Motivation

Question 1

What is motivation?

Answer 1

Motivation is about the ways a business can encourage staff to give their best. Motivated staff care about the success of the business and work better.

Question 2

What does a motivated workforce result in?

Answer 2

A motivated workforce results in:
increased output caused by extra effort from workers
improved quality as staff take a greater pride in their work
a higher level of staff retention - workers are keen to stay with the firm and also reluctant to take unnecessary days off work

Question 3

How can managers influence employee motivation?

Answer 3

monetary factors - some staff work harder if offered higher pay
non monetary factors - other staff respond to incentives that have nothing to do with pay, eg improved working conditions or the chance to win promotion

Question 4

What are monetary methods of motivation?

Answer 4

Managers can motivate staff by paying a fair wage.

E.g. time rate, overtime, piece rate, commission, performance related pay, profit sharing, salary, fringe benefits

Question 5

What are non monetary methods of motivation?

Answer 5

Motivation without the use of money.

E.g. job rotation, job enlargement, job enrichment, empowerment, putting groups of workers in a team

Question 6

Whats a time rate?

Answer 6

time rate - staff are paid for the number of hours worked

Question 7

Whats overtime?

Answer 7

overtime - staff are paid extra for working beyond normal hours

Question 8

Whats a piece rate?

Answer 8

piece rate - staff are paid for the number of items produced

Question 9

Whats a commission?

Answer 9

commission - staff are paid for the number of items they sell

Question 10

What is performance related pay?

Answer 10

performance related pay - staff get a bonus for meeting a target set by their manager

Question 11

What is profit sharing?

Answer 11

profit sharing - staff receive a part of any profits made by the business

Question 12

Whats a salary?

Answer 12

salary - staff are paid monthly no matter how many hours they work

Question 13

What are fringe benefits?

Answer 13

fringe benefits - are payments in kind, eg a company car or staff discounts

Question 14

What is job rotation?

Answer 14

job rotation - staff are switched between different tasks to reduce monotony

Question 15

What is job enlargement?

Answer 15

job enlargement - staff are given more tasks to do of similar difficulty

Question 16

What is job enrichment?

Answer 16

job enrichment - staff are given more interesting and challenging tasks

Question 17

Whats empowerment?

Answer 17

empowerment - staff are given the authority to make decisions about how they do their job

Question 18

How can you motivate people by allowing them to collaborate?

Answer 18

putting groups of workers in a team who are responsible together for completing a certain task, which allows employees to get help from others

Question 19

Whats maslow’s hierarchy of needs?

Answer 19

Maslow’s hierarchy of need is a pyramid of needs.
Maslow suggests there are five hierarchies or levels of need that explain why people work. Staff first want to meet their survival needs by earning a good wage. Safety needs such as job security then become important, followed by social, self-esteem and self-fulfilment needs. Moving staff up a Maslow level is motivational.

Question 20

Whats in maslow’s hierarchy of needs?

Answer 20

Self-actualisation - Achieving individual potential
Esteem- Self esteem and esteem from others
Belonging - Love, affection and being part of groups
Safety - Shelter and removal from danger
Physiological - Health, food, sleep

Question 21

What does taylorism argue?

Answer 21

Taylorism argues that staff do not enjoy work and are only motivated by threats and pay. Managers motivate staff by organising employees’ work and paying by results, eg piece rate pay - payment per item produced.