4.Theories of Employee Motivation in an Organization
The purpose of this blog is to compare and simply explain motivation theories and how they are used to motivate employees to accomplish their objectives. The relevance of motivation and work satisfaction in businesses is critical for meeting corporate goals and objectives (Hughes, et.al, 2009). There are several theories of motivation, most of which relate to or impact employee work satisfaction (Dartey and Amoako, 2011).
Content theories, process theories, and current theories are the three basic types of theories (Saif, et.al, 2012). The study of theories aims to provide ideas for businesses to develop conductive environments and connections for workers to work in, in order to foster good attitudes toward their work. Over the course of the year, several incentive theories have been developed (Ramlall, 2004).
The following are five common motivation theories that might help companies to boost workplace efficiency and encourage employees (Burton, 2012).
1. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
2. Hertzberg’s two factor theory
3. McClelland’s theory of needs
4. Vroom’s theory of expectancy
5. 5McGregor’s theory X and theory Y
Throughout this conversation, I will attempt to briefly describe two key motivational ideas that are currently used by most businesses to encourage their staff and boost productivity and profitability.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Figure 1: Mashlows Hierarchy of Needs
(Source: Jerome 2013)
As per Smith & Cronje (1992), Mashlos heirachy of needs are based on the idea that individuals desire to accomplish more in life, and their demands are prioritized according to their importance (Gambrel, 2003). Content theories of work satisfaction are based on Maslow's hierarchy of needs and center around employees' requirements and the elements that provide them with a fair level of fulfillment (Saif, et.al, 2012). Maslow developed a five-stage theory based on human beings' basic physical, biological, social, and psychological requirements. The theory divides individual needs into categories and prioritizes their fulfillment (McLeod, 2007).
1. Physiological needs
Air, food, drink, shelter, clothes, warmth, sex, and sleep are biological necessities of human life (Kaur, 2013). For an example, most organizations provide meals, uniforms, festival allowances for food and clothing, proper work stations, good rest rooms, and a higher salary for their employees in order to meet their and their family members' needs, and as these needs are not met, the human body cannot function optimally to meet the company's expectations.
2. Safety and security needs
When an individual's physiological demands are met, security and safety become more important. In individual’s daily lives, people seek order, predictability, and control. Emotional security, financial security, employment, social welfare, law and order, fearlessness, social stability, property, health and wellness, medical treatment, and safety from accidents and injuries are only a few examples (Poston, 2009).
For an example, most organizations provide a better grievance handling process for their employee’s emotional safety, personal loans and other advances for their financial safety, better salary with increments, proper bonus schemes, job confirmations with promotions, occasional welfare activities and medical covers, better insurance policies with benefits for the employees and their families, and finally, a pleasant work environment where they can continue their responsibilities with a clear mind in order to motivate their colleagues.
3. Love and belonging needs
After physiological and safety requirements are met, the third level of human wants is social, which includes emotions of belonging. Friendship, closeness, trust, acceptance,receiving and giving affection and love are all examples of how the need for interpersonal connections motivates action (Bayoumi, 2012).
For an Example, most firms provide chances for their employees to improve their internal relationships with one another, as well as between production teams. They are organizing company evenings, get-togethers, and religious and festival functions for them and their family members in order for them to develop love and internal ties with one another. Target-based firms rely on its senior workers to ensure that the company's ultimate product is as planned, and management always maintains a good connection with their senior employees.
4. Self Esteem needs
Fourth level of Maslow's hierarchy, which Maslow categorized into two groups: First, self-esteem, such as dignity, success, mastery, and independence, and second, a desire for recognition or respect from others, such as status and prominence. According to Maslow, the desire for respect or reputation is most essential for children and adolescents, and it comes before true self-esteem or dignity (Poston, 2009).
For an example, most organizations choose an employee of the month and display his or her portrait in prominent areas inside the organization to demonstrate his or her accomplishment to others. In addition, they are annually rewarded with various gifts and bonuses based on their various performances. Some businesses give lunch outings or hotel tours to their top workers and their families in order to boost their self-esteem within their teams and the organization. Also, the top workers are invited to get together with CEO’s for a dinner and are recognized for their good contributions to the organization.
5. Self-actualization needs
Relate to the realization of one's potential, self-actualization, personal progress, and peak experiences. Maslow defines this level as the drive to achieve all possible, to become the best that one can be (McLeod, 2007).
