Motivation

0Share

Introduction
        Employee motivation is now a major issue in organization. The shortage in the labor
force, the intensifying war for talents and the view of human resources as a source of competitive
advantage has led organizations to value human resources. Now more than ever, organizations
are focusing on attracting, retaining and motivating its human resources. Motivation is connected
to organizational performance. Motivation is also seen as a factor that makes employee stay in an
organization.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory

            Maslow’s Need Theory is a motivation theory that argues that motivation can be
achieved if the needs are met. People according to Maslow seek to satisfy five basic needs. These
are psychological needs, safety needs, social needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization needs.
Physiological needs are those things that human needs in order to maintain and sustain life.
These include food, water, and shelter. Safety needs are concerned with protection form danger,
risk, uncertainty, or threats to the person. Social needs are those needs such as love, affection,
meaningful relationships with other people and acceptance in a group. The esteem needs
encompass the desire for status, prestige, recognition, attention and appreciation. The self-
actualization needs are concerned about personal growth, realization of potential and intellectual
strength.

Example

            In the organizational setting, the application of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs can be
observed in compensation. Direct and indirect components of compensation satisfy the lower
level needs (physiological and safety needs) while the psychological component of compensation
address social, esteem, and self-actualization. These higher-level needs are satisfied using
different such as awards and recognitions, continuous learning, job redesign, career
development, life-work balance and other programs.

 
McClelland’s Achievement Theory
            According to Achievement theory, people have three basic motivational needs. These are
affiliation, power and achievement. A person has a strong desire for individual and group
approval and to be accepted socially and to form friendship, this is called affiliation motive. A
person also has a desire to be in control – to change events and be able to have influence on
others, this is called power motive. The achievement motive is an individual’s need to achieve
and to succeed. The achievement motive can be satisfied through challenging tasks or work,
establishing goals and succeeding.

Example

            In the organizational setting, achievement theory plays an important role in motivating
employees and achieving high performance. It is important to consider the three motives of the
employees. Employees with a high need for affiliation are suited for jobs that involves teamwork
and jobs that with interpersonal contact. These kind of employees also need support and approval
from their co-workers, superiors and customers. In order to satisfy the power motive of the
employees, an organization can redesign jobs and encourage employee participation in
organizational decision-making. Employee empowerment through training and development is
important for employees with high power needs. For persons with high need for achievement,
must be constantly challenged. Learning, education, and training can stimulate a greater need to
achieve.

 
Skinner’s Reinforcement Theory
            The basic concept of Skinner’s reinforcement theory is learning. Learning is considered
as relatively permanent change in behavior potentiality that results from reinforced practice or
experience. According the Skinner’s theory, behaviors can be strengthened and intensified
through reinforcement. The reinforcement theory identifies four different types of contingencies
in learning. Two serve to strengthen desired behavior (positive reinforcement and avoidance
learning) while the other two serve to weaken undesired behavior (extinction and punishment). A
positive reinforcer is a stimulus that strengthens that probability of operant response. Avoidance
learning is involves steps that will lead an individual to the desired behavior in order to escape or
avoid unwanted consequence. Extinction occurs when a previously utilized positive reinforcer is
withheld. The behavior may continue, but the absence of reward will gradually led to the
extinction of the behavior. Punishment is a method of influencing behavior.

Example

            An example of how the reinforcement theory is applied in the organizational setting is
through employee training. Through employee training behaviors are shaped. There are also
different types of reinforcers that are at work in an organization. These reinforcers include
advancement, praise, recognition, and money. One example of how avoidance learning works in
the organization is when an employee receives a criticism from his or her supervisor. In order to
avoid the unwanted consequence of an undesired behavior, the employee will avoid the
undesired behavior. Extinction is also applied in training. For example, extinction can be used to
extinguish the undesired behaviors that a new employee brings to the organization.

