According to Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, a motive is "something (a need or desire) that causes a person to act." Motivate, in turn, means "to provide with a motive," and motivation is defined as "the act or process of motivating." Thus, motivation is the act or process of providing a motive that causes a person to take some action. In most cases motivation comes from some need that leads to behavior that results in some type of reward when the need is fulfilled. This definition raises a couple of basic questions.
The performance that employers look for in individuals rests on ability, motivation, and the support individuals receive; however, motivation is often the missing variable. Motivation is the desire within a person causing that person to act. People usually act for one reason: to reach a goal. Thus, motivation is a goaldirected drive, and it seldom occurs in a void. The words need, want, desire, and drive are all similar to motive, from which the wordmotivation is derived. Understanding motivation is important because performance, reaction to compensation, and other HR concerns are related to motivation.
Why is employee motivation important?
You can have a lovely shiny car, but it’s worthless if it doesn’t have the power of a great engine behind it. Your employees are the engines of your organization and like any finely tuned engine your workforce to operate smoothly and effectively. The fact is employee motivation is directly linked to business profits, and the more self-motivated your employees are, the more differentiated and successful you will be as a business.
The performance that employers look for in individuals rests on ability, motivation, and the support individuals receive; however, motivation is often the missing variable. Motivation is the desire within a person causing that person to act. People usually act for one reason: to reach a goal. Thus, motivation is a goaldirected drive, and it seldom occurs in a void. The words need, want, desire, and drive are all similar to motive, from which the wordmotivation is derived. Understanding motivation is important because performance, reaction to compensation, and other HR concerns are related to motivation.
Motivation Defined
Internal and external factors that stimulate desire and energy in people to be continually interested in and committed to a job, role, or subject, and to exert persistent effort in attaining a goal.
Motivation results from the interactions among conscious and unconscious factors such as the
(1) intensity of desire or need,
(2) incentive or reward value of the goal, and
(3) expectations of the individual and of his or her significant others.
Many contemporary authors have also defined the concept of motivation. Motivation has been defined as: the psychological process that gives behavior purpose and direction (Kreitner, 1995); a predisposition to behave in a purposive manner to achieve specific, unmet needs (Buford, Bedeian, & Lindner, 1995); an internal drive to satisfy an unsatisfied need (Higgins, 1994); and the will to achieve (Bedeian, 1993). For this paper, motivation is operationally defined as the inner force that drives individuals to accomplish personal and organizational goals.
"Psychological forces that determine the direction of a person's behavior in an organization, a person's level of effort and a person's level of persistence." G. Jones and J. George from the book "Contemporary Management."
The following are the features of motivation :
Why is motivation important?
Motivation is important in getting and retaining people. Motivation tools act as the glue that links individuals to organizational goals, In addition, make individuals go beyond the job and be creative.
Motivation plays a critical role in achieving goals and business objectives and is equally as important for companies that work in a team-based environment or in a workplace comprised of workers who work independently. Making sure each employee's workplace goals and values are aligned with the organization's mission and vision is important for creating and maintaining a high level of motivation. That can lead to higher productivity, improved work quality and financial gain across all departments.
That's because a motivated employee is a productive employee. And a productive employee is a more profitable employee. See how that works? When people aren't motivated, they become less productive, less creative, less of an asset to your company. Now more than ever, we need motivated employees.
motivating factors
motivating factors are drivers of the human behavior related to the intrinsic nature of the work, but not necessarily to the surrounding circumstances or environment. Motivating factors include achievement, advancement, autonomy, personal growth, recognition, responsibility, and the work itself.
The "Hawthorne effect" refers to improvements in worker productivity or quality that results from the mere fact that workers are being studied or observed. This observation came from studies carried out at Western Electric's Hawthorne plant during the late 1920s. The experiments validated the idea that people are motivated by additional factors rather than by purely economic factors.
Motivation results from the interactions among conscious and unconscious factors such as the
(1) intensity of desire or need,
(2) incentive or reward value of the goal, and
(3) expectations of the individual and of his or her significant others.
