motivation in theory and practise Flashcards
1
Q
motivation in the workplace
A
the ways a business can encourage staff to give their best
2
Q
what does a motivated workforce result in:
A
- increased output cuased by extra effort from workers
- improved quality as staff take a greater pride in their work
3
Q
methods to motivate employees
A
- financial methods (eg salary, bonus)
- non-financial methods (passing on responsibility or praise)
4
Q
theories of motivation
A
- taylor: scientific management
- mayo: human relations management
- maslow: hierarchy of needs
- herzberg: hygiene/maintenance factors
5
Q
taylors theory of motivation
A
- managers should maintain close control and supervision over their employees
- autocratic style of management
- motivate workers by using piece-rate payment
6
Q
taylors approach to management
A
- work study - identify the most effiecient methods of production
- identify = spot the most efficient workers
- train = train the remaining workers
- reward = pay workers
7
Q
maslows hierarchy of needs
A
- basic needs - food/shelter
- safety - job security/safe environment
- social - feeling wanted/part of a team
- esteem - self respect/level of status
- self actualisation - intellectual needs/achieving targets
8
Q
maslows theory of motivation
A
- 5 levels of human needs which employees need to have fufilled at work
- a business should offer different incentives to workers to help them achieve each need
9
Q
herzbergs theory of motivation
A
- believed in 2 factor theory
- motivate by using motivators + ensuring hygiene factors are met
- use job enrichment + empowerment
10
Q
motivators
A
- responsibility at work
- meaningful, fufilling work
- achievement + recognition
11
Q
hygiene factors
A
- pay + financial rewards
- working conditions
- appropriate supervision + policies
12
Q
mayos theory of motivation
A
- workers are motivated by money + having their human/social needs met
13
Q
how does mayo think motivation can be increased?
A
- better communication between managers + workers
- greater manager involvement in employees working lives
- working in groupls
14
Q
3 elements to employee engagement
A
- intellectual engagement - thinking about the job + how to do it
- affective engagement - feeling positie about doing a good job
- social engagement - takes opportunities to share work
15
Q
advantages of a well motivated workforce
A
- better productivity
- better quality
- lower levels of absenteeism
- lower levels of staff turnover
- lower training and recruitment costs
16
Q
reasons why people go to work:
A
- to earn money
- sense of achievement or job satisfaction
- to belong to a group
- for a sense of security
- to obtain a feeling of self-worth
17
Q
main financial incentives: (8)
A
- wages
- salaries
- bonus system
- commission
- profit sharing
- performance related pay
- share options
- fringe benefits
18
Q
wages
A
normally paid per hour worked and recieve money at the end of each week
19
Q
salaries
A
normally an annual salary which is paid at the end of each month
20
Q
bonus system
A
usually only paid when certain targets have been achieved
21
Q
commission
A
some workers are partly paid according to the number of products they sell (often salesmen)
22
Q
profit sharing
A
a system whereby employees recieve a proportion of company’s profits
23
Q
performance related pay
A
paid to those employees who meet certain targets
24
Q
share options
A
common incentive for senior managers who are given shares in company rather than a straightforward bonus or membership of a profit sharing scheme
25
fringe benefits
- items an employee recieves in addition to their normal wage or salary eg private health insurance, company car, free meals etc
- known as 'perks'
- often increases loyalty to company as these benefits are not always taxed
- more likely to recruit best people to company
26
main non-financial incentives: (8)
- empowerment
- praise
- promotion
- job enrichment
- job enlargement
- better communication
- working envionment
- team working
27
empowerment
delegating power to employees so they can make their own decisions
28
praise
recognition for good work
29
promotion
promoting employees to a position of high responsibility
30
job enrichment
- giving employees more challenging and interesting asks
- seen as more motivating as tit gives workers a chance to further themselves
- herzberg in particular recommended this approach
31
job enlargement
- giving employees more tasks of a similiar level of complexity and nature
- job rotation is a part of this
32
better communication
employees have a chance to give feedback and advice to managers
33
working environment
providing a safe, clean, comfortable environment to work in
34
team working
offers employees an opportunity to meet their social needs and often accompanied by empowerment for team
35
overtime
- additional hours worked over and above normal working hours
- paid at a higher rate - often 1.5 or 2 times normal hourly wage
36
how are bonuses used?
- by motivating employees to work harder in order to meet a realistic yet challenging target and therefore achieve a bonus payment
- would only be effective if bonus payments were a significant sum
37
profit sharing
a system whereby employees recieve a proportion of business profits
38
advantages of profit sharing
- creates a direct link between pay and performance
- creates a sense of team spirit
- may improve employee's loyalty to company
- employees more likely to accept changes in working practices if can see that profits will increase overall
39
performance related pay
- increasingly popular method of paying people
- paid to those mployees who meet certain targets
40
advantages of performance related pay
senior managers can easily monitor and assess indivdual employee performance during appraisal process
- setting of targets for employees can ensure they are all closely focused to compnay objectives
41
disadvantages of performance related pay
- discourages a team based approach - unhealthy rivalry
- can be difficult to accurately measure performance of some workers
- incentives may not be larger enough to motivate employees
42
piece rate payment
- relatively unusual and old-fashioned way of payment
- pay per item roduced in a certain period of time
43
advantages of piece rate payment
- requires low levels of manager supervision
- encourages high speed production
- provides good incentive for workers ho are mainly motivated by pay
44
disadvantages of piece rate payment
- workers are focued on quantity not quality
- it is repetitive for workers = de-motivating
- workers are used to one set method of production and may resist change
44
commission disadvantage
sales may be influence by factors outside of employee control
45
commission advantage
clear link between sales and remuneration
