1.4.4

• Motivation


  A desire or willingness that propels a person to take action and achieve a specific goal/outcome or perform certain tasks
• Impact of motivation: increased productivity

  Workers more efficient as they are engaged in their work and more likely to meet/exceed goals
• Impact of motivation: increased reliability

  Workers more dependable. They'll take pride in their work, show upon time and take less sick days.
• Impact of motivation: reduced labour turnover

  If workers are happy and motivated, more likely to stay at the company long term. Reduces costs of recruitment and training associated with high labour turnover
• Frederick Taylor's theory of scientific management

  • Looked at efficiency and productivity of manufacturing
• Taylor's approach was based on time and motion studies

  • Measurement - what can be done better and how?
  • Monitoring - are targets being met
  • Control
• Taylors approach in business

  Breaking down complex tasks Standardising work processing Providing workers with clear instructions and training Aim is to maximise efficiency Use financial incentives to motivate workers like 'piece rate' or 'bonuses' This is... An autocratic leadership style Close control and supervision of employees Do tasks set Piece rate payment - paid per unit produced
• mayo's human relations theory

  focused on the importance of social factors in the workplace

  • communication
  • motivation
  • job satisfaction

  conducted a series of studies at the Hawthorne Factory of the Western Electric Company in Chicago
• hawthorne studies


  mayo changes the working conditions such as break times and duration of ladies who worked in the relay assembly room at the factory and noticed an increase in productivity

  • working in teams was more important than money
  • non-financial motivators were the most important
  • boring and repetitive work can be a demotivator
• maslows hierarchy of needs

  a theory of human motivation that outlines five tiers of human needs that must be met for individuals to reach their full potential
• physiological needs


  • the need we have for food, water, warmth and everything else we need for a basic life
  • if not being met, we have no interest in joining clubs, actualising, having family, falling in love etc.
• safety needs


  • need for safety, security and health
  • safety in terms of having a roof over our head, also mean security of employment
  • if employees think are being sacked or made redundant, they are unlikely to be productive or self actualising because safety needs not being met
  • equally, ill employee will not be working at their best either
• love/belonging needs


  • we crave affection and intimacy
  • we look to belong to social groups, clubs, community groups
  • wish to be trusted and accepted in society
  • this is also sometimes known as social needs - having good relationships at work
• self actualisation

  we only rise to this level of needs once we have fulfilled all other levels

  • travelling, nurturing mind/life, educating ourselves through choice, seeking enriching experiences, contentment
• herzberg's two factor theory

  disagreed with taylor that financial incentives was the only factor that motivates workers
• herzberg's two factors


  improving motivator factors improves job satisfaction.

  improving hygiene factors decreases job dissatisfaction.
• hygiene factors


  factors that can demotivate if not present. these factors do not motivate by themselves.

  hygiene factors:

  • working conditions
  • co-worker relations
  • policies and rules
  • supervisor quality
  • base wage, salary
• motivator factors


  factors that directly motivate people to work harder

  factors:

  • achievement
  • recognition
  • responsibility
  • work itself
  • advancement
  • personal growth
• how businesses can use hygiene factors to decrease job dissatisfaction

  • pay fair wages/salaries
  • offer excellent working conditions
  • offer employment contracts which provide job security
• how businesses can use motivating factors to increase job satisfaction

  • build a recognition and rewards culture
  • offer opportunities for growth and development
  • provide challenging work which requires problem solving
• problems with herzberg theory

  • some hygiene factors can be taken for granted by employees
  • job enrichment can be expensive for many firms
  • benefits from job improvements may not be seen for many years
  • the things that find people find dissatisfying or satisfying can be subjective
• How businesses may use Maslow’s approach

  • Create a good workplace, policies, holidays - safety
• Advantages of maslows approach

  • Higher employee satisfaction
  • Increased motivation
  • Improved employee performance
• Disadvantages of maslows approach

  • One size does not fit all
  • Expensive
  • Time-consuming
• types of financial incentives