Many contemporary authors have also defined the concept of motivation. Motivation has been defined as: the psychological process that gives behavior purpose and direction (Kreitner, 1995); a predisposition to behave in a purposive manner to achieve specific, unmet needs (Buford, Bedeian, & Lindner, 1995); an internal drive to satisfy an unsatisfied need (Higgins, 1994); and the will to achieve (Bedeian, 1993). For this paper, motivation is operationally defined as the inner force that drives individuals to accomplish personal and organizational goals.
"Psychological forces that determine the direction of a person's behavior in an organization, a person's level of effort and a person's level of persistence." G. Jones and J. George from the book "Contemporary Management."
- Motivation is an act of managers
- Motivation is a continuous process
- Motivation can be positive or negative
- Motivation is goal oriented
- Motivation is complex in nature
- Motivation is an art
- Motivation is system-oriented
- Motivation is different from job satisfaction
Why is motivation important?
Motivation is important in getting and retaining people. Motivation tools act as the glue that links individuals to organizational goals, In addition, make individuals go beyond the job and be creative.
Motivation plays a critical role in achieving goals and business objectives and is equally as important for companies that work in a team-based environment or in a workplace comprised of workers who work independently. Making sure each employee's workplace goals and values are aligned with the organization's mission and vision is important for creating and maintaining a high level of motivation. That can lead to higher productivity, improved work quality and financial gain across all departments.
That's because a motivated employee is a productive employee. And a productive employee is a more profitable employee. See how that works? When people aren't motivated, they become less productive, less creative, less of an asset to your company. Now more than ever, we need motivated employees.
motivating factors
motivating factors are drivers of the human behavior related to the intrinsic nature of the work, but not necessarily to the surrounding circumstances or environment. Motivating factors include achievement, advancement, autonomy, personal growth, recognition, responsibility, and the work itself.
The "Hawthorne effect" refers to improvements in worker productivity or quality that results from the mere fact that workers are being studied or observed. This observation came from studies carried out at Western Electric's Hawthorne plant during the late 1920s. The experiments validated the idea that people are motivated by additional factors rather than by purely economic factors.
Facts [+]
Peter Drucker argued that people with highly developed skills or expertise can give their best only through self-motivation, not guidance from above. He forecast that with the rise of 'knowledge workers', firms would tend to become flatter. He was proved right.
Investment banks, which have a high concentration of knowledge workers, have very few levels.
"Corporate Meetings and Incentives" magazine is the senior executive's guide to decision-making. CMI explores trends in management, motivation, and incentives as they relate to how organizations successfully communicate with employees.
Peter Drucker argued that people with highly developed skills or expertise can give their best only through self-motivation, not guidance from above. He forecast that with the rise of 'knowledge workers', firms would tend to become flatter. He was proved right.
Investment banks, which have a high concentration of knowledge workers, have very few levels.
"Corporate Meetings and Incentives" magazine is the senior executive's guide to decision-making. CMI explores trends in management, motivation, and incentives as they relate to how organizations successfully communicate with employees.
Why is employee motivation important?
You can have a lovely shiny car, but it’s worthless if it doesn’t have the power of a great engine behind it. Your employees are the engines of your organization and like any finely tuned engine your workforce to operate smoothly and effectively. The fact is employee motivation is directly linked to business profits, and the more self-motivated your employees are, the more differentiated and successful you will be as a business.
- Motivated employees look for better ways to do a job.
- Motivated employees care about their customers
- Motivated employees take pride in their work.
- Motivated workers are more productive.
Motivation Process
In its simplest form, the motivation process begins with a need, an individual’s perception of a deficiency. For instance, an employee might feel the need for more challenging work, for higher pay, for time off, or for the respect and admiration of colleagues. These needs lead to thought processes that guide an employee’s decision to satisfy them and to follow a particular course of action. If an employee’s chosen course of action results in the anticipated out come and reward, that person is likely to be motivated by the prospect of a similar reward to act the same way in the future. However, if the employee’s action does not result in the expected reward, he or she is unlikely to repeat the behavior. Thus, the reward acts as feedback mechanism to help the individual evaluate the consequences of the behavior when considering futures action.
