Employee Motivation: Theories and Techniques
Employee Motivation
Motivational Process
The motivational process, from the employee’s standpoint, is defined as the impulse that leads them to act to satisfy needs and achieve goals. From the company’s perspective, it can be understood as the ability to get workers willing to do the assigned work and to perform it well.
Motivation Theories
Hierarchy of Needs: Maslow
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs posits that motivation is not merely an impulse, but a situation of prioritized needs, where some have more importance than others, depending on the moment and the degree of satisfaction. When a person meets the requirements of one level, they will feel motivated to achieve those of a higher level, as it is typical of the human condition that people are never completely satisfied.
Needs in the pyramid, from bottom to top, are:
- Physiological
- Safety
- Social
- Esteem
- Self-realization
According to Maslow, to motivate a person, it is necessary to discover which level of the hierarchy their needs belong to and provide incentives that correspond to that level or the next highest. Needs are not independent.
Two-Factor Theory: Herzberg
Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory is based on the idea that workers maintain a balance between satisfaction and dissatisfaction with their work. It proposes two types of factors that influence motivation: hygiene factors and motivating factors.
- Hygiene factors are those that surround the work activity itself but are extraneous to it. They are the main cause of discontent in the workplace.
- Motivational factors are those related to the job content itself and are intrinsic to it. They are the primary cause of satisfaction.
Learned Needs Theory: McClelland
McClelland’s Learned Needs Theory is based on the premise that most human needs are learned in childhood and are related to their social and cultural environment. Different contexts lead individuals to learn different models, and therefore express different intensities for each need.
It primarily focuses on four impulses:
- Achievement motivation
- Affiliation
- Competition
- Power
The predominance of any of these impulses leads people to have different job prospects.
Expectancy Theory
Expectancy Theory suggests that worker motivation depends on the intensity with which they desire to achieve a goal and the perceived likelihood of achieving it. This theory emphasizes the possibility that a particular act will be followed by a particular result. The effort a person makes at work depends on the perceived probability of a given performance level, the reward that can be achieved, and the importance assigned to both.
Goal-Setting Theory
Goal-Setting Theory maintains that motivation at work is a conscious activity, and that the higher the goals an individual desires, the greater their level of implementation will be.
Equity Theory
Equity Theory proposes that individuals make comparisons between the contributions they make and the salaries they receive, and in turn, compare these to their peers. They feel motivated when there is a balance between the effort they have made and the reward received.
Motivational Techniques
Promotion at Work
Human Resources departments seek to promote workers by giving them more responsibility, increased responsibilities, new tasks, higher salaries, etc.
Training
Offering training that is not directly related to the job may not be motivating. However, demanding and requesting the training needed is motivating.
Wage Policy
Employers often believe that young people feel underpaid for work they actually perform poorly. Incentives can include prizes, trips, etc.
Working Environment
The working environment refers to that which surrounds the worker in their job, as well as the work itself. These factors directly affect workers’ health and impact their motivation and performance. Within the environment, we can distinguish between the physical environment and the mental and social environment.
Person-Job Fit
Recruitment departments increasingly consider the importance of finding the right person for the job. Often, a lack of worker satisfaction stems from being in a position that does not align with their capabilities.