Employee Motivation

Human Resources Management

Employee Motivation

MM3111

18/04/07

Contents

IntroductionÐ'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'... p.3

First Part: Theories

Major conceptsÐ'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'..... p.4

Motivation theories

I. MaslowÐ'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'..... p.5

II. Herzberg Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'... p.6

III. Vroom Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...... p.6

IV. Likert Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'....... p.7

Second Part: Practices

Rewards as a source of motivation Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'.... p.8

Make the work motivating Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'..... p.10

The charismatic leader Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'... p.12

Conclusion Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'..... p.14

Appendix Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'... p.15

References Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'...Ð'..... p.16

Introduction

Formerly, the employee was only considered as another input (with raw material and buildings) in the process of production. But from 1924 to 1932, E. Mayo, F. Roethlisberger and W. J. Dickson supervised a series of experiments which resulted in the Hawthorne effect. The latter shrew that the incomes aren't the only motivation for the employee to work effectively and efficiently ; indeed, their behavior also mainly depends on the attention we pay to them (Mayo, 1933). This brought a human relation aspect to management, which is nowadays one of the major managers' concerns.

The motivation is made up of several processes. It's necessary to formulate a precise, accurate and concrete description, in order to justify the various strategies which develop motivation. It is thus essential to associate theoretical approaches and practical ones. The main objectives of this individual paper will be on one hand, to understand employees' needs and motivations through different widespread theories ; and on the other hand, to find out which particular points must be handled first and foremost by the managers, in order to get the most from their employees.

Major concepts

Motivation

When you read job offers a in the newspapers, you may notice that companies are always looking for "motivated" people. But motivation isn't a characteristic; it's rather a process, which allows you to make an important effort for particular activity. This is different from other notions such as dynamism or energy. We can be motivated for some things, but not for some other things.

Motivation crisis

Few decades ago, Taylor thought that the motivation would be a consequence of the financial profit sharing and the feeling of having well done its task (Taylor, 1911). History proved the failures of this reasoning: the work dullness and the absence of intellectual effort are disheartening.

Nowadays another aspect of this issue might not be found in every developed country, but it sure is of current events in some Western countries, as for example in France or United Kingdom (see appendix A and B). The increase of the non-working population and the late first-job obtaining make individual personality and self-esteem built up on bases which are outside the working world. The work loses one of its value, and the motivation to work decreases.

Motivation Theories

I. Maslow and the hierarchy of needs

The first psychologist who will give a suitable interpretation is Abraham Maslow with his hierarchy of needs theory. This theory brings an answer to the question: what may motivate people? Basically, they would be motivated by the will to satisfy needs. According to him, people have five levels of needs, which are: physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualizing (Maslow, 1943).

As this theory is hierarchical, those levels can be represented in an increasing way, as the following pyramid:

This particular layout represents the fact that, in order to satisfy a given level, you need to satisfy the previous one.

This hierarchy of needs has been contested because of its indistinctness as regards the notion of need. Indeed, Maslow didn't clarify some points: we don't know whether we can create needs, neither whether some needs are more motivating than the others.

II. Herzberg and the two different factors

Frederick Herzberg, as far as he's concerned, distinguishes two different types of needs. One of them (hygiene factors) is relative to every kind of living being, the other one (motivators) only concerns the Human being.

Here are some examples of those needs:

Hygiene factors