Motivation

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Motivation
Motivation is described as the force which focuses an individual’s conduct to an objective as well as a process that strengthens, and channels and maintains the conduct (Robbins & Judge 202). A vital characteristic is that motivation is a conduct channeled to an objective. It explains a person’s intensity, direction, as well as persistence to reaching an aim. Intensity explains how vigorously an individual struggle but it is improbable to result in good work performance except if it is guided in a track which profits the company (Robbins & Judge 202). Motivation must also be persistent which gauges the period to which an individual may uphold the endeavor.
Early Motivation Theories
Different scholars have advanced different theories of motivation.
Hierarchy of Needs Theory
This theory was put forward by Abraham Maslow who postulated that in humans, there are certain needs (Robbins & Judge 203):
Physiological such as appetite, thirst, housing and sexual desires.
Safety; the defense from bodily as well as emotional injury.
Social; the love, fitting in and acquiescence.
Esteem; the inner aspects like confidence, independence as well as outside features like standing and acknowledgment.
Self-actualization; the urge to be a thing a person can such as attaining his potential as well as self-satisfaction.
Therefore, in motivating a worker, the manager must comprehend the level at which the worker is within the hierarchy and concentrates ate fulfilling those needs as well as those above that level.

Maslow distinguished the needs into lower and higher-order needs (Robbins & Judge 203). The formers are those which are fulfilled outwardly (physiological and safety) while the latter are those which are fulfilled inside (social, esteem, and self-actualization).
Theory X and Y
In this theory, humans are perceived in two ways; essentially negative (Theory X) and essentially positive (Theory Y). In X, workers hate job and responsibility, are indolent, and have to be forced to work (Robbins & Judge 205). In Y, workers enjoy a job, are inventive, hunt for a task, and are self-guided. Y is comparable to the higher-order needs within the Maslow’s theory. The Y’s assumptions are very compelling than X’s assumptions; thus, engagement of workers in decision-making, challenging tasks, as well as better group interaction should be utilized to augment workers’ work motivation (Robbins & Judge 205).
Two-Factor Theory
Frederick Herzberg in his study found out that essential features, for instance, progress, acknowledgment, accountability, and accomplishment are linked to work contentment. In his study, interviewees who reported to feeling good concerning their job ascribed these features to themselves, whereas discontented interviewees mentioned external features, for instance, supervision and wages (Robbins & Judge 205). According to the researcher, the facts implied that the reverse of contentment is never discontent, as was conventionally held and eliminating dissatisfying features does not turn the work gratifying. Thus, as per Herzberg the reverse of “contentment” is “no contentment,” and that of “discontent” is “no discontent.”
Thus, company bosses who aspire to eradicate features which generate job discontent might result in harmony, but not motivation. These bosses only calm down but not motivate the employees (Robbins & Judge 206). If managers desire to motivate employees, Herzberg recommends stressing on the factors which are linked to the job, for example, promotional and individual development chances since they are the features that workers find inherently satisfying.
McClelland’s Theory of Needs
This theory looks at three needs of achievement (nAch), power (nPow), as well as affiliation (nAff) that assist in describing motivation. nAch is the urge to shine and accomplish in an established standards (Robbins & Judge 207). nPow is to make other people act in ways they would not have and nAff is the urge for sociable as well as strong interpersonal interaction. Under this theory, high achievers act best if their chance of accomplishment is ½ and they put targets which involve stretching their abilities. Consequently, as per this theory, if work has a high level of individual accountability, feedback as well as a transitional risk level, high achievers are powerfully motivated (Robbins & Judge 207). The proponents of this theory caution that a high drive to accomplish does not make an individual a better boss since workers having high accomplishment drive are concerned with the way they will perform individually, but not in persuading other employees to perform. It is nPow and nAff which are directly linked to managerial accomplishments. Good bosses have high nPow and low nAff.
Modern Motivation Theories
The majority of the early theories has not been supported by research and has fallen out of favor of several companies. Therefore, the modern theories have been put forward that symbolize the existing ideas that describe workers motivation.
Self-Determination Theory
It proposes that employees wish to believe they are in control of their acts, therefore, whatever thing which turns a formerly liked job feel like a duty and not a liberally preferred act shall weaken motivation (Robbins & Judge 208). It further suggests that besides being propelled by the desire for independence, workers look for means of attaining proficiency and constructive links to others. Further, if companies utilize external incentives as payoffs for excellent accomplishment, workers may feel that they are working not due to their internal drives but due to what the company desires. Besides, removing the external rewards may change a worker’s view of the reason he is working on a job from an outer to an inner justification.
Job Engagement
It is the worker’s bodily, cognitive, as well as mental inputs in a job’s accomplishment. Workers may be engaged in work as a result of the level to which the workers trust it is significant to engage in a job that is shaped by work qualities as well as the availability of enough resources to perform efficiently (Robbins & Judge 211). Secondly, the complement between the personal and company’s values as well as the management activities which motivate staff to a superior feeling of a job also encourage staffs’ engagement.
