Chp 10: Motivating Employees

LO 10-6 Explain the key principles of goal-setting, expectancy, and equity theories. According to equity theory, employees try to maintain equity between inputs and outputs compared to other employees in similar positions. What happens when employees perceive that their rewards are not equitable?

If employees perceive they are underrewarded, they will either reduce their effort or rationalize that it isn't important. If they perceive that they are overrewarded, they will either increase their effort to justify the higher reward in the future or rationalize by saying, "I'm worth it!" Inequity leads to lower productivity, reduced quality, increased absenteeism, and voluntary resignation.

job enrichment

A motivational strategy that emphasizes motivating the worker through the job itself.

LO 10-6 Explain the key principles of goal-setting, expectancy, and equity theories. What is the basis of expectancy theory?

According to Victor Vroom's expectancy theory, employee expectations can affect an individual's motivation.

hygiene 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.

LO 10-8 Show how managers personalize motivation strategies to appeal to employees across the globe and across generations. What is the difference between high-context and low-context cultures?

In high-context cultures, people build personal relationships and develop group trust before focusing on tasks. In low-context cultures, people often view relationship building as a waste of time that diverts attention from the task.

LO 10-8 Show how managers personalize motivation strategies to appeal to employees across the globe and across generations. How are Generation X managers likely to be different from their baby boomer predecessors?

Baby boomers tend to be willing to work long hours to build their careers and often expect their subordinates to do likewise. Gen Xers may strive for a more balanced lifestyle and are likely to focus on results rather than on how many hours their teams work. Gen Xers tend to be better than previous generations at working in teams and providing frequent feedback. They usually are not bound by traditions that may constrain those who have been with an organization for a long time and are willing to try new approaches to solving problems.

LO 10-4 Distinguish between the motivators and hygiene factors identified by Herzberg. What are the hygiene (maintenance) factors?

Company policies, supervision, working conditions, interpersonal relationships, and salary.

LO 10-5 Differentiate among Theory X, Theory Y, and Theory Z. Who developed Theory X and Theory Y?

Douglas McGregor held that managers have one of two opposing attitudes toward employees. He called them Theory X and Theory Y.

LO 10-6 Explain the key principles of goal-setting, expectancy, and equity theories. What is goal-setting theory?

Goal-setting theory is based on the notion that setting ambitious but attainable goals will lead to high levels of motivation and performance if the goals are accepted and accompanied by feedback, and if conditions in the organization make achievement possible.

LO 10-4 Distinguish between the motivators and hygiene factors identified by Herzberg. What is the difference between Frederick Herzberg's motivator and hygiene factors?

Herzberg found that whereas some factors motivate workers (motivators), others cause job dissatisfaction if missing but are not motivators if present (hygiene or maintenance factors).

LO 10-1 Explain Taylor's theory of scientific management. What is Frederick Taylor known for?

Human efficiency engineer Frederick Taylor was one of the first people to study management and has been called the "father" of scientific management. He conducted time-motion studies to learn the most efficient way of doing a job and then trained workers in those procedures. He published his book The Principles of Scientific Management in 1911. Henry L. Gantt and Frank and Lillian Gilbreth were followers of Taylor.

LO 10-7 Show how managers put motivation theories into action through such strategies as job enrichment, open communication, and job recognition. Name two forms of job enrichment that increase motivation.

Job enlargement combines a series of tasks into one challenging and interesting assignment. Job rotation makes work more interesting by moving employees from one job to another.

LO 10-6 Explain the key principles of goal-setting, expectancy, and equity theories. What is management by objectives (MBO)?

MBO is a system of goal-setting and implementation; it includes a cycle of discussion, review, and evaluation of objectives among top and middle-level managers, supervisors, and employees.

LO 10-7 Show how managers put motivation theories into action through such strategies as job enrichment, open communication, and job recognition. How can managers encourage open communication?

