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CHAPTER NINE
Motivating Employees
CHAPTER SUMMARY
Employers are interested in understanding the process of motivation, what motivates
individuals, and how an organization can create a workplace that allows people to
perform to the best of their abilities. Many studies of human have contributed to the
current understanding of job performance, high productivity, and job satisfaction.
Furthermore, these early studies have enabled contemporary managers to better
understand their workers’ efforts and expectations, their workers’ perceptions of
fairness, and other sources of motivation. This chapter details several of these
motivational studies.
Motivation is the set of forces that prompt a person to release energy in a certain
direction. Motivation is essentially a need- and want-satisfying process. A need is
defined as the gap between what is and what is required. Similarly, a want is the gap
between what is and what is desired.
One of the most influential figures of the classical era of management, which lasted
from about 1900 to the mid-1930s, was Frederick W. Taylor, called the “father of
scientific management.” Taylor’s approach to improved performance was based on
economic incentives and the premise that there is “one best way” to perform any job.
The classical era of management was followed by the human relations era, which began
in the 1930s and focused primarily on how human behavior and relations affect
organizational performance. The Hawthorne Studies, conducted at the Hawthorne
Western Electric plant, examined the effects of varying levels of light on worker
productivity. Findings from these studies gave rise to what is now known as the
Hawthorne effect, which suggests that employees will perform better when they feel
singled out for special attention or feel that management is concerned about employee
welfare.
Another well-known theorist from the behavioral era of management history,
psychologist Abraham Maslow, proposed a theory of motivation based on universal
human needs. Maslow believed that each individual has a hierarchy of needs; consisting
of physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization needs.
, Douglas McGregor, one of Maslow’s students, influenced the study of motivation with
his formulation of two contrasting sets of assumptions about human nature. The Theory
X management style is based on a pessimistic view of human nature, while Theory Y
management style is based on a more optimistic view of human nature. William Ouchi
proposed a theory that combines U.S. and Japanese business practices called Theory Z.
Another important contribution to our understanding of individual motivation came
from Frederick Herzberg’s studies, which addressed the question, “What do people
really want from their work experience?” According to Herzberg, motivating factors are
primarily intrinsic job elements that lead to satisfaction. Hygiene factors are extrinsic
elements of the work environment.
Contemporary theories of motivation include Expectancy Theory, which states the
probability of an individual acting in a particular way depends on the strength of that
individual’s belief that the act will have a particular outcome and on whether the
individual values that outcome. Another contemporary explanation of motivation is
Equity Theory, which is based on individuals’ perceptions about how fairly they are
treated compared with their coworkers. Goal-setting theory is based on the premise
that an individual’s intention to work toward a goal is a primary source of motivation.
Reinforcement theory states that behavior is a function of its consequences. In other
words, people do things because they know other things will follow.
Throughout time, managers have redesigned and modified jobs to increase employee
motivation and performance. Motivational job design includes enlargement, job
enrichment, and job rotation; as well as work-scheduling options, empowerment, and
economic incentives. Trends in employee motivation include employee education and
training, employee ownership, work-life benefits, nurturing knowledge and learning
workers, and coping with the rising costs of absenteeism.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. What are the basic principles of Frederick Taylor’s concept of scientific
management?
Scientific management is based on the belief that employees are motivated by
economic incentives and that there is “one best way” to perform any job. The
four basic principles of scientific management developed by Taylor are as
follows:
1. Develop a scientific approach for each element of a person’s job.
2. Scientifically select, train, teach, and develop workers.
September 5, 2018 2
must be attributed to OpenStax
CHAPTER NINE
Motivating Employees
CHAPTER SUMMARY
Employers are interested in understanding the process of motivation, what motivates
individuals, and how an organization can create a workplace that allows people to
perform to the best of their abilities. Many studies of human have contributed to the
current understanding of job performance, high productivity, and job satisfaction.
Furthermore, these early studies have enabled contemporary managers to better
understand their workers’ efforts and expectations, their workers’ perceptions of
fairness, and other sources of motivation. This chapter details several of these
motivational studies.
Motivation is the set of forces that prompt a person to release energy in a certain
direction. Motivation is essentially a need- and want-satisfying process. A need is
defined as the gap between what is and what is required. Similarly, a want is the gap
between what is and what is desired.
One of the most influential figures of the classical era of management, which lasted
from about 1900 to the mid-1930s, was Frederick W. Taylor, called the “father of
scientific management.” Taylor’s approach to improved performance was based on
economic incentives and the premise that there is “one best way” to perform any job.
The classical era of management was followed by the human relations era, which began
in the 1930s and focused primarily on how human behavior and relations affect
organizational performance. The Hawthorne Studies, conducted at the Hawthorne
Western Electric plant, examined the effects of varying levels of light on worker
productivity. Findings from these studies gave rise to what is now known as the
Hawthorne effect, which suggests that employees will perform better when they feel
singled out for special attention or feel that management is concerned about employee
welfare.
Another well-known theorist from the behavioral era of management history,
psychologist Abraham Maslow, proposed a theory of motivation based on universal
human needs. Maslow believed that each individual has a hierarchy of needs; consisting
of physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization needs.
, Douglas McGregor, one of Maslow’s students, influenced the study of motivation with
his formulation of two contrasting sets of assumptions about human nature. The Theory
X management style is based on a pessimistic view of human nature, while Theory Y
management style is based on a more optimistic view of human nature. William Ouchi
proposed a theory that combines U.S. and Japanese business practices called Theory Z.
Another important contribution to our understanding of individual motivation came
from Frederick Herzberg’s studies, which addressed the question, “What do people
really want from their work experience?” According to Herzberg, motivating factors are
primarily intrinsic job elements that lead to satisfaction. Hygiene factors are extrinsic
elements of the work environment.
Contemporary theories of motivation include Expectancy Theory, which states the
probability of an individual acting in a particular way depends on the strength of that
individual’s belief that the act will have a particular outcome and on whether the
individual values that outcome. Another contemporary explanation of motivation is
Equity Theory, which is based on individuals’ perceptions about how fairly they are
treated compared with their coworkers. Goal-setting theory is based on the premise
that an individual’s intention to work toward a goal is a primary source of motivation.
Reinforcement theory states that behavior is a function of its consequences. In other
words, people do things because they know other things will follow.
Throughout time, managers have redesigned and modified jobs to increase employee
motivation and performance. Motivational job design includes enlargement, job
enrichment, and job rotation; as well as work-scheduling options, empowerment, and
economic incentives. Trends in employee motivation include employee education and
training, employee ownership, work-life benefits, nurturing knowledge and learning
workers, and coping with the rising costs of absenteeism.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. What are the basic principles of Frederick Taylor’s concept of scientific
management?
Scientific management is based on the belief that employees are motivated by
economic incentives and that there is “one best way” to perform any job. The
four basic principles of scientific management developed by Taylor are as
follows:
1. Develop a scientific approach for each element of a person’s job.
2. Scientifically select, train, teach, and develop workers.
September 5, 2018 2
