Motivation

Week 4

Question

• Are happy workers more productive?– True? False?– Sometimes? Never?– Why??

• Should managers care if their employees like their jobs?

Job Satisfaction

• A pleasurable emotional state resulting from the appraisal of one’s job or job experiences.– Cognitive and affective elements– Several facets: pay, promotions, co-workers,

boss, status– Mostly affected by characteristics of the job

itself.

• What jobs are usually the most satisfying?

Job Design1. Skill Variety

2. Task Identity– Do you believe that you create something from

beginning to end, with a visible outcome?

3. Task Significance– Do you feel that your job actually matters?

4. Autonomy– Do you make your own decisions

5. Feedback (from job not supervisor)

Redesign a job to make it more satisfying

• Form a group of 4-6 people

• Choose one person’s (old) job, and rate it according to the job characteristics model

• For each characteristic, try to suggest improvements that would make it a more satisfying job.

• Be prepared to report back to the class.

Motivation

• The processes that account for an individual’s intensity, direction, and persistence of effort toward obtaining a goal– Depends on the situation– Not personality– Not employment commitment

• Can use a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic factors

Experiment

• We need two volunteers.

Reinforcement

• Negative reinforcement– A stimulus is removed when the participant responds

appropriately• e.g., when the mouse presses a lever, electric shocks stop

• Positive reinforcement– A stimulus is applied when the participant responds

appropriately• e.g., when the mouse presses a lever, it receives a treat

Reinforcement

• Which technique is more effective?

• How did it feel to be subjected to the different feedback styles?

• How did you feel while you were giving the different types of feedback?

Needs-based theories

Needs Hierarchy Theory (Maslow, 1954)– Self-actualization: learning,

growth, achieving one’s potential, etc.

– Esteem: self-respect, recognition, etc.

– Belongingness: acceptance, friendship, etc.

– Safety needs: no physical or emotional harm

– Physiological needs: air, water, food, etc.

Needs-Based Theories

• Theory of Learned Needs (McClelland, 1985)– Need for achievement: want to accomplish

goals through their own efforts, win– Need for affiliation: seek approval, conform,

avoid conflict and confrontation– Need for power: desire to control people and

resources

Expectancy theory (Vroom, 1964)

• Based on the idea that work effort is directed toward behaviors that people believe will lead to desired outcomes

1. Effort-to-performance

2. Performance-to-expectancy

3. Valence

Effort-to-performance

• Will the effort lead to a good performance?– Probability (i.e., from 0 to 1)– e.g., believing that you have the capacity to

meet a sales quota– How would you increase this?

Effort Performance

Performance-to-expectancy

• Will a good performance lead to organizational rewards? (e.g., bonus, promotion, recognition, etc.)– Probability (between 0 and 1)– e.g., believing that meeting your sales quota

will lead to a promotion– How would you increase this?

Performance Outcome 1

Outcome Valences

• Will the rewards be valued? – Negative or positive, unlimited range.– Related to how well the outcome meets needs

and drives• e.g., whether a promotion is something that you

value

– How would you increase this?

Outcome 1

Expectancy Theory

Effort Performance

Outcome 1

Outcome 2

Outcome 3

Goal Setting (e.g., Latham & Kinne, 1974)

• The theory that specific and difficult goals lead to higher performance

• Stretches the intensity and persistence of effort– Employees know what is expected so they

can focus their efforts more efficiently– NOT just saying to people “do your best!”– An extrinsic reward is NOT given for

completion.

Characteristics of Effective Goals• Specific Goals

– NOT: work harder! Be a better worker!

• Measurable– e.g., increase sales 5%

• Attainable – If too easy OR hard, no one will bother (e.g., increase by

0.5% or 200%)

• Relevant– e.g., increase sales (only if you are a salesperson, not if

you are a factory worker)

• Time-limited– e.g., increase sales 5% in next 3 months

Set some goals

• Write down some “SMART” goals for yourself

• Address the envelope to yourself (your permanent address or where you’ll be in late December).

• I will mail it to you then

Form a group of 5 people…• About six months ago, Rich (who works in the

public sector) gave Carly, one of his employees, a very high-profile assignment (a major report) that will earn her a major promotion. She agreed to have it done in three months, but nothing concrete was produced. At their meeting yesterday, he asked her when the project would be complete. She suggested a new timeline, with the final report being ready in about three months.

• What advice can you suggest?

Kindergarten Cop

• What was the overall take-away of the article?

• What did you agree with?

• What did you disagree with?

• What else could the author have included?

• What is your overall assessment?

Summary

• Perceptions and attitudes influence your workers’ behaviors.

• Justice, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment are important motivators

• Other motivation techniques can also be used, but the approach should be complementary.