Critical Thinking 3
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Part one
- Define motivation and explain three motivational theories from the chapter. What kinds of needs motivate employees? Is a good reward good enough? How do other factors affect motivation?
Motivation is among the forces that contribute to performance. It may be outlined as the desire to attain a goal or a specific level of performance that results in goal-directed and oriented behavior. An individual who is motivated means that the individual is making an effort to accomplish a specific task.
The first motivation theory is Taylor’s scientific management theory. According to Frederick Taylor’s motivation theory, a majority of workers are primarily motivated by the earnings they get from the work they do (Ghanbarpour & Najmolhoda, 2013). Taylor argued that a majority of employees do not enjoy their work duties and only do well when assured of monetary rewards upon the completion of the duties they are assigned (Ghanbarpour & Najmolhoda, 2013). The ideas of Taylor were further advanced by individuals like Henry Ford, who paid their employees according to the output.
The second motivation theory is Maslow’s and Herzberg’s Human needs theory. According to them, psychological factors influence the behavior of humans. This theory outlined human needs as a graduated scale, starting from physical, and basic ones like hunger and thirst to high- level ones like the urge for love and the push for self-fulfillment (Ghanbarpour & Najmolhoda, 2013). They shared the belief that employers would attain better results from workers if they recognized the varying needs of workers and if they provided multiple rewards.
The third motivation theory is Mayo’s human relations theory. Mayo’s motivation theory evaluated workers’ social needs. He shared the belief that wages alone were not adequate for motivating workers to put forth their best efforts. He also shared the belief that the social needs of employees ought to be considered (Organizational Behavior, 2017). He recommended that organizations ought to treat their employees in a caring way that shows interest in the individual intending to ensure that they do their best as they carry out the work duties assigned to them.
Motivation is evidently vital if an individual is to perform well. Notwithstanding, it is not sufficient as it is affected by different factors. Among such factors is ability, or having the knowledge and skills needed to carry out a specific task. Environmental factors, such as having the resources, support, and information that one requires to perform well, influence motivation and, in the long run, determine performance.
- What are the types of incentives I might use to influence employee behavior? How
can I use compensation and other rewards to motivate people?
Employee incentives are reward and compensation pay systems that motivate workers to attain particular goals. Some of the types of incentives that may be used to influence employee behavior include one-time bonuses, retention bonuses, and stock or cash bonuses (Nosenzo, 2016). One-time bonuses, together with regular commissions and pay increases, could be paid to employees for accomplishing specific milestones or carrying out valuable services. An example of a one-time bonus is providing cash bonuses for the referral of qualified friends who are hired and complete the period of probation. Retentions bonuses may be used for rewarding employees who stay with an organization for a specific period or through a particular event, for example, during an acquisition, a merger, or a crucial period of production. Providing employees with the chance of sharing in productivity profits or gains, typically using stock or cash bonuses, also motivates them to attain personal benchmarks or assist them in attaining team or company objectives.
Compensation could also be used to motivate an organization’s employees. One such option includes the side agreement compensation (Gupta & Shaw, 2014), which involves a variable pay plan where employees and employers settle on a close-ended exchange with the assistance of the Professional Employer Organization (PEO) (Gupta & Shaw, 2014). Such agreements are primarily beneficial when employers want to attain a tangible outcome whose monetary value to an organization can be measured. However, it could be an extraordinary part of the job of employees, for example, a special task or project. The pay depends on producing a particular work outcome, which means employees are not bound by the constraints of the conventional incentives.
Part Two
- How important do you think group identification really is to an individual’s motivation to work on a task? Do you think this could differ between individuals? What other factors would be relevant?
Group identification refers to the sense of belonging that an individual has to a specific cultural, social, or subcultural group (Leah et al., 2010). Group identification is also part of how an individual feels about themselves. It gives room for one to be connected to a group and a broader slice of society. Such connections produce a range of feelings about something, which may determine crucial aspects such as attitude toward a specific task. If a group’s perceptions toward a particular task are negative, then it is highly likely that each individual group member will be less motivated to carry out the task. Alternatively, if a group identifies well with a particular task and love doing it, individual group members may be highly motivated to carry out the task
The motivation of group members may differ from one person to another. Group identification does not necessarily mean that every group member shares a similar perception with other group members, implying that the level of motivation of one member differs from another group member.
