Comment On 2 Theories That Can Guide You To Motivate Employees In Human Service Agencies To Their Company.

Introduction

The aims of this paper is to see weather the motivation theories can guide you to motivate the employees in the human service agencies. Firstly, motivation and human service agencies will be clearly defined. Secondly, the motivation theories will be talked about and applied them into the human service agencies. Finally, from the view point of social administration, we will comment weather the theories are really work in the public sectors of human service agencies.

Human service agencies

Definition of human service agencies

ÐŽ¦They are those organizations whose principal function is to protect, maintain, or enhance the personal well-being of individuals by defining, shaping, or altering their personal attributes.ÐŽ¦ (Hasenfeld, 1983: 1)

The job nature of human service agencies

1) To ensure the employees communicate effectively and skillfully in interpersonal relationships.

2) To ensure the employees respect diversity, and promote dignity and respect.

3) To ensure the employees maintain a positive attitude and effectively problem solve.

4) To ensure the employees advocate and promote health in self and in others.

5) To ensure the employees empower others in a principled way.

6) To ensure the employees understand professional responsibility and act on it.

Example

In the public sector, the employees can be the doctors, nurses, social workers which are related to caring and social welfare.

Motivation

Definition of motivation

ÐŽ§Motivation takes place when people expect that a course of action is likely to lead to the attainment of a goal - a valued reward that satisfies their particular needsЎЁ. (Armstrong:2000).

ÐŽ§The willingness to exert high levels of effort toward organisational goals, conditioned by the effortÐŽ¦s ability to satisfy some individual needsЎЁ. (Robbins:2002).

Concept of motivation

The underlying concept of motivation is some driving force within individuals by which they attempt to achieve some goal in order to fulfil some needs or expectation.

PeopleÐŽ¦s behaviors are determined by what motivates them. Their performance is a product of both ability level and motivation.

Performance = function (ability X motivation)

Motivation theories

There are a lot of theories of motivation, but they can be classified into two contrasting approaches, content and process theories.

Content theory

It explains those specific things which actually motivate the individual at work. Content theory are concerned with identifying peoples needs and their relative strengths, and the goals they pursue in order to satisfy these needs These theories place emphasis on the nature of needs and what motivates human behaviour. The major content theories are as below. In this part, we will base on MaslowÐŽ¦s hierarchy of needs model to comment how theory can motivate employees in human service agencies.

Major content theory

Ñ"Ю MaslowÐŽ¦s hierarchy of needs model

Ñ"Ю AlderferÐŽ¦s ERG Theory of Need

Ñ"Ю HerzbergÐŽ¦s two-factor model

Ñ"Ю McCllandÐŽ¦s theory of needs

MaslowÐŽ¦s hierarchy of needs model

The basic proposition of the theory is people wanting beings, they always want more, and what they want depends on what they already have. The theory suggests that human needs are arranged in a series of levels and a hierarchy of importance. The hierarchy ranges through 5 levels and is displayed in the form of a pyramid. It implies a thinning out of needs as people progress up the hierarchy. The Ascending order implies that it is the next unachieved level that acts as the motivator. Once lower need has been satisfied, it no longer a strong motivator. Only unsatisfied needs motivate a person

Ñ"Ь Physiological needs are the most basic human needs. They include food, water. They help the body to retain normal functioning. Once they are achieved, we will think about other things.

Ñ"Ь Safety needs are the desires for security, stability and to feel safe from harm.

Ñ"Ь Social needs include sense of belonging, friendships affection and both giving receiving love.

Ñ"Ь Esteem needs include self-respect and respect from others. Self-respect involves the desire for confidence, strength and independence. Respect from others involves reputation and prestige.

Ñ"Ь Self-actualization needs are the desire for self-fulfillment. This is the development and realization of oneÐŽ¦s full potential.

How organizations help their employees fulfill those needs in order to motivate them

For physiological needs, organization can help to satisfy employees' physiological needs by a paycheck.

For safety needs, organization helps to satisfy employees' safety needs by benefits.

For social needs, supervisor can help fulfill social needs by showing direct care and concern for employees.

For esteem needs, organization helps to satisfy employees' esteem needs by matching the skills and abilities of the employee to the job. The supervisor can help fulfill esteem needs by showing workers that their work is appreciated.

For self-actualization needs, supervisor can help fulfill self-actualization needs by assigning tasks that challenge employees' minds while drawing on their aptitude and training.

Application

Maslow's theory is no doubt that offers a convenient taxonomy of human needs and it is more comprehensive