Motivation In Theory Flashcards
Taylor and Scientific Management- why do people work harder?
‘Money motivates’- people only work harder to maximise their own income. So money should be used as an incentive to get people to work harder
Taylor’s beliefs as to how work as a whole should be organised.
Break the task down into small, simple repetitive parts.
Design a payment system that rewards each worker each time they complete their task
Example of how Taylor’s work is still visible today
Commission/ piece rate pay to incentivise more work being completed
Limitations of Taylor’s idea/ theory
Extremely unpopular with workers. They felt treated like pieces of machinery and denied the opportunity to use their minds at work.
They were also resentful of the level of control that the work process and payment method gave employers.
What was Elton Mayo’s theory?
Human relations theory
What did his work stem from?
A range of experiments he conducted into the effectiveness of ‘Taylorism’
What did Mayo discover?
That there were more factors affecting workplace performance than money. Importance of interpersonal relations as a factor affecting productivity.
According to Mayo, what do workers gain satisfaction from?
A certain level of freedom and control over their working environment
According to Mayo, who works more effectively?
Workers who feel they belong to a team
According to Mayo, what has a strong influence over workers’ behaviour and productivity?
Group norms (what people in a team expect of each other)
According to Mayo, what else has a beneficial impact on workers’ performance?
Managers taking an active personal interest in their employees
What is at the bottom of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?
Physical needs
What is in the hierarchy of needs? (Bottom to top)
Physical, safety needs, social needs, esteem needs and self actualisation
What did Maslow believe?
Humans have five sets of needs that can be arranged in a hierarchy, with the most basic needs of life at the bottom and the higher-level needs at the top. Meeting each level of needs is a priority until they are met, when a person will focus on the next unsatisfied level of needs.
Business implications of physical needs
Pay levels and working conditions
Business implications of safety needs
Job security, a clear job role/ description, clear lines of accountability
Business implications of Maslow’s social needs
Team working, communications, social facilities
Business implications of esteem needs
Status, recognition for achievement, power, trust
Business implications of self-actualisation
Scope to develop new skills and meet new challenges, and to develop one’s full potential.
Herzberg’s definition of motivation
Doing something because you want to do it
Herzberg’s definition of movement
Doing something to get a reward or avoid a punishment
What is Herzberg’s general line of argument in terms of motivation?
Motivated workers give you their best performance all the time, are willing to embrace change an are great at solving problems.
In Herzberg’s ‘Two-factor theory’, what are the factors affecting people at work?
‘Motivators’ and ‘Hygiene Factors’
What are Herzberg’s 5 motivators?
Achievement Recognition for achievement Meaningful, interesting work Responsibility Advancement (a sense of growth as a person)
How did Herzberg feel about money?
It is a hygiene factor and while offering bonuses can generate movement, it does not motivate
Why must hygiene factors be met?
To prevent an employee from feeling dissatisfied
5 Hygiene factors
Company policy and administration (rules and paperwork involved in working for the business)
Supervision
Pay
Interpersonal relations (with peers, bosses or subordinates)
Working conditions
What did Herzberg argue about dissatisfied workers?
It is impossible to motivate them
What happens if hygiene needs are met but not motivators?
Workers will give movement (not their best- only enough to gain reward or avoid threat)
What happens if motivators are met, but hygiene not satisfied?
Employee will be resentful of their job and, no matter how interesting the work is, will perform poorly- and look for another job
According to Herzberg, what happens if both hygiene needs and motivator needs are met?
Employees can focus on their job and will do it to the best of their ability
