1.4.4 Motivation in theory and practice Flashcards

1
Q

What is motivation and what can it lead to?

A
  • How inclined and enthusiastic employees are about carrying out certain tasks.
  • Greater productivity = less wastage = higher profitability.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

3 things that employees may do if they feel demotivated:

A
  • Higher absenteeism.
  • Lack commitment/loyalty to the business.
  • Low productivity.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

If many employees, on a wider scale, feel demotivated, what may this lead to?

A
  • Industrial disputes.
  • High labour turnover.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What was Taylor’s motivation theory?

A
  • Scientific management
  • “fair days pay for fair days work”
  • believed that if employees weren’t supervised they would do the bare minimum.
  • carried out time and motion studies to find the most efficient ways to do things by breaking down each job into smaller, repetitive tasks (division of labour) and the most efficient workers to carry out the jobs.
  • employees that did more should get paid more.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Conclusions of Taylor’s motivation theory:

A
  • higher motivation = needs higher wages. higher wages = higher output
  • managers should tell employees what to do.
  • workers should just do as they are told and get paid based on this.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Main drawback of Taylor’s motivation theory:

A
  • Repetitive tasks can be highly demotivating.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is Mayo’s motivation theory?

A
  • human relations theory.
  • workers at hawthorne factory.
  • one group of workers worked in typical conditions while the others had their conditions changed.
  • changes such as lengths and times of breaks, brightness etc.
  • those that faced changes were more productive.
  • people worked better in teams rather than solo.
  • needed attention from management to motivate them better, those with changed conditions had more focus on them from management.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Conclusions that we can draw from Mayo’s motivation theory:

A
  • managers should boost communication and value their employees more.
  • meet social needs = higher motivation
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What did Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory say?

A
  • pyramid of needs.
  • once one level had been met they could move up to the next.
  • each need will have some importance to all workers.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What were the levels in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?

A

Bottom - top
1. Basic (food, water, clothes)
2. Safety (safe work environment and job security)
3. Social (friends, teamwork)
4. Self-esteem (achievement)
5. Self-actualisation (meeting potential)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Drawbacks of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs:

A
  • isn’t always obvious which level the individual is at.
  • different workers may put their needs in different orders.
  • life experiences outside of work may impact on which level the individual is on.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What’s Herzberg’s motivation theory?

A
  • two factors that impact on the motivation of workers.
  • hygiene : good supervision, working conditions, pay. Don’t motivate but if they aren’t good, workers may get dissatisfied.
  • motivation : interesting work, personal achievement, scope for responsibility, etc. Do positively motivate workers.
  • recognises that motivation comes from individuals’ needs.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is the main criticism of Herzberg’s motivation theory?

A
  • based on a small sample.
  • doesn’t consider that different people will have different hygiene and motivational factors.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Five financial methods of motivating employees:

A

Piecework
Commission
Bonus
Performance-related pay
Profit share

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is piecework?
One adv plus two dis

A
  • workers paid per unit produced.
    + may motivate to work harder/faster in order to make more units.
  • quality may suffer as employees may rush
  • slow workers may be working at below minimum wage
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is commission?
One adv plus one dis

A
  • money paid for completing a task (making a sale, etc) on top of their salary or on its own.
    + skilled employees, sales ppl etc, can make very good money and this may motivate them.
  • not a stable salary for the employees especially during times of a recession etc.
17
Q

What could a bonus be based on?

A
  • targets allocated by the business, which motivates the employees to work harder in order to meet these and get the bonus.
18
Q

What is profit sharing?
One adv plus one dis

A
  • when employees are paid a dividend of the profit made by the company.
    + motivates employees to meet the business’ main goals.
  • not guaranteed if the business doesn’t make much of a profit that year.
19
Q

What is performance related pay?
One adv plus one dis

A
  • workers are paid either based on their performance or the business’ performance.
  • goals will be set at the start of the month, year, etc and then a further appraisal will determine how much of a bonus the employee will be given.
    + workers are motivated to reach their own challenges.
  • demoralisation of staff if only certain employees are getting pay increases even if the business as a whole is doing well.
20
Q

8 non financial incentives for motivation:

A

delegation
consultation
empowerment
team working
flexible working
job enrichment
job enlargement
job rotation

21
Q

What is delegation?
One adv one dis

A
  • allocating certain tasks to different employees.
    + empowers managers and gives them self confidence
  • managers may delegate unfair tasks to the wrong employees
22
Q

What is consultation?
One adv one dis

A
  • giving employees a chance to be a part of the decision making process
    + shows that they are valued
  • employees may not have experience in making decisions from a management perspective
23
Q

What is empowerment?
One adv one dis

A
  • allowing employees the authority to delegate tasks to others.
    + staff’s abilities are recognised and they are giving control = less frustration with the business and higher productivity
  • some ppl may view it as more of cost cutting and a way of delayering, more to do for employees but less pay.
24
Q

What is team working?
adv plus dis

A
  • grouping staff together to work in teams.
    + pooled talents, shared responsibilities, more likely to take risks.
  • tension, not everyone gets along,
25
Q

What is flexible working?
adv plus dis

A
  • variety of methods of working provided so that employees can continue to have a good work life balance.
    + attracts talented people who otherwise may not be able to fit work around their personal life, kids, etc.
  • harder to find shifts and schedules to suit all individuals.
26
Q

What is job rotation?
2 x adv plus 2x dis

A
  • moving employees from one task to another.
    + multi skilled employees who can carry out more than one task.
    + less boring for employees = productivity
  • one boring job to another = no change in motivation.
  • uncertainty over job security may demotivate workers.
27
Q

What is job enrichment?
adv plus dis

A
  • vertical extension of a job.
  • greater variety of jobs with higher responsibility.
    + motivation due to challenge
  • could be seen as too much work or could be too challenging.
28
Q

What is job enlargement?

A
  • horizontal extension of a job.
  • greater variety of job with same responsibility level.
    + less boring, repetitive.
  • could just be seen as more of the same and more to do.
29
Q

Which methods of motivation incentives are more long term?

A
  • Non financial.