Work, motivation and health
Motivated employees usually have a personality that predisposes them to be motivated.
When employees expectations have been met, employees are more motivated when:
- Job and organization are consistent with their values.
- They are given achievable goals.
- They receive feedback on these goals.
- The rewards gained for achieving these goals are in line with their own needs.
- They are being treated fairly within the organizations.
- Co-workers are also motivated.
There’s correlation between conscientiousness and motivation.
There are three kinds of self-esteem (the global self-evaluation of people):
- Chronic self-esteem: deals with positive or negative way the person views himself as a whole.
- Situational self-esteem: positive or negative way the person views himself in a particular situation.
This is also referred to as self-efficacy.
- Socially influenced self-esteem: positive or negative way self is viewed based on expectations of
others.
Important is also to consider intrinsic motivation (associated with values and personal goals) and extrinsic
motivation (rewards and punishment – everything that is external to the individual).
This comes from McClelland’s three needs, where he saw need for achievement, affiliation and power.
- Need for power: is need to be in control, in a managerial or leadership position.
- Need for affiliation: social needs, need to belong, to be associated with a particular group.
- Achievement: need to achieve certain goals and objectives.
It is particularly important to consider need for achievement, which is strongly associated with motivation.
Self-fulfilling prophecy: it is the expectation about someone that causes that person to act in ways
consistent to the expectation.
This is why employees with higher expectations about them have higher motivation. Self-fulfilling prophecy
is strongest at the beginning of the relationship. The take home message is the need of leaders to develop
and maintain a positive, yet realistic expectation toward all employees. Also important is to deliver
optimistic hope. It is important to minimize the self-fulfilling prophecy error.
Galatea effect, like the self-fulfilling prophecy, is related to experience of success: when high self-
expectations result in higher performance. This means that we should lead individuals to have higher
expectations about themselves.
,Golem effect, when negative expectations of an individual lead to a decrease in performance.
Employees expectations are met with realistic job previews (RJPs) and thorough job description. When
expectations are met, individuals have higher motivation and, therefore, there need to be realistic job
previews and descriptions.
Supervisor behaviour is important in:
Pygmalion effect, when people believe something is true, they will act in a manner that is consistent with
that belief.
Many theories also assess the needs of employees (hierarchy of needs by Maslow, ERG and Two-factor
theories). Certain needs need to be met in order for the employees to be motivated.
Maslow’s hierarchy is divided into:
- Physical needs: need for food and shelter.
- Safety needs: security.
- Social: to connect with others
- Ego: to be considered competent.
- Self-actualization: contribution to the broader context of society and feeling valued.
ERG theory argues there are three needs:
- Need for existence (associated with safety and physical needs of Maslow)
- Relatedness (related to social needs)
- Growth need (related to ego and self-actualization).
Two-factor theory argues that there are 2 basic needs:
- Hygiene factors, that are basic aspects of human beings, but that do not motivate the individual
(they are necessary but not sufficient).
- Motivators are needed for motivation (e.g. is there enough challenge, control over the job,
opportunities and challenges?)
Needs are not always fulfilled in the order in which they are postulated.
Job characteristics model is also important for needs:
, It emphasizes that certain characteristics in a job will make it more satisfying depending on the needs of
the employee.
Desires about a job are associated strongly with meaningfulness of a job.
Skill variety is also important, and whether significance of the task is perceived and whether the individual
identifies with the task. This will result in high levels of performance and satisfaction of growth needs.
Moderators are:
- Knowledge and skill to perform the job.
- Strength of growth need.
- Whether the context in which the employee works is satisfactory.
There is correlation between characteristics of a job and satisfaction, performance and absenteeism.
Another important aspect to consider after this model is goal setting. For goal setting to be successful,
goals shall be SMART:
NB relevant means relevant for the individual.
SMART goals contribute to motivation.
Important is also whether the employee participates is participating in setting the goals.
Furthermore, positive and negative feedback need to fulfil specific characteristics:
Self-regulation theory: there is a self-regulation process. The individual chooses goals and sets a level to
which he would like to achieve those goals. He plans how to accomplish them and takes action toward
accomplishing them (goal striving). Finally, he evaluates progress toward goal attainment and either
maintains, revises or abandons goal.
Individuals may often have competing goals, and it is important to distinguish which are important.
Rewarding: a reward is a type of feedback. It is important to consider the timing of the reward: it shall be
given as close as possible to successful behaviour. Because it is not always possible, the contingency of the
Motivated employees usually have a personality that predisposes them to be motivated.
