The two-factor theory, developed by
Frederick Herzberg, indicates that a satisfied employee is motivated from
within to work harder and that a dissatisfied employee is not self-motivated.

Herzberg identified two classes of factors associated with employee

satisfaction and dissatisfaction. In his research, Herzberg found out that satisfied
employees consider the following factors: (satisfiers or motivation factors) as
responsible for job satisfaction: achievement, recognition, the work itself,
responsibility, advancement, and growth. Dissatisfied employees consider the
following factors (dissatisfiers or hygiene factors) as responsible for job
dissatisfaction: company policy and administration, supervision, relationship with
supervisor, work conditions, salary, relationship with peers, personal life,
relationship with subordinates, status, and security.

If the manager considers Herzberg’s theory in motivating employees, he

must do something to eliminate the dissatisfiers and install satisfiers. As shown
in Figure 46, even if the dissatisfiers are eliminated (point zero), the employee is
still not motivated to work hard.
 10
Herzberg’s 9
Two-Factor 8
7
Theory LEVEL OF 6
SATISFACTION 5
4
3
2
LEVEL OF NO SATISFACTION
1 AND DISSATISFACTION
0 (no reason not to work but no
1 motivation to work hard
2
3
4
LEVEL OF
5
DISSATISFACTION
6
7
8
9
10
3. Expectancy Theory. This is a motivation model based on the assumption
that an individual will work depending on his perception of the probability
of his expectations to happen.

The theory poses the idea that motivation is determined by expectancies and
valences. Expectancy is a belief about the likelihood or probability that a particular
behavioral act (like attending training sessions) will lead to a particular outcome
(like promotion). Valence is the value an individual places on the expected outcome
or rewards.
 EFFORT perceived
An probability of
Expectancy EXPECTANCY successful
performance,
Model PERFORMANCE
given effort.

EXPECTANCY perceived
probability of
receiving an
OUTCOMES outcome, given
performance

First-level outcome First-level outcome

(compensation) Valence + (recognition)

Second-level outcome Second-level outcome

Second-level outcome Second-level outcome
(ability to purchase (ability to be with
(self-esteem) (esteem of others)
house and lot) family)
Valence + Valence - Valence + Valence +
Expectancy theory is based on the following assumptions:

a. A combination of forces within the individual and in the environment

determines behavior.
b. People make decisions about their own behavior and that of
organizations.
c. People have different types of needs, goals, and desires.
d. People make choices among alternative behaviors based on the extent
to which they think a certain behavior will lead to a desired outcome.
4. Goal Setting Theory. Goal setting refers to the process of improving performance
with objectives, deadlines, or quality standard. When individuals or groups are assigned
specific goals, a clear direction is provided and which later motivates them to achieve
those goals. The goal setting model consists of the following components.

GOAL CONTENT

WORK
Knowledge of Results Job Knowledge
BEHAVIO
(or feedback) and Ability
R
with
1. directions
2. effort
3. persistence
4. planning
SITUATIONAL
TASK COMPLEXITY
CONSTRAINTS

PERFORMANC 1. tools
2. materials
E 3. equipment

How Goals Motivate and Facilitate Performance

a. Goal Content. To be sufficient in content, goals must be
challenging, attainable, specific and measurable, time-limited,

and relevant.

When goals are challenging, higher performance may be

expected. The sales quotas imposed by companies on individual
members of their sales force indicate reliance of these companies
to the use of challenging goals. Goals must be attainable if they
are to be set. If they are not, then workers will only be
discouraged to perform.

Goals must be stated in quantitative terms whenever possible.

When exact figures to be met are set, understanding is facilitated
and workers are motivated to perform.

There must be a time limit for the accomplishment of goals.

The more relevant the goals are to the company’s mission, the
more support it can generate from various levels of employment in
the organization.
b. Goal Commitment. When individuals or groups are committed to the goals
they are supposed to achieve, there is a chance that they will be able to achieve
them.

c. Work Behavior. Goals influence behavior in terms of direction, effort,

persistence, and planning. When an individual is provided with direction,
performance is facilitated. In trying to attain goals that are already indicated,
the individual is provided a reason to persist in his efforts until the goal is
attained. Once goals are set, the first important input to planning is already in

place.
d. Feedback Aspects. Feedbacks provide the individuals with a way of knowing
how far they have gone in achieving objectives. Feedbacks also facilitate the
introduction of corrective measures whenever necessary.
TECHNIQUES OF
MOTIVATION
Individuals or groups of individuals may be motivated to perform through the use of
various techniques. These techniques may be classified as motivation through job design,
motivation through rewards, motivation through employee participation, and other
motivation techniques for the diverse work force.
TECHNIQUES OF MOTIVATION

Motivation through Motivation through Motivation through Quality Control

Job Design rewards Employee Circles
Participation

Fitting People Intrinsic Quality Control

to Jobs Rewards Circles

by using
1. realistic job Extrinsic Self-Managed
previews Rewards Teams
2. job rotation
3. limited exposure

Family
Fitting Jobs to Flexible work
Support Sabbaticals
People schedules
Services

by using
1. job enlargement
2. job enrichment
1. Motivation Through Job Design. A person will be highly motivated to perform if he is assigned a job he
likes. The first requisite, however, is to design jobs that will meet the requirements of the organization and
the persons who will occupy them.