Comparison
            Each motivation theory has its implications on the organization. All of the discussed
theories can be applied in the structuring of compensation packages and training and
development programs. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs stresses the importance of both intrinsic
and extrinsic rewards in motivating employees. Compensation can be divided into three
components – direct monetary rewards, indirect monetary rewards and psychological
satisfactions. Direct and indirect monetary rewards satisfy the employees’ physiological and
safety needs, while psychological satisfactions satisfy the higher-level needs. McClelland’s
theory can also be applied in the organizational setting. According to the achievement theory,
humans have three basic motives – affiliation, power and achievement. The theory can be
applied in the design of work and the structuring of training and development programs. Work
can be designed in such a way that both affiliation and power motives can be satisfied. Through
training and development, employees can be stimulated to aim for further achievement. Lastly,
the reinforcement theory is rooted in the belief that a behavior can be learned through
reinforcements. This has an implication on the organizations. Compensation and rewards often
serve as reinforecers that encourage employees to continue with the desired behavior while
negative consequences of undesirable behavior are used to eliminate it.

Conclusion
            Comparing the three theories, I can say that all of them can be applied to organizational
setting. Both Maslow’s and McClelland’s theories aim to motivate employees through the
satisfaction of their needs. Skinner’s theory on the other hand aims at behavioral change.
Behavioral change can be achieved by using the four contingencies – positive reinforcement,
avoidance learning, extinction, punishment. The theory of Skinner which is rooted to behavioral
psychology takes a different approach from Maslow’s and McClelland’s theories.

Read
more: http://ivythesis.typepad.com/term_paper_topics/2010/06/motivation.html#ixzz12mDNDCaG

ntroduction of the theory

[edit]
A. Background
Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene Theory was developed by Frederick Herzberg, a
psychologist who found that job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction acted independently of
each other. Two Factor Theory states that there are certain factors in the workplace that
cause job satisfaction, while a separate set of factors cause dissatisfaction. (Herzberg,
Mausner & Snyderman 1959)

The theory was based around interviews with 203 American accountants & engineers,
chosen because of their professions' growing importance in the business world. They were
asked to relate times when they felt exceptionally good or bad about their present job or any
previous job, and to provide reasons, and a description of the sequence of events giving
rise to that positive or negative feeling. Herzberg found that the factors causing job
satisfaction were different from that causing job dissatisfaction. He developed the
motivation-hygiene theory to explain these results. He called the satisfiers motivators and
the dissatisfiers hygiene factors. The word "hygiene” is used in the sense that they are
maintenance factors that are necessary to avoid dissatisfaction but that by themselves do
not provide satisfaction.
[edit]

B. Definitions
“Two Factor Theory” distinguishes between: Motivators; which give positive satisfaction,
and Hygiene factors; which do not give positive satisfaction, although dissatisfaction results
from their absence.

Essentially, hygiene factors are needed to ensure an employee is not dissatisfied.

Motivation factors are needed in order to motivate an employee to higher performance,
Herzberg also further classified our actions and how and why we do them, for example, if
you perform a work related action because you want to then that is classed as motivation.

Hygiene Factors
1. Salary
2. Job Security
3. Working Conditions
4. Level and Quality of Supervision
5. Company Policy and Administration
6. Interpersonal Relations
Motivators
1. Nature of Work
2. Sense of Achievement
3. Responsibility
4. Recognition
5. Personal Growth and Advancement

[edit]

II. Explain the two types of factors in details

[edit]

A. How does it affect the employees

Management not only must provide hygiene factors to avoid employee dissatisfaction, but
also must provide factors intrinsic to the work in order to satisfy employees with their jobs.
Herzberg says that job enrichment is required for intrinsic motivation, and that it is a
continuous management process.

According to him:

“The job should have sufficient challenge to utilize the full ability of the
employee.
Employees who demonstrate increasing levels of ability should be given
increasing levels of
responsibility.”

