chapter 10- motivating employees
physiological needs
basic survival needs, such as the need for food, water, and shelter
vroom contends that employees ask three questions before committing their maximum effort to a task:
can I accomplish the task? if I do accomplish to, whats my reward? is the reward worth the effort?
principle of motion economy
Theory developed by Frank and Lillian Gilbreth that every job can be broken down into a series of elementary motions called therblig; they analyzed each motion to make it more efficient
when one need is satisfied...
another, higher level need emerges and motivates us to satisfy it
Frederick herzberg
asked workers to rank various job related factors in order of importance relative to motivation; question was: what creates enthusiasm for workers and makes them work to full potential?
to complete successfully, US firms must...
create a work environment that includes goals such as social contribution, honesty, reliability, service, quality, dependability, and unity- for all levels of employees
intrinsic reward
the personal satisfaction you feel when you perform well and complete goals; the belief that your work makes a significant contribution to the organization or to society is a form of intrinsic reward
Hawthorne effect
the tendency for people to behave differently when they know they are being studied; encourages researchers to study human motivation and managerial styles that lead to higher productivity
mallows hierarchy of needs
theory of motivation based on unmet human needs from basic physiological needs to safety, social, and esteem needs to self-actualization needs
people are willing to work, and work hard, if..
they feel their work makes a difference and is appreciated
three elements were basic to Taylors approach:
time, methods, and rules of work; his most important tools were observation and the stopwatch
Abraham Maslow believed that..
to understand motivation at work, we must understand human motivation in general; people are motivated to satisfy unmet needs- needs that have already been satisfied no longer provide motivation
high context culture
workers build personal relationships and develop group trust before focusing on tasks
safety needs
the need to feel secure at work and at home
Hawthorne studies created...
a new interest in worker satisfaction and motivation
money was found to be..
a relatively ineffective motivator
extrinsic reward
Something given to you by someone else as recognition for good work; extrinsic rewards include pay increases, praise, and promotions.
problems can arise when management uses MBO as..
a strategy for forcing mangers and workers to commit to goals that are not agreed on together, but are instead set by top management
traditionalist generation
generation that lived through the Great Depression and WWII Prefer face to face communication; secondary choice is by phone
letting people know you appreciate their work is more powerful then..
giving a raise or Bonus
most important factors were:
1, sense of achievement 2. earned recognition 3. interest in the work itself 4. opportunity for growth 5. opportunity for advancement 6. importance of responsibility 7. peer and group relationships 8. pay 9/ supervisors fairness 10. company policies and rules 11. status 12. job security 13. supervisors friendliness 14. working conditions
procedures for encouraging open communication include:
1. create an organizational culture that rewards listening (managers must create places to talk and show employees that talking with superiors matter- by providing feedback, adopting employee suggestions, and rewarding upward communication) 2. train supervisors and managers to listen 3. use effective questioning techniques (use open ended questions) 4. remove barriers to open communication (separate offices, parking areas, bathrooms, and dining rooms for managers only set up barriers) 5. avoid vague and ambiguous communication (passive voice appears weak and tentative) 6. make it easy to communicate (encouraging organization members to eat together at large lunch tables ) 7. ask employees what is important to them
David Nadler and Edward lawless modified vrooms theory and suggested that managers follow five steps to improve employee performance:
1. determine what rewards employees value 2. determine each employees desired performance standard 3. ensure that performance standards are attainable 4. guarantee rewards tied to performance 5. be certain that employees consider the rewards adequate
for empowerment to be a real motivator, management should follow these three steps:
1. find out what people think the problems in the organization are 2. let them design the solution s 3. get out of the way and let them put those solutions into action
those who advocate job enrichment believe that 5 characteristics of work are important in motivation and performance:
1. skill variety (the extent to which a job demands different skills) 2. task identity (the degree to which the job requires doing a task with a visible outcome from beginning to end) 3. task significance (the degree to which the job has a substantial impact on the lives or work of others in the company 4. autonomy (the degree of freedom, independence, and discretion in scheduling work and determining procedures) 5. feedback (the amount of direct and clear information given about job performance )
assumptions of theory x are:
1. the average person dislikes work and will avoid it if possible 2. because of this dislike, workers must be forced, controlled, directed, or threatened with punishment to make them put forth the effort to achieve the organizations goals 3. the average worker prefers to be directed, wishes to avoid responsibility, has relatively little ambition, and wants security 4. primary motivators are fear and punishment
mayo and his colleagues interviewed the workers, asking about their feelings and attitudes toward the experiment; researchers concluded:
1. the workers in the test room thought of themselves as a social group (the atmosphere was informal, they could talk freely, and they interacted regularly) 2. the workers were included in planning the experiments 3. no matter the physical conditions, the workers enjoyed the atmosphere of their special room and the additional pay for being more productive
theory y assumptions about people:
1/ most people like work; it is as natural as play or rest 2. most people naturally work toward goals to which they are committed 3. the depths of a persons commitment to goals depends on the perceived rewards for achieving them 4. under certain conditions, most people not only accept but also will seek responsibility 5. people are capable of using a relatively high degree of imagination, creativity, and cleverness to solve problems 6. in industry, the average persons intellectual potential is only partially realized 7. people are motivated by variety of rewards, each works is stimulated by a reward unique to him or her (tome off, money, recognition, etc)
job enrichment
A motivational strategy that emphasizes motivating the worker through the job itself; based on herzbergs higher motivators, such as responsibility, achievement, and recognition (stands in contrast to job simplification, which produces task efficiency by breaking a job into simple steps and assigning people to each)
hygiene factors (maintenance factors)
In Herzberg's theory of motivating factors, job factors that can cause dissatisfaction if missing but that do not necessarily motivate employees if increased.