Self-actualization persons, for example, are also very independent. They do not share other people's notions of happiness or contentment. Individuals who are self-actualized respect their privacy and love alone. While they enjoy the company of others, they also need time to themselves in order to explore and develop their own potential. They can laugh at themselves and appreciate the comedy in circumstances, but they never criticize or jest at the expense of another person's feelings. While these people can adhere to commonly recognized social standards, they do not feel constrained by these rules in their ideas or conduct. This type of person has specific goals and does not regard things as only a means to an end (Robbins, 2007).
References
· Burton,K (2012). Management, academia.edu
· Dartey-Baah,K and Amoako,GK (2011). European Journal of Business , academia.edu
· Gambrel,PA and Cianci,R (2003). Journal of Applied Management, search.proquest.com
· Guha,T and Vilakshan,AB (2010).The XIMB Journal of Management, search.ebscohost.com
· Jerome, N. (2013). Application of the Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need Theory; impacts and Implications on Organizational Culture, Human Resource and Employee’s Performance. International Journal of Business and Management, Volume 2 Issue 3, 41-42.
· Kaur,K (2013). Global Journal of Management and Business Studies, ripublication.com
· McLeod,S (2007) . Simply psychology, highgatecounselling.org.uk
· M Bayoumi,M (2012) Journal of renal care, Wiley Online Library.
· Poston,B (2009). Surgical technologist, ast.org.
· Robbins, S.P. and Judge, T.A. (2007). Organizational behaviour.12th edition New Jersey: Pearson Education, Incorporated.
· Richerd L Huges, Robert C Ginnett and Gordy J Curphy (2009). LEADERSHIP Enhancing the Lessons of Experience – A Book.
· Ramlall,S (2004).Journal of American academy of business, academia.edu.
· Saari, L.M. and Judge, T.A (2004).Employee attitudes and job satisfaction. Human Resource Management, (4): 395-407.
· Saif, K.F, Nawaz, A,Jan, A and Khan, M.I.(2012). Synthesizing the theories of job-satisfaction. across the cultural/attitudinal dimensions. Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, 3 (9): 1382-1396.
As you correctly stated Lederman (2018) has mentioned in his book CRAVE that we can Enhance Employee Motivation in 10 Minutes and he further explains that the Strategic employee recognition is a management discipline that goes way beyond 'being the right thing to do.' Recognition should not be viewed only as a feel-good, altruistic endeavor. In addition Armstrong (2013) stated motivation and commitment are generally being replaced now in business by engagement, because it appears to have more descriptive force and face validity.
ReplyDeleteWell said Lakshan. Brad (2017) says engaged employees are typically the employees who are motivated intrinsically. The author also believes employee motivation and employee engagement cannot be attained one without the other. Shawn (2016) adds more value and makes it simple to understand by explaining that the employees show a general percentage of engagement towards their job not because they are emotionally willing, but they are liable to be bound with the job. The reason “Why” is determined by the motivation which can comprise Intrinsic or extrinsic motivators, depending on the Individual psychology. “What” it provide is the perfectly applied engagement that arouses emotionally, representing an enhanced performance.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, Koestner, (2021) states that in order to move to the next level of psychological development, a person must be satisfied in every way, and that the characteristics of human life are satisfied when they can take advantage of psychology from where they are today. The process of protection, love, respect, and self-verification throughout their lives.
ReplyDeleteHi Nuwan, I agree with what you stated but according to Macey et al (2009: 7) who defined engagement as ‘an individual’s purpose and focused energy, evident to others in the display of personal initiative, adaptability, effort and persistence directed towards organizational goals’.
DeleteThis is a commonly accepted theory. Employees can achieve their physiological needs through promoting a healthy workforce in the workplace. This can be aided by giving extensive care to keep the workers physically and mentally healthy. The achievement of the bottom stage of the pyramid will be accelerated if the employer can organize insurance plans, gym facilities, and healthy diet marketing (Kaur, 2013).
ReplyDeleteDear Menupa, I agree with you as you've stated that Employee satisfaction is critical to the success of any business , according to Artz (2010) Higher levels of worker job satisfaction, potentially resulting to employee engagement, have been linked to important productivity measures such as lower quit rates and absenteeism.
DeleteIt is interesting to note that according to a survey carried out by Velnampy (2007) to test the needs theory reveals that employees of both private and public sector companies in Sri Lanka if lower level (in employment) the importance is given to lower level needs of the theory and of higher level (in employment) the importance is given to higher level needs of the theory.
