9.6 Contemporary Views on Motivation
3 min read•june 18, 2024
Workplace motivation is a complex interplay of individual perceptions, goals, and rewards. Theories like expectancy and equity help explain how employees' beliefs about effort, performance, and fairness drive their motivation. Understanding these concepts can help managers create environments that inspire and energize their teams.
Goal-setting and reinforcement theories offer practical strategies for boosting motivation. By setting clear objectives, providing feedback, and using , leaders can shape behavior and improve performance. These approaches, along with others like , provide a toolkit for fostering a motivated workforce.
Theories of Motivation
Expectancy theory in workplace motivation
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- Suggests individual's motivation determined by perception of three key factors
- Expectancy: Belief increased effort leads to improved performance (working harder results in better output)
- : Belief improved performance leads to desired rewards (meeting sales targets earns bonus)
- : Perceived value of rewards to individual (paid time off highly valued by employee with young children)
- Employees motivated when believe efforts result in better performance, leading to valuable rewards
- Managers apply theory by ensuring employees have skills and resources to perform tasks, communicating link between performance and rewards, offering meaningful rewards (recognition, promotions, flexible work arrangements)
Equity vs goal-setting theories
- focuses on perceived fairness of rewards and treatment in workplace
- Employees compare input-output ratio to colleagues (effort put in vs compensation received)
- Motivated when perceive treatment as fair and equitable
- Inequity leads to reduced motivation, decreased productivity, increased absenteeism (feeling undervalued compared to coworkers)
- emphasizes importance of specific, challenging, achievable goals for motivation and performance
- Clear, well-defined goals provide direction and purpose (increasing market share by 10% within a year)
- Feedback on progress essential for maintaining motivation
- Employee participation in goal-setting increases commitment and ownership (collaborating with manager to set quarterly objectives)
- Both theories highlight fairness, clarity, aligning rewards and goals with employee values, regular communication and feedback
- focuses on individuals' desire to accomplish challenging tasks and achieve success
Reinforcement theory for employee behavior
- Based on idea behavior shaped by consequences
- Four types of reinforcement managers use to influence behavior:
- Positive reinforcement: Rewarding desired behavior to increase frequency (praise for meeting deadlines, bonuses for exceeding sales targets)
- : Removing unpleasant stimulus to increase desired behavior frequency (reducing workload for consistently high-quality work)
- : Applying unpleasant consequence to reduce undesired behavior frequency (written warning for repeated tardiness)
- : Withholding reinforcement to decrease undesired behavior frequency (not engaging with employee complaints about minor issues)
- Effective application involves identifying specific behaviors to encourage or discourage, choosing appropriate reinforcement type, providing consistent and immediate reinforcement, regularly reviewing and adjusting strategies (adapting to changing employee needs and company goals)
Additional Motivation Theories
- Self-determination theory emphasizes importance of (internal desire to perform tasks) and (external rewards or consequences) in workplace
- identifies five core job dimensions that influence motivation: skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback
- examines how external factors affect intrinsic motivation, suggesting that some extrinsic rewards can undermine internal drive
Key Terms to Review (22)
Achievement motivation theory: Achievement motivation theory is a psychological framework that focuses on the drive and desire individuals have to succeed and accomplish goals. This theory emphasizes the importance of personal achievement as a key factor in motivating behavior, influencing how people approach tasks, set goals, and respond to challenges. It connects closely with self-efficacy and the concept of intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation, shaping how individuals perceive their abilities and strive for success.
Cognitive Evaluation Theory: Cognitive Evaluation Theory is a motivational theory that focuses on how external factors, such as rewards and feedback, can influence an individual's intrinsic motivation. It suggests that factors that undermine a person's sense of autonomy and competence can diminish their intrinsic motivation, while factors that support these needs can enhance it.
Equity theory: Equity theory is a concept in organizational psychology that suggests employee motivation is influenced by their perception of fairness in the workplace, especially in how rewards and burdens are distributed. It posits that individuals assess their job inputs and outcomes relative to those of others and then adjust their effort accordingly.
Equity Theory: Equity theory is a motivation theory that focuses on individuals' perceptions of the fairness of their work outcomes and inputs compared to others. It suggests that people are motivated to maintain a sense of fairness and balance in their relationships and work environments.
Expectancy theory: Expectancy theory is a motivational theory that suggests an individual's motivation is influenced by their expected outcomes of actions and the value they place on those outcomes. It proposes that people are motivated to engage in behaviors if they believe their efforts will lead to desired performance and rewards.
Expectancy Theory: Expectancy theory is a psychological theory that posits that individuals are motivated to act in a certain way based on their expectations of the outcomes of those actions. It suggests that people evaluate the likelihood of achieving desired results, which influences their motivation and behavior. The theory emphasizes the relationship between effort, performance, and the anticipated rewards, making it a crucial concept in understanding motivation in various contexts.