motivators
In Herzberg's theory of motivating factors, job factors that cause employees to be productive and that give them satisfaction.
Management by Objectives (MBO)
Peter Drucker's system of goal setting and implementation; it involves a cycle of discussion, review, and evaluation of objectives among top and middle-level managers, supervisors, and employees; calls on managers to formulate goals in cooperation with everyone in the organization, to commit employees to those goals, and to monitor results and reward accomplishment
equity theory
the idea that employees try to maintain equity between inputs and outputs compared to others in similar positions
time motion studies
Studies, begun by Frederick Taylor, of which tasks must be performed to complete a job and the time needed to do each task.
variety, identity, and significance contribute to..
the meaningfulness of the job; autonomy gives people a feeling of responsibility; feedback contributes to a feeling of achievement and recognition
esteem needs
the need for recognition and acknowledgement from others, as well as self-respect and a sense of status or importance
job enlargement
a job enrichment strategy that involves combining a series of tasks into one challenging and interesting assignment
job rotation
a job enrichment strategy that involves moving employees from one job to another; one problem is the need to train employees to do several different operations
best asset of gen Xers is
ability to Give employees feedback, especially positive feedback
instead of authority, directions and close supervision, theory y managers...
emphasize a relaxed managerial atmosphere in which workers are free to set objectives, be creative, be flexible, and go beyond the goals set by management; technique here is empowerment which means giving employees authority to make decisions and tools to implement the decisions they make
boomer managers need to be..
flexible with their younger employees, or they will loose them; gen Xers need to use their enthusiasm for change and streamlining to their advantage- gen Xers tend to focus on career security instead and are willing to change jobs to find it
theory z views the organization as a family that...
fosters cooperation and organizational values
how to make employees feel like their work is meaningful and appreciated
giving value employees prime parking spots, more vacation days, or more flexible schedules; companies that offer a small equity stake or stock options often have a good chance of developing loyal employees
gen Zers
grew up post 9/11 in the wake of the Great Recession and amid countless reports of school violence
disengaged employees..
have essentially checked out; they plod through their day putting in time, but not energy
the principles of scientific management written by Frederick Taylor..
his goal was to increase worker productivity to benefit both the firm and worker; the solution he thought of was to scientifically study the most efficient ways to do things, determine the one "best way" to perform each task, and then teach people those methods
boomers prefer to communicate..
in meetings or conference calls; get Xers prefer email and will choose meetings only if there are no other options; millennials most often use technology to communicate, particularly through social media; gen Zers starting to trend back to face to face meetings and shy away from phone calls
ouchi recommended a hybrid approach: theory z
includes long term employment, collective decision making, individual responsibility for the outcomes of decisions, slow evaluation and promotion, moderately specialized career paths, and holistic concern for employees (including family)
main constant in the lives of gen Xers, millennials, and gen Zers is..
inconstancy; expect change
millennials were raised by..
indulgent patents, and most don't remember a time without internet and mobile phones
self-actualization needs
the need to develop to one's fullest potential
millennials tend to..
job surf and aren't opposed to living with their parents while they test out jobs; assume more responsibilities in the workplace and sometimes must manage and lead others far older than themselves; three most important things to keep in mind are to be confident, open minded, and solicit feedback regularly
motivating the right people to join the organization and stay with it is a...
key function of managers
Japanese approach, which ouchi called type j included..
lifetime employment, consensual decision making, collective responsibility for the outcomes of decisions, slow evaluation and promotion, implied control mechanisms, non specialized career paths, and holistic concern for employees
members of each generation (baby boomers (1946-1964), generation x (1965-1980), Generation Y (millennials 1980-1995), generation z (1995-2009), and generation alpha (born after 2010) are...