ReplyDeleteHi Jayashi Silva, I agree with your comments, engagement is not about driving employees to work harder but about providing the conditions in which they will work more effectively (Armstrong,2014)
DeleteAgreed with your view. Maslow (1943) stated that people, including employees of organizations, are motivated by the desire to achieve or maintain the various conditions upon which these basic satisfactions rest and by certain more intellectual desires. This concept is very important. As with that management should understand the unmet needs of employees and should help them to reach the same. It helps organization to reach its’ goals with the set of motivated employees.
ReplyDeleteAgreed on your view, further Alexis (2009) emphasizes that Innovative and creative thinking is one of the best benefits that results through a culture of employee engagement, enabling things to be done better and effective. The author further explains this is because employees are encouraged to bring out their potential, learn continuously with the accountability and freedom given with the trust embedded. Also such cultures doesn’t step back if anything goes wrong as they allow continuous development with the teamwork and great support.
DeleteMaslow continued to refine his theory based on the concept of a hierarchy of
ReplyDeleteneeds over several decades (Maslow, 1943, 1962, 1987).
Regarding the structure of his hierarchy, Maslow (1987) proposed that the
order in the hierarchy “is not nearly as rigid” (p. 68) as he may have implied in
his earlier description. "It is quite true that man lives by bread alone — when there is no bread.
But what happens to man’s desires when there is plenty of bread and when his belly is chronically filled At once other (and “higher”) needs emerge and these, rather than physiological hungers, dominate the organism. And when these in turn are satisfied, again new (and still “higher”) needs emerge and so on. This is what we mean by saying that the basic human needs are organized into a hierarchy of relative prepotency" (Maslow, 1943, p. 375).Maslow noted that the order of needs might be flexible based on external circumstances or individual differences. For example, he notes that for some individuals, the need for self-esteem is more important than the need for love.
For others, the need for creative fulfillment may supersede even the most basic
needs.
Maslow (1987) also pointed out that most behavior is multi-motivated and
noted that “any behavior tends to be determined by several or all of the basic
needs simultaneously rather than by only one of them” (p. 71).
I agree with you Chandana Punchihewa, but according to Alfes et al (2010: 2) asserted that engaged employees perform better, are more innovative than others, are more likely to want to stay with their employers, enjoy greater levels of personal well-being and perceive their workload to be more sustainable than others.
ReplyDeleteWhile agreeing with your arguments, Although it has various literature on motivation, employees often have problems with what they really want from a job. Thus, companies have overlooked what individuals say that they want, instead of telling employees what they want. At that point, employer satisfy needs of the employee higher on Maslow's pyramid (De Vito et al., 2018; Ramlall, 2004).
ReplyDeleteMaslow provided an example of the motivating process:
ReplyDelete“For the man who is extremely and dangerously hungry, no other interest exist but food. He dreams food, he remembers food, he thinks about food, he emotes only about food, he perceives only food, and wants only food.. .such a man can fairly be said to live by bread alone. But what happens to man’s desires when there is plenty of bread and when his belly is full? At once other
(and higher) needs emerge, and these, rather than physiological hungers, dominate the organism. And when these in turn are satisfied, again new (and still higher) needs emerge and so on.” (Goble, 1971, p. 38).
Agreed. Training is a systematic approach that organizations conduct for the development of employee’s knowledge through skills acquisition for better performance and growth of the human capitol, organization, and society (Khawaja & Nadeem, 2013).
ReplyDeleteOrganization need to know where employees are on the Maslow’s need hierarchy in order to motivate them (Robbins, 2001).Employee likes to work in an environment which their need are met and they will perform without any support (Kaur, 2013).
ReplyDeleteInteresting topic Dhanushkana, adding to your points The expectancy theory, also named the VIE theory was initially elaborated by Vroom (1964) and then developed by Porter and Lawler (1968). This theory establishes a connection between the employees’ motivation and the certitude of their expectancies. The motivation is possible only when there is a clear relation between the work performance and its results and the results are means to satisfy a certain need. The goal setting theory, developed by Lotham and Locke (1979) states
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi danushkana,
ReplyDeleteThe idea implies the dual role of the theory first to organizations and second to employees on the basis that both the organization and the employees must decide on the performance of their organization, and that when employees put in their best in the service of the organization, the culture and human resource practice should also ensure that the employees’ level of needs are reflected in the values the organization holds with high esteem (Greenberg & Baron, 2003).
Agree danushka , as per Saunderson (2004) Employees will be well motivated if they are recognized by the supervisors and employee recognition means valuing and caring about the employees' contributionsIt is essential for companies to recognize their employees.
ReplyDelete