21 Importance of motivation in the workplace

Question 1

Why is employee motivation important in business?

Answer 1

1. Easier attract employees (capable and reliable workers)
2. Easier to retain employees
3. Higher labour productivity

Question 2

Define motivators (Herzberg’s)

Answer 2

Things at work that result in satisfaction

Question 3

Define hygiene factors (Herzberg’s)

Answer 3

Things at work that result in dissatisfaction

Question 4

List the motivators in Herzberg’s two-factor theory

Answer 4

1. Achieving aims
2. Chance of promotion
3. Responsibility
4. Interesting work
5. Recognition
6. Personal development

Question 5

List the hygiene factors in Herzberg’s two-factor theory

Answer 5

1. Pay
2. Working conditions
3. Job security
4. Quality of supervision
5. Staff relationships
6. Company policy

Question 6

State what Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is broken down into (from lowest to highest)

Answer 6

Self-actualisation
Esteem needs
Love and belonging
Safety and security
Physiological needs

Question 7

Define physiological needs

Answer 7

Basic needs of humans for their survival

Question 8

Define esteem needs

Answer 8

Being recognised and respected and praised achievements

Question 9

Define self-actualisation

Answer 9

Reaching full potential

Question 10

Explain how Maslow’s hierarchy of needs works

Answer 10

Once one set of needs has been satisfied they are no longer motivators, can only be motivated by achieving the next set of needs in the hierarchy

If lower needs are not met, workers can’t be motivated if a business tries to meet higher needs

If a business fails to meet a particular need, workers are not going to be motivated

Question 11

What does Taylor’s theory of scientific managment work?

Answer 11

1. Manager should break down tasks, meaning workers don’t have to be skilled in the job as a whole, just the small task done very efficiently
2. That workers are motivated by money - paid according to their productivity (piece rate)

Question 12

How can a business use Taylor’s theory?

Answer 12

1. Use specialist tools or equipment
2. Follow strict working procedure
3. Recieve proper training
4. Get breaks to recover from physical strain of work
5. Pay should be linked to output in order to motivate workers

Question 13

What are the advantages of using Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?

Answer 13

1. Ensures that fundamental needs are met before working towards higher needs
2. Very straight forward and logical model which is easy to understand and apply to business, effectively allowing the manager/owner to identify any missing elements in their employee engagement strategy

Question 14

What are the disadvantagses of using Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?

Answer 14

1. Humans are very complex and the impact of each factor varies - each individual employee is likely to be motivated to a different degree by each stage of the hierarchy
2. The difficulty managers face when trying to measure which stage an individual employee is at within the hierarchy and the impact of them satisfying certain needs as it is subjective in nature

Question 15

What are the advantages of using Taylor’s theory of scientific managment?

Answer 15

1. Increased productivity by finding best way of working
2. Don’t need to pay a premium for highly skilled workers
3. Consistent products and quality

Question 16

What are the disadvantages of using Taylor’s theory of scientific managment?

Answer 16

1. Unfulfilled employees
2. Benefits to business far outweigh benefits to employees - offers little about the social or emotional factors
3. Loss of individual initiative
4. Dehumanising - trained to simply following basic instructions set for them
5. Survival of the fittest environment - if unable to keep up, either leave or fired

Question 17

What are the disadvantages of using Herzberg’s two factor theory?

Answer 17

1. Satisfaction and dissatisfaction is different from person to person
2. Job satisfaction and job productivity not directly related

Question 18

What are the advantages of using Herzberg’s two factor theory?

Answer 18

1. Identifies diverse factors - both money and non-money related
2. Focuses on things that both satisfy them and things that dissatisfy them - can work from preventing hygiene factors then working on motivators