Extinction: In the context of motivation, extinction refers to the gradual weakening and eventual disappearance of a learned behavior when it is no longer reinforced. This concept highlights how behaviors that were previously encouraged can fade away if the rewards or reinforcements that maintained them are removed. Understanding extinction is essential for grasping how motivation works and how behaviors can change in response to environmental factors.
Extrinsic Motivation: Extrinsic motivation refers to the drive to engage in a behavior or activity primarily for the sake of obtaining an external reward or avoiding punishment, rather than for the inherent satisfaction or enjoyment of the activity itself. It is a type of motivation that is influenced by factors outside the individual, such as financial incentives, social recognition, or the desire to avoid negative consequences.
Goal-setting theory: Goal-setting theory is a framework in motivational psychology that posits specific and challenging goals, coupled with appropriate feedback, enhance and sustain task performance. It emphasizes the importance of setting measurable and clear objectives to improve employee motivation and performance.
Goal-Setting Theory: Goal-setting theory is a motivational framework that emphasizes the importance of setting specific, challenging, and attainable goals to drive individual and organizational performance. It suggests that the process of establishing and pursuing goals can significantly influence an individual's motivation, effort, and ultimately, their achievements.
Instrumentality: Instrumentality refers to the perception that a particular behavior or action will lead to a desired outcome or reward. It is a key concept in contemporary theories of motivation, as it suggests that individuals are motivated to engage in behaviors that they believe will result in valued outcomes or consequences.
The term 'instrumentality' highlights the instrumental nature of human behavior, where people view their actions as a means to an end rather than an end in itself. It emphasizes the importance of perceived contingencies between behaviors and their associated outcomes in shaping an individual's motivation and decision-making processes.
Intrinsic Motivation: Intrinsic motivation refers to the internal drive and desire to engage in an activity or behavior for its own sake, rather than for external rewards or pressures. It is a self-directed form of motivation that stems from an individual's inherent interest, enjoyment, and satisfaction in the activity itself.
Job Characteristics Model: The Job Characteristics Model is a framework that identifies core job dimensions which impact employee motivation, job satisfaction, and work performance. It suggests that certain job characteristics can enhance an employee's internal work motivation, leading to positive work outcomes.
Negative Reinforcement: Negative reinforcement is a behavioral modification technique in which a negative or aversive stimulus is removed or avoided in order to increase the likelihood of a desired behavior occurring. It involves strengthening a behavior by removing an unpleasant element from the environment.
Positive Reinforcement: Positive reinforcement is a motivational strategy that involves providing a rewarding stimulus after a desired behavior is exhibited, increasing the likelihood of that behavior being repeated in the future. This concept emphasizes the importance of rewards in motivating individuals to achieve specific goals, and it plays a crucial role in shaping behaviors in various settings. By recognizing and reinforcing positive actions, it helps create an encouraging environment for personal and professional growth.
Punishment: In the context of motivating employees, punishment involves implementing a negative consequence or removing a positive stimulus in response to undesirable behavior. It aims to decrease the likelihood of the unwanted behavior occurring again.
Reinforcement theory: Reinforcement theory is a concept in organizational behavior that suggests behavior is a function of its consequences, meaning positive outcomes encourage repetition of the behavior, while negative outcomes discourage it. It posits that employees are motivated to perform or avoid certain behaviors based on past outcomes or reinforcements.
Reinforcement Theory: Reinforcement theory is a motivational framework that focuses on the relationship between an individual's behavior and the consequences of that behavior. It emphasizes the role of positive and negative reinforcement in shaping and maintaining behaviors, which is particularly relevant in the context of contemporary views on motivation.
Reward: A reward is a benefit given to an individual or group for achieving a specific goal or performing above a certain standard. In the context of motivating employees, rewards can be financial, such as bonuses, or non-financial, such as recognition and career advancement opportunities.
Self-determination theory: Self-determination theory is a psychological framework that focuses on human motivation and personality, emphasizing the importance of intrinsic motivation and the role of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in fostering optimal human functioning. This theory posits that when individuals feel self-determined, they are more likely to engage in activities for their own sake rather than for external rewards, leading to greater satisfaction and well-being.
Urban Outfitters: Urban Outfitters is a multinational lifestyle retail corporation known for offering experiential retail environments and a curated mix of on-trend women’s and men’s clothes, from boho dresses, denim, and graphics to shoes, hats, and backpacks. Within the context of motivating employees in contemporary views on motivation, it exemplifies how creating a unique company culture and environment can play a significant role in employee motivation.
Valence: Valence refers to the motivational intensity or strength of an individual's desire to engage in a particular behavior or achieve a specific outcome. It is a core concept in contemporary theories of motivation, reflecting the degree to which an individual values and is attracted to a particular goal or incentive.