Core Phases of the Motivational Process
1) Need Identification: First phase of motivation process is need identification where the employee feels his/her some unsatisfied need. The motivation process begins with an unsatisfied need, which creates tension and drives an individual to search for goals that, if attained, will satisfy the need and reduce the tension.
2) Searching Ways to satisfy needs: Second phase is finding the different alternatives that can be used to satisfy the needs, which were felt in first stage. These needs lead to thought processes that guide an employee’s decision to satisfy them and to follow a particular course of action
3) Selecting Goals: Once if the need is assessed and employee is able to find out the way to satisfy the need than next phase is selection of goals to be performed.
4) Employee Performance: These needs lead to thought processes that guide an employee’s decision to satisfy them and to follow a particular course of action in form of performance.
5) Consequences of performance Reward/punishments: If an employee’s chosen course of action results in the anticipated out come and reward, that person is likely to be motivated by the prospect of a similar reward to act the same way in the future. However, if the employee’s action does not result in the expected reward, he or she is unlikely to repeat the behavior
6) Reassessment of Need deficiencies: Once felt need is satisfied through certain rewards in response to performance than employee reassesses any deficiencies and entire process is repeated again.
Core Phases of the Motivational Process
1) Need Identification: First phase of motivation process is need identification where the employee feels his/her some unsatisfied need. The motivation process begins with an unsatisfied need, which creates tension and drives an individual to search for goals that, if attained, will satisfy the need and reduce the tension.
3) Selecting Goals: Once if the need is assessed and employee is able to find out the way to satisfy the need than next phase is selection of goals to be performed.
4) Employee Performance: These needs lead to thought processes that guide an employee’s decision to satisfy them and to follow a particular course of action in form of performance.
5) Consequences of performance Reward/punishments: If an employee’s chosen course of action results in the anticipated out come and reward, that person is likely to be motivated by the prospect of a similar reward to act the same way in the future. However, if the employee’s action does not result in the expected reward, he or she is unlikely to repeat the behavior
6) Reassessment of Need deficiencies: Once felt need is satisfied through certain rewards in response to performance than employee reassesses any deficiencies and entire process is repeated again.
Theories of Motivation
Motivation theories seek to explain why employees are motivated by and satisfied with one type of work than another. It is essential that mangers have a basic understanding of work motivation because highly motivated employees are more likely to produce a superior quality product or service than employee who lack motivation.
At one time, employees were considered just another input into the production of goods and services. What perhaps changed this way of thinking about employees was research, referred to as the Hawthorne Studies, conducted by Elton Mayo from 1924 to 1932 (Dickson, 1973). This study found employees are not motivated solely by money and employee behavior is linked to their attitudes (Dickson, 1973). The Hawthorne Studies began the human relations approach to management, whereby the needs and motivation of employees become the primary focus of managers (Bedeian, 1993).
Theories of Motivation by various researchers
At one time, employees were considered just another input into the production of goods and services. What perhaps changed this way of thinking about employees was research, referred to as the Hawthorne Studies, conducted by Elton Mayo from 1924 to 1932 (Dickson, 1973). This study found employees are not motivated solely by money and employee behavior is linked to their attitudes (Dickson, 1973). The Hawthorne Studies began the human relations approach to management, whereby the needs and motivation of employees become the primary focus of managers (Bedeian, 1993).
Theories of Motivation by various researchers
- Maslow’s Need Hierarchy
- Existence Relatedness Growth (ERG) Theory
- McGregor’s Theory-X and Theory-Y
- Expectancy Theory
- Reinforcement Theory
- Herzberg two factor theory
- McClelland (Needs for Affiliation, Power, and Achievement) Theory of Motivation
- Adam’s Equity Theory
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