Job design is concerned with specifying the tasks that constitute a job for an
individual or a group.
In motivating through the use of job design, two approaches may be used:

a. Fitting People to Jobs. Routine and repetitive tasks make workers suffer from chronic
dissatisfaction. To avoid this, the following remedies may be adapted:

i. Realistic Job Preview – is undertaken by management by “conveying to applicants what

organizational life will actually be like on the job, warts and all.”
ii. Job Rotation – is where a worker’s exposure to a highly fragmented and tedious job is
limited.

b. Fitting Jobs to People. Instead of changing the person, management could

consider changing the job. This may be achieved with the use of the following:

i. Job Enlargement – is where two or more specialized tasks in a work flow sequence is
combined into a single job.
ii. Job Enrichment – is where efforts are made to make jobs more interesting, challenging, and
rewarding.
2. Motivating Through Rewards. Rewards consist of material and psychological benefits
to employees for performing tasks in the workplace. Properly administered reward system can
improve job performance and satisfaction.

Rewards may be classified into two categories:

a. Extrinsic Rewards – refer to rewards external to the job, such as pay, promotion, or
fringe benefits.
Type of Benefit Feature
1. Month pay Depends on qualifications of employee
2. 13th month pay Given at mid-year
3. 14th month pay Given at yearend
4. Housing allowance Given to permanent employees
5. Sick leave benefits 15 days leave annually with pay
6. Vacation leave benefits 15 days leave annually with pay
7. Pension plan Given to permanent employees
8. Paid vacation trip Given to outstanding performers
9. Health insurance Given to permanent employees
10. Accident insurance Given to permanent employees
An Array of Monetary and Other Incentives for Employees
 b. Intrinsic Rewards – are internally experienced payoffs and which are self-granted. Examples are
a sense of accomplishment, self-esteem, and self-actualization.
Extrinsic and intrinsic rewards coincide with the needs spelled out in the need theories
principally represented by Maslow and Herzberg.
Management of Extrinsic Rewards. To motivate job performance effectively,
extrinsic rewards must be managed in line with the following:
i. It must satisfy individual’s needs.
ii. The employees must believe effort will lead to reward.
iii. Rewards must be equitable.
iv. Rewards must be linked to performance.
No single type of reward is generally applicable to all employees. This is so because
individuals have needs different from others. As much as possible, the particular needs of an
individual must be matched with the corresponding reward if motivation is the objective.
Although the administrative constraints inherent to such systems could be a hindrance to
their adoption, they must be used whenever feasible.
Employees must believe that efforts will lead to reward. Otherwise, they will not strive to
turn in more efforts in their particular job assignments.
 Rewards that are not equitable will not produce the desired motivation. When employees know that
reward is tied up with individual performance, management may expect extra efforts from them. A
negative example is the practice in some government offices where every employee, regardless of
performance, is given a productivity bonus. As a result, the majority is not motivated to exert extra
efforts.

3. Motivation Through Employees Participation. When employees participate in deciding on

various aspects of their jobs, their personal involvement is often carried up to the point where the
tasks are completed.
The specific activities identified where employees may participate are as follows: setting
goals, making decisions, solving problems, and designing and implementing organizational
changes.
The more popular approaches to participation included the following:

a. Quality Control Circle. A method of direct employee participation is the quality

control circle (QCC). The objective of QCC is to produce ideas for improving
productivity and working condition.
 The circle consists of a group of three to ten employees, usually doing related work, who
meet at regular intervals (once a week for an hour, for example) to identify problems and discuss
their solutions. The circle includes a leader such as a foreman, but relies on democratic
processes. The members are trained in various analytical techniques by a coordinator. The
circle forwards its recommendations to management, which in turn, makes decisions on its
adoption.
Quality circle Quality circle
members members
brainstorm, brainstorm,
gather data, and gather data, and
establish cause establish cause
and effect and effect

Results are Management

measured and considers
feedback, quality circle
recognition and recommendatio
rewards given to ns and makes
quality control decisions
circle member

The Quality Control Process

b. Self-Managed Teams. When workers have reached a certain degree of discipline, they may be
ripe
for forming self-managed teams. Also known as autonomous work group, or high
performance teams, self-managed teams take on traditional managerial tasks as part of their
normal work routine.
The self-managed team works on their own, turning out a complete product or service and
receiving minimal supervision from managers who act more as facilitators than supervisors. When a
product or service is produced by a group of professionals or specialists, they might as well be
formed as a self-managed team to save on supervisory costs.

Requisites to Successful Employee Participation Programs. To succeed, an employee

participation program will require the following:

i. a profit-sharing or gain-sharing plan;

ii. a long-term employment relationship with good job security;
iii. a concerted effort to build and maintain group cohesiveness; and
iv. protection of the individual employee’s rights.
3. Other Motivation Techniques. The advent of theories of individual differences and the biological
clock of human being has challenged managers to adapt other motivation techniques such as:
a. Flexible Work Schedules. There is an arrangement, called flextime, which allows employees to
determine their own arrival and departure times within specified limits. For example, a business
firm my allow one group of employees to take the 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. schedule, another takes
the 10:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. schedule. Another alternative is the adaptation of the forty-hour
workweek in four days allowing the employees to choose a “day-off”. An innovation adapted by a
popular bank in. Makati is the hiring of part-time tellers to work four hours a day from Monday
to Friday.
There are certain benefits offered by flexible work schedules although it is not appropriate for
all situations. Nevertheless, the manager has an option and he decides when it is applicable.

b. Family Support Services. Employees are oftentimes burdened by family obligations like
caring for children. Progressive companies provide day care facilities for children of
employees.
For instance, a multinational company in far away Davao province has even opened an
elementary and
c. Sabbaticals. A asabbatical
high school facility
leave is onewithin
giventhe plantation
to an employeesite.
after a certain number of years of
service. The employee is allowed to go on leave for two months to one year with pay to give
him for family, recreation, and travel. It is expected that when the employee returns for work,
his motivation is improved.