Goal-Setting Theory
The plan to act to an aim is the main origin of job motivation. The objectives inform the worker what must be accomplished as well as the quantity of effort required. Precise, hard and feedback objectives raise accomplishment and cause superior performance when contrasted to easy and non-feedback objectives (Robbins & Judge 212). For example, Hyundai Motor Company articulates and uses hard and precise objectives as a powerful motivating influence on its staffs. This theory presupposes that a worker is dedicated to a target and is resolute not to reduce or leave it. The worker desire and trusts she can attain the objective. The Robbins and Judge explain that dedication to objectives happens if they are publicized, and the worker has an inner point of influence, and the objectives are self-put not allocated (Robbins & Judge 213).
Self-Efficacy Theory
In this theory, a worker trusts that he can do a job. The more the worker’s self-efficacy, the high the confidence (motivated) he has in his capability to be successful. Therefore, in challenging conditions, workers having minimal self-efficacy may be minimally motivated to work and may quit, whereas workers having high self-efficacy shall struggle hard to overcome the challenge (Robbins & Judge 216). Self-efficacy may generate a constructive twisting where workers who have high efficacy become very involved in the job and then, sequentially, boost accomplishment that boosts efficiency more.
Equity Theory
It explains that workers view things they acquire from work such as salary concerning things they put into the work then contrast it to that of appropriate others (Robbins & Judge 219). If the comparison is equivalent, then there is equity and the worker may view his circumstances as just. But if the comparison is uneven, the worker may feel under-rewarded and encounter equity pressure which may result in annoyance. If the worker feels over-rewarded, the equity pressure generates guilt (Robbins & Judge 221). The staffs who feel inequality may put less effort if poorly paid or more effort if overpaid or quit the job.
Expectancy Theory
It postulates that the potency of the worker’s tendency to perform an act in a particular manner relies on the power of the worker’s outcome expectation of that particular action (Robbins & Judge 224). A worker shall be motivated to put more effort if he trusts that such effort shall result in a better performance assessment; and a proper evaluation shall result in rewards, for example, bonus or salary increments that shall fulfill the staff’s personal aims. Thus, it concentrates on these relationships: effort–performance, performance–reward and rewards–personal aims.
Motivation through Work Design
Studies have suggested that the way job parts are ordered may boost or reduce workers’ effort (motivation). Robbins and Judge explain that through Job Characteristics Model (JCM), skill diversity, job identity, as well as job importance join to form a significant job which a worker shall perceive vital, worthy, and meaningful (Robbins & Judge 240). Further, work that is very autonomous shall offer the employees a feeling of individual accountability for the outcome, and if the wok offers feedback, workers shall be aware how efficiently they are working. From a motivational position, the JCM suggests that workers get inner rewards if they realize that they have acted properly on a job.
Robbins and Judge explain that job can be redesigned via job rotation that decreases tediousness, raises motivation, as well as assist workers in comprehending the way their work plays a role in the company (Robbins & Judge 242). A redesign can also be via job enrichment which enlarges jobs through raising the level to which an employee manages the preparation, implementation, and assessment of the job. Motivation can as well be attained through changing of work arrangements using flextime, work sharing or telecommuting. In flextime, workers work within particular hours but are at liberty to adjust these hours within particular confines. Flextime decreases non-attendance, boost output, cuts overtime expenditure, and increases independence and accountability that might boost worker job contentment (Robbins & Judge 243). Under work sharing, employees divide the common work time, and it enables the companies to obtain abilities from more people on one task, and in telecommuting, workers perform on flexible hours, are free to adorn in what they like and experience no disturbances from coworkers (Robbins & Judge 244).
Rewards in Motivating Workers
Robbins and Judge state that workers may be motivated through salaries (Robbins & Judge 252). However, salary is never the principal feature influencing work contentment, but it motivates workers. There exist several means of rewarding workers, but the best is the scheme that rewards what the work’s value while also rewarding competitive to the market rates. A few companies pay more than the market rates, whereas others pay below market rates (Robbins & Judge 253). However, several companies are shifting from rewarding employees exclusively based on qualifications or duration of work. The companies have designed certain performance measures that are used to reward employees such as merit-based reward, bonuses, proceeds sharing, as well as worker stock schemes (Robbins & Judge 253).
Conclusion and Implication for Company Bosses
In summary, these theories vary in their compelling force; however, they assist the managers to comprehend issues such as turnover and output. The need theories concentrate on workers’ needs. Under self-determination, external rewards may weaken motivation if these rewards are viewed as compelling but may boost motivation if they offer information on competency. In goal-setting theory, precise and hard objectives result in more workers productivity, and equity and expectancy theories relate to output, work contentment as well as turnover issues. Managers should recognize workers’ diversities and construct works to correspond to employees’ needs as well as exploit their motivation. Workers must possess strong, precise objectives, and should receive feedback from the bosses on their performance to attain those objectives. Lastly, the managers should connect pay to performance and permit staff to engage in decisions making which impact their work thus increasing their output, dedication to objectives and motivation.
Works Cited
Robbins, Stephen P and Tim Judge. “Organizational Behavior.” 15th ed. Boston: Pearson, 2013. Print.