If a job cannot be designed to use an employee's full abilities, then the firm should consider
automating the task or replacing the employee with one who has a lower level of skill. If a
person cannot be fully utilized, there will be a motivation problem.
[edit]

B. Combining the hygiene and motivation factors results in

four scenario's

High Hygiene + High Motivation :The ideal situation where employees are highly
motivated and have few complaints.
High Hygiene + Low Motivation :Employees have few complaints but are not
highly motivated. The job is perceived as a paycheck.
Low Hygiene + High Motivation: Employees are motivated but have a lot of
complaints. A situation where the job is exciting and challenging. However the
salaries and work conditions are not right.
Low Hygiene + Low Motivation : The worst situation. Employees are not
motivated and have lots of complaints.

The working environment has an effect on individuals as follows:

It will provide at least sufficient for his basic needs and often much more.
It may or may not provide adequate security. Most individuals seek a secure
job, there are others including some men on oil rigs, who seek high pay for a
limited period but with limtied security.
It provides an individual with an identity. As a member of an organization,
one carries out a specific function.
It also gives the worker comradeship, freedom from boredom, and an interest
during his working life.
It provides self-fulfillment for individual where consideration has been given
to ensure that the job is creative and gives job satisfaction.
It provides the individual with status. All job provides the job content is
investigated to make the work more interesting.

While the working environment affects individuals, it will also have a great effect on working
groups, since an individual may have certain needs, he will not obtain those needs if the
working environent does not provide the needs of the working group. The group is also one
of the fundamental sources of discipline and social controls.

Thus, the working environment has an effect on groups as follows:

It will affect the morale of the group. It will determine whether the group achieves the
objectives set by the organization. It will determine whether the degree of cooperation
provided by the group. It will motivate the group to give of their best. It will determine
whether the human relations within an organization are good or bad. It will also affect the
relations between management and trade unions.
[edit]

III. Definition of Staff Benefits

Benefit is defined as an indirect financial payment given to the employees. This does not
necessarily refer to the actual wages or salaries they earn, but some plans or systems to
ensure that they, as members of the organization, are protected by their respective
employers. Benefits can be categorized into two main types; they are mandated one and
voluntary one.

[edit]

A. Mandated Benefits
Employees are entitled to receive the mandated benefits since they are set by the laws and
regulations.

According to the Employment Ordinance issued by the Hong Kong Labour Department, the
following benefits are covered:

1. Wage Protection
2. Rest Days
3. Holidays with Pay
4. Paid Annual Leave
5. Sickness Allowance
6. Maternity Protection
7. Severance Payment
8. Long Service Payment
9. Employment Protection
10. Termination of Employment Contract
11. Protection Against Anti-Union Discrimination

‘Social Security’ is the first and foremost one which the employers must take the
responsibilities of creating detailed insurance plans for every single employee in times of
their old age, disability or retirement. This can act as an aid to ensure that the employees
are financially compensated in case they lose their working ability. It provides three types of
benefits including retirement income at the age of 65 and thereafter; survivor’s or death
benefits payable to the employee’s dependents regardless of age at time of death; and
disability benefits payable to disabled employees and their dependents.

Compensation on unemployment is necessary to protect the benefits of employees. This

compensation will be given to employees who have been terminated by an organization
through no fault of their own, until the employees start a new job. The purpose of this rule is
to make sure that the employees will not be unreasonably treated, if it is really the case, at
least they would not be financially trapped suddenly.
In case the employees get injured, which is related to their on-the-job process, and end up
going for medical treatment, the sum of medical expense can be claimed and the
organization is in the full responsibility of paying the amount. This is called Workers’
Compensation.
[edit]

B. Voluntary Benefits
The other type of benefits is voluntary-based. They are the Personal Services Benefits. This
kind of benefit is usually more applicable in normal working phenomena. They may not be
related to any financial terms.

Counseling Service is commonly provided to employees from the employers nowadays. It

may include counseling in terms of financial, family, career, job placement and pre-
retirement. These are more of personal concerns of the employees. These counseling
services may be able to provide a more positive morale and attitude to them, and result in
higher satisfaction in job. This can even lower their stress and prevent them from getting
any psychological diseases. For instance, new-comers or trainees may have the chance to
share their difficulties and problems which they encountered during the probation period; to
mentally prepare the employees who soon will be retired; suggestions on how to solve the
existing financial situation for indebted employees and so forth.

