Motivating employees

Question 1

What does motivation mean?

Answer 1

Motivation is the range of factors that influence people to behave in certain ways.

Question 2

What are the two types of motivation?

Answer 2

• monetary motivation

- non-monetary motivation

Question 3

What does the term ‘physiological needs’ mean?

Answer 3

are the most basic needs that a person has and relate to the needs of the human body, so they can survive.

Question 4

What does the term ‘safety needs’ mean?

Answer 4

people need to be safe and secure in their lives and not at risk of a threat to the quality of their lives. This can be met by having security in their jobs and to know that they will not lose their jobs and their incomes. They also need to be safe from accidents and/or injury in the workplace.

Question 5

What does the term ‘love and belonging needs’

mean?

Answer 5

workers want to be part of a group and accepted as part of that group. They want to be trusted by the people they work with and to enjoy their company and friendship, can be met through social events.

Question 6

What does the term ‘ego or self esteem need’ mean?

Answer 6

It’s normal for people to want to feel good about themselves and to know that the people they work with respect them for their ability to do the job, this could be met through praise and by recognising their achievements through bonuses.

Question 7

What does the term ‘self actualisation needs’ mean?

Answer 7

this is Maslow’s top level need, it is the need to be given the opportunity to stretch yourself and to work to your full potential. This may be met by being given the power to organise their working day or a demanding task to complete.

Question 8

Why do businesses want highly motivated workers?

Answer 8

• Increased productivity and efficiency of workers
• Improved quality
• Should reduce costs and increase profitability

Question 9

It’s very common for businesses to use money to motivate workers, this based on a theory by Frederick Taylor who states that:

Answer 9

• Employees were only motivated by money
• Pay systems should be linked to the amount produced
• Managers should retain authority and employees should be supervised closely

Question 10

What does salaries mean?

Answer 10

income received stated as an annual figure. Employees receiving salaries are not normally required to work a set number of hours per week.

Question 11

What does wages mean?

Answer 11

usually paid weekly and employees normally work an agreed number of hours. Workers can work additional hours (overtime) for a higher hourly rate.

Question 12

What does piecework mean?

Answer 12

employees are paid by the amount they produce, this is subject to them receiving the NLW as minimum hourly payment.

Question 13

What does commision mean?

Answer 13

payment based on level of sales.

Question 14

What does Profit sharing mean?

Answer 14

receive a share of the business’s profits as well as their wage or salary.

Question 15

Businesses may also offer employees a range of additional benefits to supplement their pay. Examples of fringe benefits include:

Answer 15

• Health insurance
• Company car
• Discounts when buying the company’s products
• Pension

Question 16

How could you motivate employees without using money?

Answer 16

• Training
• responsibility
• job security
• recognition - employee of the month
• job rotation
• working environment -job enrichment

Question 17

What does job enrichment mean?

Answer 17

Job enrichment is designing a job to give interesting and challenging tasks.

Question 18

Managers use different styles within the workplace. Styles are separated into two broad categories:

Answer 18

• Autocratic
• Democratic
• Paternalistic
• Laissez-faire

Question 19

What does Autocratic management mean?

Answer 19

managers who believe in taking all decisions and just passing instructions to workers.

Question 20

What does Democratic management mean?

Answer 20

managers who involve workers and less senior managers in decision-making.

Question 21

What does Paternalistic management mean?

Answer 21

managers who involve workers and less senior managers in decision-making but also can just take decisions themselves (known as father figure management) .

Question 22

What does Laissez-faire management mean?

Answer 22

leadership responsibilities are shared by all (let it be approach).

Question 23

What benefits would an appraisal have on employees?

Answer 23

• Provide feedback to the worker - how have they performed since the last appraisal.
• Suggestions for improvement
• Increase motivation
• Set workers objectives
• Identify training needs and promotional chances
• Provide a basis for a pay increase or not