Analysis of Motivational Theories in the Workplace

Assessment 2: Essay with referencing

Student id:

Student name:

Module Tutor:

Introduction

Implementing the motivation theories in a business place can make sure that the employees meet the goals and work all together towards gaining a positive outcome. Effective application of the theories enables managers to retain their workforce of the organisation. Motivational theories can not only help higher authorities to support the team to achieve their goals in time but also helps to enhance the overall productivity of the business, increasing the overall profits as well. Employees are the most integral part of the business and they are the ones who make a business flow smoothly. There are several motivational theories like Maslow's Need Hierarchy Theory, Herzberg's Motivation Hygiene Theory, McClelland's Need Theory, McGregor's Participation Theory, Urwick's Theory Z, Argyris's Theory, Vroom's Expectancy Theory, Porter and Lawler's Expectancy Theory. Some of them will be discussed in this assignment, along with the tips for using them accurately.

Description of Relevant Theories

Motivational theories are used accordingly to provide motivations to the employees of an organisation, which will help in increasing the satisfaction level of the employees and production. The most popular motivational theories are –

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs provides a psychological concept that outputs the needs of a person that are to be met, to lead to other complex needs. There are five levels of the hierarchy of needs (indeed, 2022). They are Safety Needs that represent the needs of an individual that promises the safety and security of the individual. The employee's needs include feeling safe and secure at their workplace, with a good environment to work in, along with a sense of job security as well (Hopper, 2020). The physiological needs of an individual refer to the basic survival needs of the person that generally includes food, water and shelter. However, in terms of an organisation, basic needs imply the salary structure of the organisation.

Socialization needs refer to the need to socialize with the coworkers in the organisation. This depends on the individual qualities of the employees to strive for socializing and interacting with the co-members and build good interpersonal relationships. The organisation can also introduce some activities for socialization such as team-building activities, and hosting celebrations on special occasions. Self-Esteem can be earned by organisations through good performance and hard work. Organisations can reward or give recognition to these employees, and this way they can gain their self-esteem individually. Rewarding and recognitions are one of the most efficient motivation strategies. Self-realisation is the part where employees think about the long terms goals to achieve a goal that they dream for the future. Self-actualisation is one of the most potent motivation mantras for an employee. This way employees will be more dedicated and prove much more worthy of the organisation.

Herzberg's Two-factor Theory is based on two factors that are believed to motivate the individuals in a workplace (Rai et al, 2021). They are the hygiene factors like cleanliness, work environment, and comfort zone which fall amongst the category of the basic needs of the employees. It may not encourage the workers to hard work, but individuals will find it unpleasant to work in an unhygienic place (EPM, 2018). Motivators may include any influential factors like salary, incentives, rewards and recognition, relationships with colleagues, and respect that can encourage the employees to work hard and meet the daily requirements of the organisation. With efficient motivator strategies, employees may even surpass the expectations.

Goal-Setting Theory of Motivation is technically defined as the results achieved through setting goals for subsequent performances. Edwin Locke, who proposed the theory suggested that people who set difficult goals perform better than those who set relatively easier goals. Goal-setting theory is found to be one of the prominent and effective methods for motivation through various researches (Schmidt, 2019). The goal-setting theory is based on five prime principles, which are Clarity which refer to setting a clear goal and leaving no room for misunderstanding. Regular feedback will help the individuals strive for their goals, and improve their weak areas. Employees who are committed to achieving the goals will enjoy the process more. Challenging tasks will engage and keep the individuals more committed to achieving their goals. The complexity of the tasks and the goals should be divided into small parts for an efficient approach to meeting them (indeed, 2022).

Analysis

There are advantages and disadvantages to implementing these above-stated theories of motivation in an organisation. Judging by these factors, establishments can decide on whether to use these principles as a motivating tool in their workplace or not. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs has some Advantages and one of the most useful advantages of using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as a motivating tool is that it is very simple to understand. The pyramid of life exists for every individual and the needs are directly related to where they exist in that pyramid. This theory is more humane and even the lowest level of the workers fall under the motivation theory. Maslow’s theory applies to every field of work and even to an individual’s house. The basic needs at one’s home are food, security and other factors which are almost identical to the needs of an individual working in an organisation.

The disadvantages of this theory are certain drawbacks mentioned here. One of the main drawbacks of this theory is that it creates a cultural difference amongst the individuals working in a workplace. Everyone’s needs are not the same and hence, a gap is formed between the workers. There is also a difference formed between the workers related to how they all think. Every human being thinks differently and the way they act is unique. For some people, social affection and respect mean more than their safety of them (Parikh, 2018). The satisfaction level of the workers for this theory is immeasurable or almost impossible to measure. Some people might be happy with satisfying their basic needs, while some may demand more, as human minds are unpredictable.