Also, if the employees live far away from their workplace and consume a significant amount
for transportation, most organizations will provide them financial assistance by subsidizing
their transportation fees. Private cars users may also be arranged a particular parking lot
which is near to their office or workplace.

In such a competitive market like Hong Kong, to better equip oneself is very essential
because once you fail to complete your task, there must be someone replacing you.
Therefore, ‘Education subsidies’ is a very popular allowance nowadays as people are eager
to strive for higher qualification or recognitions, to gain a broader chance for promotions or
advancements. For instance, the Employees Retraining Board in Hong Kong is now
providing a wide range of programs for people to enroll. Thus, the tuition fee being
consumed in these retraining courses can be claimed or refunded by the organization. This
subsidy is very encouraging and acts as a driving force for employees who want to improve
and eager to learn more about a particular industry.

[edit]

IV. Benefits in a Travel Agency

[edit]

A. Welfare
Indeed, being one of the staff of the travel agency is a good choice with no doubt. Yet, the
benefits of staff from operational level to managerial level, from front of the house to back of
the house, from full-time to part-time employees and from one city to the world, there are
many difference and discrepancy indeed. Actually, benefits can be divided into internal and
the external ones.

In a travel agency, almost all staff, the internal benefits can be the working atmosphere, the
challenge degree of the job and something that is good but intangible.

To the operational staff, the travel agents, they usually get many benefits, both internally
and externally. According to the Wing On travel, we know that staff of them can have all-
round training program and the MPF benefits. Besides, they can have the allowances of
meals, medical insurance plan, fringe benefits, the dentistry care service, special price for
buying travel tickets and the special offers of their families.

Apart from this, staff also provided with well-prepared insurance, such as the travel
insurance, the accidental insurance, the integrated travel insurance.

On the other hand, about the holiday benefits, they have the salaried sick leave, marriage
leave and the paid salaries within the lunar New Year holiday.

Globally, in accordance with the Capital World Travel Ltd, we know that giving the division
of Capital Incentives and offering discounted holidays as a benefit to staff are very
essential. They guaranteed staff with a minimum of 5% discount off brochure overseas
holidays and the seasonal discounts of up to 30% off and the unique late booking system.
To this agency, the ease of booking by telephone means staff can enjoy hassle-free holiday
planning. It is combined with many talents and experienced consultants. They let their staff
to choose the holiday of their choice from the huge selection of tour operator brochures or
they can book airline tickets, ferry crossings or car hire. At the same time, the commission
and the provided technology are crucial factors of the benefits of travel agent as well.
[edit]

B. Training and Development Program & Promotion chance

Nowadays, apart from all those welfares provided by the company, training, development
and promotion chance also become the important factors to motivate the staff. It is because
the term “value added” to regard as a very important thing, so, providing a good training,
development and promotion chance will be even more attractive than just providing the
welfares.

Use Hong Thai Travel Agency as an example, they provide lots of training and
developments to their staff. For example, they will hold the orientation for the new comers,
introducing the background information, mission statement, work flow, and what are the
products they are going to sale. This will help the new comers pick up the job easily and let
them be more familiarize with the company. Also, this can help them to know more about
their colleague. After that, there will still have a series of training and developments
providing to the staff, like training of their sales skill, briefing skill, service-upgrading
program, training of crisis management, and management workshop etc. Because the Hong
Thai Travel Agency want their staff, both operational and rear service, can have multi-
development, in order to keep their service standard. Also, those training program apart
from benefit to the company, it also benefits a lot to the staff themselves.

Since today’s society are seeking someone that are skillful, knowledgeable and is multi-
developed, by having those training programs or value-added programs will help to develop
the employees themselves into a more competitiveness person. This will help them to
develop their future, so these can motivate the staff.