Managers can create an organizational culture that rewards listening, train supervisors and managers to listen, use effective questioning techniques, remove barriers to open communication, avoid vague and ambiguous communication, and actively make it easier for all to communicate.

LO 10-3 Identify the levels of Maslow's hierarchy of needs and apply them to employee motivation. What did Abraham Maslow find human motivation to be based on?

Maslow studied basic human motivation and found that motivation was based on needs. He said that a person with an unfilled need would be motivated to satisfy it and that a satisfied need no longer served as motivation.

LO 10-8 Show how managers personalize motivation strategies to appeal to employees across the globe and across generations. What are some common characteristics of Millennials?

Millennials tend to be adaptable, tech-savvy, able to grasp new concepts, practiced at multitasking, efficient, and tolerant. They often 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 five ideal-job requirements.

LO 10-7 Show how managers put motivation theories into action through such strategies as job enrichment, open communication, and job recognition. How does open communication improve employee motivation?

Open communication helps both top managers and employees understand the objectives and work together to achieve them.

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.

extrinsic reward

Something given to you by someone else as recognition for good work; extrinsic rewards include pay increases, praise, and promotions.

LO 10-3 Identify the levels of Maslow's hierarchy of needs and apply them to employee motivation. What levels of need did Maslow identify?

Starting at the bottom of Maslow's hierarchy and going to the top, the levels of need are physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization.

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.

LO 10-2 Describe the Hawthorne studies and their significance to management. What led to the more human-based managerial styles?

The greatest impact on motivation theory was generated by the Hawthorne studies in the late 1920s and early 1930s. In these studies, Elton Mayo found that human factors such as feelings of involvement and participation led to greater productivity gains than did physical changes in the workplace.

LO 10-7 Show how managers put motivation theories into action through such strategies as job enrichment, open communication, and job recognition. What characteristics of work affect motivation and performance?

The job characteristics that influence motivation are skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback.

LO 10-4 Distinguish between the motivators and hygiene factors identified by Herzberg. What are the factors called motivators?

The work itself, achievement, recognition, responsibility, growth, and advancement.

LO 10-5 Differentiate among Theory X, Theory Y, and Theory Z. What is Theory X?

Theory X assumes the average person dislikes work and will avoid it if possible. Therefore, people must be forced, controlled, and threatened with punishment to accomplish organizational goals.

LO 10-5 Differentiate among Theory X, Theory Y, and Theory Z. What is Theory Y?

Theory Y assumes people like working and will accept responsibility for achieving goals if rewarded for doing so.

principle of motion economy

Theory developed by Frank and Lillian Gilbreth that every job can be broken down into a series of elementary motions.

expectancy theory

Victor Vroom's theory that the amount of effort employees exert on a specific task depends on their expectations of the outcome

LO 10-5 Differentiate among Theory X, Theory Y, and Theory Z. What is Theory Z?

William Ouchi based Theory Z on Japanese management styles and stresses long-term employment; collective decision making; individual responsibility; slow evaluation and promotion; implicit, informal control with explicit, formalized control; moderately specialized career paths; and a holistic concern for employees (including family).

LO 10-3 Identify the levels of Maslow's hierarchy of needs and apply them to employee motivation. Can managers use Maslow's theory?

Yes, they can recognize what unmet needs a person has and design work so that it satisfies those needs.

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

scientific management

studying workers to find the most efficient ways of doing things and then teaching people those techniques

equity theory

the idea that employees try to maintain equity between inputs and outputs compared to others in similar positions

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

instrinsic reward

the personal satisfaction you feel when you perform well and complete goals

hawthorne effect

the tendency for people to behave differently when they know they are being studied

Maslow's 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

LO 10-6 Explain the key principles of goal-setting, expectancy, and equity theories. What are the key elements of expectancy theory?

Expectancy theory centers on three questions employees often ask about performance on the job: (1) Can I accomplish the task? (2) If I do accomplish it, what's my reward? and (3) Is the reward worth the effort?