In situations that entail intergroup competition, individuals may distance themselves from a group when it is performing dismally as compared to others. Alternatively, when a group gets threatened by factions external to the group, group members could react by raising identification in protecting the group’s value (Postmes et al., 2005). This may also increase motivation toward a specific course.
- Can you identify alignment between the argument posed by Fishbach and colleagues to other models or theories of motivation posed throughout this chapter?
According to Fishbach, individuals are more likely to attain their goals when the benefits are intrinsic, and they enjoy the process of going after them, making them frame their goals in terms of ‘what to do’ instead of ‘what not to do’ (Touré-Tillery & Fishbach, 2011). Also, in line with Fishbach, individuals tend to be most motivated at the beginning of working toward a goal and when they are almost finishing the task. Motivation increases as individuals approach the goal, and a majority of individuals may lose focus in the middle. Also, positive feedback assists individuals in learning and increasing motivation better than negative feedback, which shows the opposite effect. Fischbach and colleagues emphasize self-control upon facing the temptation to maintain motivation (Touré-Tillery & Fishbach, 2011). It assists in anticipating temptation early enough and boosting motivation, and reminding oneself of the goal and its significance. In addition, Fishbach and colleagues also point out the power of social support to help maintain motivation, and that working with other individuals, as well as in the presence of other individuals, raises motivation.
Closely examining Herzberg’s theory points out that for individuals who have attained a level of economic and social progress in the community, high-level Maslow’s model needs (self-actualization and esteem) are the primary motivators. Thus, it may be concluded that money is a primary motivator for a majority of individuals, which is in line with Fishbach’s argument that individuals are motivated when the benefits are intrinsic (Touré-Tillery & Fishbach, 2011). Herzberg’s theory outlines two factors: maintenance and motivation, and outlines that the motivational factors are usually gotten from work duties. A majority of maintenance factors come under relatively low-order requirements, and motivational factors are, in a way, significant to higher-order needs (Organizational Behavior, 2017). The Herzberg and Maslow’s models are based on the assumption that particular needs or goals energize specific behavior, which points out a direct alignment with Fishhbach’s view on motivation.
- What strategies could you use to improve group identification, goal commitment, and member motivation when working in a group?
One strategy is creating a collaboration culture. Individuals are more motivated to finish a task if they believe that they have certain ownership of it. This may be accomplished by inviting participation via a collaboration culture. When employees are aware that their opinions or ideas are welcome, heard, and expected, they are more motivated and engaged. Individuals who are in a position of providing input in early development stages and throughout a project have a higher likelihood of being motivated and being part of the project until its completion while doing their best work since they have ownership and pride in the outcome.
Showing appreciation is also another strategy. Apart from incentives and rewards, which can be great motivators, gratitude words have a profound and long-lasting impact. Individuals would wish to know if their efforts are being appreciated. Acknowledging the bright ideas, work dedication, and other positive moments raises individuals’ motivation toward a specific goal.
References
Ghanbarpour, Z., & Najmolhoda, F. S. (2013). Contemporary theories of motivation in organizational leadership and behavior. International Research Journal of Applied and Basic Sciences, 6(1), 1-7.
Gupta, N., & Shaw, J. D. (2014). Employee compensation: The neglected area of HRM research. Human resource management review, 24(1), 1-4.
Leach, C. W., Mosquera, P. M. R., Vliek, M. L., & Hirt, E. (2010). Group devaluation and group identification. Journal of Social Issues, 66(3), 535-552.
Nosenzo, D. (2016). Employee incentives: Bonuses or penalties?. IZA World of Labor.
Postmes, T., Spears, R., Lee, A. T., & Novak, R. J. (2005). Individuality and social influence in groups: Inductive and deductive routes to group identity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 89, 747-763.
Touré-Tillery, M., & Fishbach, A. (2011). The course of motivation. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 21(4), 414-423.
University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing. (2017). Organizational Behavior.