After the training and development, here comes to the promotion chance. In Hong Thai,
there is at least one performance appraisal for each staff in each year. The result will be
recorded down and becomes the staff’s future promotion important reference. If the staff
performs well in the appraisal, this will increase their chance in their future promotion. Also,
if there are any vacancies in the company, internal promotion will be the first priority. This
can make the employees feel more satisfy and motivation to work, because there are more
promotion chance for them. Also, if the employees perform well, Hong Thai will provide
unique promotion chance to them, for example, from tour guide to the tour planner. This can
help the staff to development their own feeling of success. We can see that, there is the
application of Herzberg’s Motivation Theory, because it motivates the employees to achieve
their best.

Since making the employees feel satisfy is a very important aspect in the human resource,
like what states in the Herzberg’s Motivation Theory, making the employees feel satisfy can
help the company to general profits. Because each of the employees will give their best,
what the company can gain is more than they given. So, different benefits, welfares, training
programs and promotion chances are the ways to make them satisfy.

[edit]

V. The corelation between the benefits and the

performance of the staff
According to the Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory in relations to staff benefits in a
travel agency, the benefits mentioned in pt 5 relate to the employees' performance in an
operation also exerts the serveral satisfiers and dissatisfiers.

Firstly, those benefits and welfares, including the allowances of meals, medical insurance
plan, fringe benefits, the dentistry care service, special price for buying travel tickets and the
special offers of their families are the crucial factors leading to satisfaction.

Besides, those value-added & T&D programs, including the training of their sales skill,
briefing skill, service-upgrading program, training of crisis management, and management
workshop can become a stimulation to the employees At the same time, the creation of
performance that can increase employee’s promotion chances is another satisfaction factor.
Referring to the 5 most essential parts in the theory, namely, achievement, recognition,
responsibility, growth and benefits, they are also the key factors causing the satisfaction.

In the previous part, it states that the operational travel agent do have the commissions,
however, some of the others do not. So, this may lead to jealously among the peers. As a
result, the relationships with peers will become a problem, and cannot maintain the
harmony. And this problem is talked as dissatisfaction in the Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene
Theory.
[edit]

VI. Conclusion
To conclude, it is very essential for a company to prepare a list of comprehensive and
sound plans in order to protect and preserve the different benefits employees enjoy. This
policy can build up a comfortable employer-employee relationship and to maintain a
harmonious working environment for both parties.

By looking at the Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene Theory, it is showed to be highly applicable

in the tourism industry. From the research above, different travel agents are using the
different tactics or methods stated in the theory to motivate their staff such as welfares,
promotion chances, etc. This can increase the initiative and the morale of the staff, to
devote themselves to the company. This kind of sense of belongings may be able to
encourage them to battle for the benefit of the company, and ultimately, this will the
company to gain more or achieve their objectives and goals more easily. So, the Herzberg’s
Motivation – Hygiene Theory is a good way for different companies to differentiate whether
the policy they adopt is a motivator or a hygiene factor for the staff.

Application of Victor Vroom's Expectancy Theory to Drive Employee

Performance
Article by N Nayab (27,183 pts  ) 
Edited & published by Ginny Edwards (4,835 pts  ) on Aug 29, 2010

In the expectancy theory of motivation, Victor Vroom holds that behavior results from
conscious choices among alternatives, to maximize pleasure and minimize pain. The
key factors influencing choices are expectancy, instrumentality, and valence, with each
factor representing a belief.

Victor Vroom’s Expectancy Theory model bases itself on the

premise that employees perform to the level that they believe maximize their overall
best interests. The theory holds a positive correlation between efforts and performance
if favorable performance results in a desirable reward, the reward satisfies an important
need, and the desire to satisfy the need remains strong enough to drive performance.

Image Credit: flickr.com/kla4067

Expectancy

Expectancy or subjective probability refers to the expectations and confidence of

employees regarding their ability to perform a task, or the strength of an employee’s
belief on the accomplishment of a task.

Expectancy ranges from a probability of 0.0 to 1.0, with 0.0 implying the employee
remaining convinced that the job cannot be done, and 1.0 indicating full confidence in
accomplishment of the task.