When employees expectations have been met, employees are more motivated when:
- Job and organization are consistent with their values.
- They are given achievable goals.
- They receive feedback on these goals.
- The rewards gained for achieving these goals are in line with their own needs.
- They are being treated fairly within the organizations.
- Co-workers are also motivated.
There’s correlation between conscientiousness and motivation.
There are three kinds of self-esteem (the global self-evaluation of people):
- Chronic self-esteem: deals with positive or negative way the person views himself as a whole.
- Situational self-esteem: positive or negative way the person views himself in a particular situation.
This is also referred to as self-efficacy.
- Socially influenced self-esteem: positive or negative way self is viewed based on expectations of
others.
Important is also to consider intrinsic motivation (associated with values and personal goals) and extrinsic
motivation (rewards and punishment – everything that is external to the individual).
This comes from McClelland’s three needs, where he saw need for achievement, affiliation and power.
- Need for power: is need to be in control, in a managerial or leadership position.
- Need for affiliation: social needs, need to belong, to be associated with a particular group.
- Achievement: need to achieve certain goals and objectives.
It is particularly important to consider need for achievement, which is strongly associated with motivation.
Self-fulfilling prophecy: it is the expectation about someone that causes that person to act in ways
consistent to the expectation.
This is why employees with higher expectations about them have higher motivation. Self-fulfilling prophecy
is strongest at the beginning of the relationship. The take home message is the need of leaders to develop
and maintain a positive, yet realistic expectation toward all employees. Also important is to deliver
optimistic hope. It is important to minimize the self-fulfilling prophecy error.
Galatea effect, like the self-fulfilling prophecy, is related to experience of success: when high self-
expectations result in higher performance. This means that we should lead individuals to have higher
expectations about themselves.
,Golem effect, when negative expectations of an individual lead to a decrease in performance.
Employees expectations are met with realistic job previews (RJPs) and thorough job description. When
expectations are met, individuals have higher motivation and, therefore, there need to be realistic job
previews and descriptions.
Supervisor behaviour is important in:
Pygmalion effect, when people believe something is true, they will act in a manner that is consistent with
that belief.
Many theories also assess the needs of employees (hierarchy of needs by Maslow, ERG and Two-factor
theories). Certain needs need to be met in order for the employees to be motivated.
Maslow’s hierarchy is divided into:
- Physical needs: need for food and shelter.
- Safety needs: security.
- Social: to connect with others
- Ego: to be considered competent.
- Self-actualization: contribution to the broader context of society and feeling valued.
ERG theory argues there are three needs:
- Need for existence (associated with safety and physical needs of Maslow)
- Relatedness (related to social needs)
- Growth need (related to ego and self-actualization).
Two-factor theory argues that there are 2 basic needs:
- Hygiene factors, that are basic aspects of human beings, but that do not motivate the individual
(they are necessary but not sufficient).
- Motivators are needed for motivation (e.g. is there enough challenge, control over the job,
opportunities and challenges?)
Needs are not always fulfilled in the order in which they are postulated.
Job characteristics model is also important for needs:
, It emphasizes that certain characteristics in a job will make it more satisfying depending on the needs of
the employee.
Desires about a job are associated strongly with meaningfulness of a job.
Skill variety is also important, and whether significance of the task is perceived and whether the individual
identifies with the task. This will result in high levels of performance and satisfaction of growth needs.
Moderators are:
- Knowledge and skill to perform the job.
- Strength of growth need.
- Whether the context in which the employee works is satisfactory.
There is correlation between characteristics of a job and satisfaction, performance and absenteeism.
Another important aspect to consider after this model is goal setting. For goal setting to be successful,
goals shall be SMART:
NB relevant means relevant for the individual.
SMART goals contribute to motivation.
Important is also whether the employee participates is participating in setting the goals.
Furthermore, positive and negative feedback need to fulfil specific characteristics:
Self-regulation theory: there is a self-regulation process. The individual chooses goals and sets a level to
which he would like to achieve those goals. He plans how to accomplish them and takes action toward
accomplishing them (goal striving). Finally, he evaluates progress toward goal attainment and either
maintains, revises or abandons goal.
Individuals may often have competing goals, and it is important to distinguish which are important.
Rewarding: a reward is a type of feedback. It is important to consider the timing of the reward: it shall be
given as close as possible to successful behaviour. Because it is not always possible, the contingency of the