Herzberg's Two-factor Theory has some Advantages like the most advantageous thing about this theory is that the motivation is not dependent on the external factors of the employees but themselves. The motivation comes from within the workers which prove to be a great motivating factor. Using this theory, organisations can come out of the misconception that salary is the only factor of satisfaction for the employees. This way companies can focus more on the actual problems and reduce them to create a friendly environment (Parikh, 2018). The Disadvantages of this theory include points like, one of the biggest drawbacks of this theory is that it focuses more on the satisfaction of the employees, but not on the productivity of the organisation. Another common disadvantage of the motivational theories of Herzberg is the satisfaction of each individual might be different. Sometimes it becomes difficult for the modern workplace to identify the satisfaction factors individually. This theory ignores all the external factors which play a very important role in the organisation.

Goal-Setting Theory of Motivation is associated with some Advantages, the foremost advantage of setting a goal is to clarify the mind of an employee, so they can have a better focus on achieving only the tasks leading to meeting the goals. Setting goals is a great factor of motivation and increases the efforts of the employees in a workplace. It allows an organisation to control and track the performance of every individual effectively and efficiently. The Disadvantages include goals that are impossible to meet and that are unrealistic and will only work inversely on the employees of an organisation, which is a huge disadvantage (Parikh, 2021). It might create room for biases in an organisation as setting different goals can impact employees accordingly. The chances of success using these theories are minimal as no guarantee meeting individual goals will meet the overall goals of the company.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Conclusion

Motivating theories play a vital role in the success of a business. In this assignment, three theories of motivation have been discussed and they are all analysed based on their advantages and disadvantages for an organisation. Even though all the theories are beneficial to use, there are certain drawbacks and limitations associated with them. Maslow's theory focuses more on the human nature of needs, and it is highly relatable to every individual's day-to-day life. Herzberg’s theory is based on simply two factors the hygiene of the workplace, and other internal motivational factors that can encourage the employees to work hard. While Goal-setting theories focus more on setting goals for each individual, so they can strive to achieve the goals and meet the requirements of the organisation efficiently.

Recommendations

The motivational theories stated above can be an efficient tool to motivate the employees of an organisation. However, there are some drawbacks and limitations associated with these theories as well. It is suggested that a modern workplace have a conversation with every individual to decrease the chances of any difference in culture or the mindset of each individual. It is also recommended that every strategy is discussed properly and everyone has a mutual understanding of each strategy. It is suggested that modern workplaces should focus on the satisfaction of each individual and figure out how it can be productive for the organisation as well. It is also recommended that modern workplaces set realistic goals for the individuals, and remain neutral in every step.

Reference List

EPM, 2018. Herzberg’s Motivation Theory – Two Factor Theory [online] Available at: https://expertprogrammanagement.com/2018/04/herzbergs-two-factor-theory/ [Accessed 14 April 2022]

Hopper, E., 2020. Maslow's hierarchy of needs explained. ThoughtCo, ThoughtCo, 24.

Indeed, 2022. 5 Motivation Theories for Management Teams (With Tips) [online] Available at: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/motivation-theories [Accessed 13 April 2022]

Indeed, 2022. What Is Goal-Setting Theory? Principles, Pros and Cons [online] Available at: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/goal-setting-theory [Accessed 14 April 2022]

Rai, R., Thekkekara, J.V. and Kanhare, R., 2021. Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory: A Study on Nurses’s Motivation. RGUHS Journal of Allied Health Sciences, 1(1).

Schmidt, G.B., 2019. The need for goal-setting theory and motivation constructs in Lean management. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 12(3), pp.251-254.

Vinsih Parikh, 2018. Advantages and Disadvantages of Herzberg Theory [online] Available at: https://www.letslearnfinance.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-herzberg-theory.html [Accessed 14 April 2022]

Vinsih Parikh, 2018. Advantages and Disadvantages of Maslow Theory of Motivation [online] Available at: https://www.letslearnfinance.com/advantages-disadvantages-maslow-theory-motivation.html [Accessed 14 April 2022]

Vinsih Parikh, 2021. Goal Setting Theory Advantages and Disadvantages [online] Available at: https://www.letslearnfinance.com/goal-setting-theory-advantages-and-disadvantages.html [Accessed 14 April 2022]