Chap 6. Motivating Employees

Question 1

What is motivation?

Answer 1

Motivation is the reason why workers want to work

Question 2

Why do people work?

Answer 2

. To earn money
. Job satisfaction
. Job Security

Question 3

List the Advantages of a well motivated workforce.

Answer 3

. High output per worker
. Workers offer suggestions
. Wastages and costs fall
. Conflicts decreases
. Quality of products improve
. Loyal workforce
. Less absences and labour turnover

Question 4

Give the 3 different motivation theories.

Answer 4

. Maslow’s theory
. Taylor’s theory
. Herzberg theory

Question 5

What is the Taylor’s theory?

Answer 5

Use of financial rewards to motivate workers to produce more through piece rate

Question 6

What are the disadvantages of Taylor’s theory?

Answer 6

. Not all workers are motivated by money
. They may still be unsatisfied if conditions of work is unsatisfactory
. Difficult to apply when output cannot be measured

Question 7

What is the maslow’s theory?

Answer 7

. Identifying the different needs of the workers and satisfying them

Question 8

What are the different level of needs in Maslow theory?

Answer 8

1. Physiological needs (basic needs)
2. Safety and security needs (job security)
3. Social needs (friends)
4. Esteem needs (status)
5. Self actualisatopn needs (success/achievements)

Question 9

What are the disadvantages of Maslow theory?

Answer 9

. Give too few importance to financial rewards
. Some needs may vary and may not be in maslow’s theory

Question 10

Define herzberg theory.

Answer 10

It is classified in 2 categories, hygiene factors and motivators

Question 11

What are the hygiene factors in herzberg theory?

Answer 11

Factors that need to be satisfied or else can act as demotivators to workers
E.g. Status, security, work conditions, salary and fringe benefits

Question 12

What are the motivators in herzberg theory?

Answer 12

Additional factors that promote satisfaction
E.g. Achievement, recognition, growth and job enrichment

Question 13

List some financial rewards.

Answer 13

. Wage
. Salary
. Bonus
. Commission
. Profit sharing
. Performance related pay

Question 14

Define wage.

Answer 14

Paid on a weekly basis

Question 15

Define salary.

Answer 15

Paid on a monthly basis to full time employees

Question 16

Define bonus.

Answer 16

Reward for good performance at work paid at the end of the year

Question 17

Define commission.

Answer 17

Paid to sales staff on the amount of sales made

Question 18

Define profit sharing.

Answer 18

Workers given share of profit to reward them for contribution at work

Question 19

Define performance related pay.

Answer 19

If workers work better then they receive a higher salary

Question 20

What is piece rate?

Answer 20

Payment made according to number of output produced

Question 21

What is time rate?

Answer 21

Payment made according to number of hours of work

Question 22

List the disadvantages of piece rate.

Answer 22

. Workers would concentrate on producing a large number of goods and would ignore quality
. If machine break down, workers would earn less money

Question 23

List the disadvantages of time rate.

Answer 23

. Good and bad workers get paid by same amount
. Supervisors must be employees to make sure they are working

Question 24

What are fringe benefits?

Answer 24

Non financial rewards provided with financial rewards

Question 25

What is job satisfaction?

Answer 25

Enjoyment derived from feeling that you have done a good job

Question 26

List some non financial motivation methods.

Answer 26

. Job rotation
. Job enrichment
. Teamwork
. Training
. Promotion

Question 27

What is job rotation?

Answer 27

When workers shift from one task to another over a period of time and then shift again

Question 28

What is job enrichment?

Answer 28

Looking for and adding tasks that require more skills

Question 29

What is teamwork?

Answer 29

Using group of workers and allocating specific tasks and responsibilities to them

Question 30

What is training?

Answer 30

Process of Improving a worker’s skill

Question 31

What is Promotion?

Answer 31

Giving workers an advancement that is a higher managerial level