  • piecework
  • commission
  • bonus
  • profit share
  • performance related pay
• piecework


  employees are paid per finished item or unit

  advantages:

  • encourages to work harder to make more money = increase productivity
  • efficient workers earn more

  disadvantages:

  • large project = low incentives
  • quality may suffer
  • slow workers fall under national minimum wage
• commission


  workers paid a low basic salary and commission to encourage sales

  advantages:

  • more sales = more commission = more productive for business
  • skilled salesperson = earn more money

  disadvantages:

  • if awarded low % commission = less incentives
  • no steady income
  • no meeting customer needs
  • temptation to pressure sell or oversell
• bonus


  lump sum paid on top of salary or wages. can be for: meeting sales targets or output or quality targets

  advantages:

  • want to work harder to get awarded bonuses = more productivity
• profit share


  percentage of profit shared amongst employees

  advantages:

  • workers work together
  • employees more loyal to the firm
  • employees keep cost low to keep profits high

  disadvantages:

  • eats into dividends of majority shareholders
• performance related pay


  employees are paid for how well they have achieved their personal targets and objectives

  advantages:

  • direct links to personal targets

  disadvantages:

  • some employees will not care, not change their behaviour - jealousy and unrest
  • those who dont meet targets blame manager - demotivated
• types of non-financial incentives

  • delegation
  • consultation
  • empowerment
  • team working
  • flexible working
  • job enrichment
  • job rotation
  • job enlargement
• delegation


  involves allocating tasks to employees - manager delegating must have authority

  advantages:

  • organising tasks easily + quickly = increased efficiency
  • gives manager self confidence = empower them to make decisions + allocate tasks

  disadvantages:

  • employees can get allocated a task not suitable for them
  • may only allocate tasks when overload with work
• consultation


  giving employees a chance to be part of decision making process

  advantages:

  • employees feel included = more motivated
  • increases staff engagement = increase staff morale
  • staff less resistant to changes if are consulted

  disadvantages:

  • slower decision making
  • cause conflict if there are disagreements
• empowerment


  allowing employees more authority to delegate tasks to others.

  the person most suitable to make the decisions get the responsibility of taking it.

  allows staff to make decisions without seeking for management approval
• empowerment


  advantages:

  • employees are independent = freedom in decisions
  • staff recognised for ability, trust and control over decisions = less frustrated with business + increased productivity

  disadvantages:

  • seen as cost cutting, way of delayering
  • making management redundancies
  • makes managers insecure and has an associated cost of training
• team working


  involves grouping employees to work in teams

  advantages:

  • get more work done = improves productivity + efficiency
  • pooled talents
  • individuals can specialise
  • shared responsibility
  • ideas through brainstorming

  disadvantages:

  • tensions can occur
  • not everyone gets along
  • teams suffer from too many meetings
  • teams not a solution to every problem
• flexible working


  offering a variety of work patterns so that employees can achieve a work life balance

  advantages:

  • suit schedule of employees - work life balance
  • less tress, equal opportunities - can fit around childcare
  • attracts talented people who may not able afford work

  disadvantages:

  • hard to fit shifts and schedules to suit everyone
  • can affect social interactions/relationship building
• job enrichment


  giving employee a greater variety of tasks of a higher responsibility

  advantages:

  • employees feel included as are picked for such tasks
  • can motivate employees by giving them a challenge

  disadvantages:

  may be beyond the skills of the individual or it may be seen as more work
• job rotation


  employees rotating in between tasks

  advantages:

  • not repetitive = employees wont get bored - most effective way to motivate
  • multiskilled employees can carry out multiple tasks

  disadvantages:

  • employees may move through boring jobs
  • uncertainty over job changes = demotivating
  • loss of output as worker is trained in new skill
• job enlargement


  giving an employee a variety of tasks of the same level of responsibility

  advantages:

  • less boring, less repetitive, more efficient, maximum utility out of an employee

  disadvantages:

  • seen as ''more of the same'', employee may just regard it as more to do.