The factors that drive expectancy include:

 basic skills required for the task

 support expected from superiors and subordinates
 availability of required tools and equipments
 availability of pertinent information
 history of success or failure in attempting the task

Instrumentality

Instrumentality is belief linked to outcome, or the perception of whether one will actually
get the desired results on accomplishment of the task. Employees, for instance, link
their high level of performance to the reward, and remain motivated to perform to
achieve the reward. The higher the probability of securing the desired reward, the
higher the effort put in by the employee.

Factors that affect instrumentality include:

  rules of performance and reward
 transparency in the process governing performance appraisals and rewards
 trust in the people who promise reward for performance
 ability of people who reward to deliver the promised rewards

Valence

Valence refers to the emotional orientations of people regarding the outcomes or

rewards, or the level of satisfaction people expect to get from the outcome, as opposed
to the actual satisfaction they get after attaining the reward. The primary motivator to
undertake a task is not any reward, but the reward that the person holds high or wants.

An outcome shows positive valence if the employee prefers having the specified reward
to not having it. Two such positive rewards are extrinsic rewards such as pay,
recognition, and the like, and intrinsic rewards such as satisfaction, time off and the like.
Such rewards motivate employees the most.

The outcome shows negative valence if the employee prefers to avoid such outcomes.
Such outcomes act as a deterrent rather than a motivator. Examples of such outcomes
include fatigue, stress, lay-offs and the like.

Outcomes to which the employees remain indifferent are zero valence and fail to
motivate the employee.

Synthesis

In the expectancy theory of motivation, Victor Vroom suggests that organizations

looking to motivate employees need to ensure that all three factors: Expectancy,
Instrumentality and Valence remain positive or high. Even achieving two out of these
three factors do not motivate the employee.

For instance, many organizations have responded to political changes to human

resource management by instituting performance related pay to motivate employees.
This usually does not achieve the desired results as this takes care of only the
instrumentality. A person who values time-off, for instance may not remain motivated to
undertake a task for more money, and a person who feels he does not have the support
or cooperation of colleagues to perform the tasks will remain not motivated despite the
monetary attraction on the offer.

Vroom's expectancy theory further holds that even if the employer provides everything
necessary to motivate the employee, the employee still may not be motivated unless he
or she perceives that the employer has provided what is needed.
Application

Victor Vroom's expectancy theory model finds application to drive employee productivity

through motivation. The management of the enterprise can link positive valence of the
employee to high performance, and ensure that the connection is communicated to
employees.

The management, through various measures such as psychological testing or

counseling, can understand whether the employee prefers intrinsic rewards or extrinsic
rewards, and tailor the remuneration likewise. To secure expectation, management can
identify the resources, training, or supervision required. Finally, management needs to
not just ensure that promises of rewards are fulfilled but also to make sure employees
remain aware of this. This requires a change in the corporate culture to better
communications and transparency.

Read more: http://www.brighthub.com/office/human-
resources/articles/84855.aspx#ixzz12mJRdR2p

How to Apply the Adams Equity Theory

It is important to also consider the Adams Equity Theory factors when striving to improve an employee's
job satisfaction, motivation level, etc., and what can be done to promote higher levels of each.

To do this, consider the balance or imbalance that currently exists between your employee's inputs and
outputs, as follows:

Inputs typically include:

 Effort 
 Loyalty 
 Hard Work 
 Commitment 
 Skill 
 Ability 
 Adaptability 
 Flexibility 
 Tolerance 
 Determination 
 Enthusiasm 
 Trust in superiors 
 Support of colleagues 
 Personal sacrifice, etc.

Outputs typically include:

  Financial rewards (salary, benefits, perks, etc.)

 Intangibles that typically include: 

 Recognition 
 Reputation 
 Responsibility 
 Sense of Achievement 
 Praise 
 Stimulus 
 Sense of Advancement/Growth 
 Job Security

While obviously many of these points can't be quantified and perfectly compared, the theory argues that
managers should seek to find a fair balance between the inputs that an employee gives, and the outputs
received. 

And according to the theory, employees should be content where they perceive these to be in balance.