linked through experiences they shared in their formative years; beliefs you accept as a child affect how you view risk, challenge, authority, technology, relationships, and economics
theory x managers give their employees..
little responsibility, authority, or flexibility
losing employees cause:
lose the equivalent of six to nine months salary to cover the costs of recruiting and training a replacement, loss of intellectual capital, decreased morale of remaining workers, increased employee stress, increased employee gossip, decreased customer service, interrupted product development, and a poor reputation
in the workplace, perceived inequity may lead to..
lower productivity, reduced quality, increased absenteeism, and voluntary resignation
to implement such teams,
managers at most companies must reinvent work; this means respecting workers, providing interesting work, developing workers skills, allowing autonomy, decentralizing authority, and rewarding good work
MBO is the most effecitive in relatively stable situations when...
managers can make long range plans and implement them with few changes; managers must also understand the difference between helping and coaching subordinates; helping means working with the subordinate and doing part of the work if necessary, coaching means acting as a resource-teaching, task
gen zers entering the work force
more cautious and security minded, but inspired to improve the world; tech savvy like millennials and are looking to be part of a community within their workplaces; more interested in practical benefits like health care and 401 Ks and are less likely to job hop than millennials; believe school shootings/violence will have biggest impact on their generation and these events made them resilient and pragmatic- want to confront rather than hide from their problems
workers did not consider factors related to job environment to be...
motivators
a job for life may sound good until you think of the implications:
no chance to change jobs and no opportunity to move quickly through the ranks
Douglas mcgregor
observed that managers' attitudes generally fall into one of two different sets of managerial assumptions, which he called theory X and theory y
millennials have this in common
often impatient, skeptical, blunt, expressive, and image driven; tend to be adaptable, tech savvy, able to grasp new concepts, practiced at multitasking, efficient, and tolerant; place a higher value on work life balance, expect their employers to adapt to them and are more likely to rank fun and stimulation in their top 5 ideal job requirements
equity judgements are based on..
perception and are therefore subject to error; when workers overestimate their own contributions, they feel any rewards given out for performance are inequitable; sometimes organizations try to deal with this by keeping employee salaries secret but secret may make things worse
goal setting theory
the idea that setting ambitious but attainable goals can motivate workers and improve performance if the goals are accepted, accompanied by feedback, and facilitated by organizational conditions
people are motivated by a variety of things, such as...
recognition, accomplishment, and status
US management approach ouchi called type a
relied on short term employment, individual decision making, individual responsibility for the outcomes of decision, rapid evaluation and promotion, explicit control mechanisms, specialized career paths, and segmented concern for employees
gen Xers as mangers
responsible for motivating other employees; well equipped to motivate people; usually understand that there is more to life than work, and they think a big part of motivating is letting people know you recognize that fact; tend to focus more on results than on hours in the workplace; flexible and good at collaboration; think in broader terms and more likely to give them the goals and outlines of the project and leave them alone to do their work
social needs
the need to feel loved, accepted, and part of the group
Scientific Management
studying workers to find the most efficient ways of doing things and then teaching people those techniques
central idea of MBO is..
that employees need to motivate themselves
Taylor believe that workers would perform at a high level of effectiveness-
that is, be motivated- if they received high enough pay
Herzbergs motivating factors led to this conclusion:
the best way to motivate employees is to make their jobs interesting, help them achieve their objectives, and recognize their achievement though advancement and added responsibility
type j vs type a
type j firms are based on the culture of Japan which includes a focus on trust and intimacy within the group and family; type a firms are based on American culture, which includes a focus on individual rights and achievements
in general, boomers were raised in families that experienced...
unprecedented economic prosperity, secure jobs, and optimism about the future
engagement
used to describe employees' level of motivation, passion, and commitment; engaged employees work with passion and feel a connection to their company
natural consequences of these assumptions is a manager who is...
very busy and watches people closely, telling the what to do and how to do it; motivation is more likely to take the form of punishment for bad work than reward for good work
expetancy theory
victor vroom's theory that the amount of effort employees exert on a specific task depends on their expectations of the outcome
scientific management...
views people largely as machines that needed to be properly programmed; there Was little concern for the psychological or human aspects of work
gen Xers
were raised in dual carreer families with parents who focused on work; as children they attended day care or became latchkey kids
one follower of Taylor was Henry L gantt..
who developed charts by which managers plotted the works of employees a day in advance down to the smallest detail
low context culture
workers often view relationship building as a waste of time that diverts attention from the task