what is meant by the term employee motivation?
Is the real reason why employees want to work hard and work effectively for the business.
Name and explain the main five reason why a person would work?
- Money: to pay for necessities and some luxury.
- Security: a sense of security. To know that your job and pay are safe an is not likely to lose your job.
- Social needs (affiliation): feeling part of a group or organizations,meeting people and making friends at work.
- Esteem needs (self importance): feeling tat the job you do is important.
- Job satisfaction: enjoyment from the feeling that you have done a good job.
Explain how worker motivation is lined to business profitability.
- Motivated workers work harder and are highly productive.
- produces a large output.
- business makes more profit.
Name the three main theories published regarding employee motivation.
- Taylor (1911): money is the main motivator.
- Maslow (1954): Hierarchy of needs.
- Herzberg (1959): ‘Hygiene’ and ‘motivators’
What is the basis of F.W Taylor’s motivation theory.
That all workers are motivated by personal gain. If workers are paid more, they will work more.
Explain how Taylor’s theory was applied.
Factory worker’s work were broken down into simple tasks. It was easier to work out their output. Workers that had more output, were paid more.
What was the benefit of applying Taylor’s theory to businesses?
Workers worked harder and produced more output. The extra output of a worker is worth more that the worker’s increase in pay.
What were the main criticisms of F.W Taylor’s theory?
- Too simplistic- workers are motivated by things more than money
- unfulfilled workers will not produce productivity improvements, even if pay is increased.
- Practicality: not easy to measure worker output.
What were the five hierarchy of needs proposed by Maslow?
- Physiological needs: food, rest, recreation and shelter. Worker’s wages should be high enough to pay bills.
- Safety/security needs: protection against danger, protection against poverty and fair treatment - job security.
- Social needs: friendship, a sense of belonging to a team - work colleagues that support you at work.
- Esteem needs: having status and recognition, achievement and independence - being given recognition for a job well done.
- Self- Actualization: succeeding at your full potential, feeling that you have done a good job, not just for financial and personal reasons - being promoted and given more responsibility.
How can the hierarchy of needs be used to motivate an employee?
Employees can motivated by the next level when a level is satisfied. The current level will no longer satisfy the employee.
What is the main problem in the hierarchy of needs?
That some levels do not exist for some people while some rewards appear fit to more than one level. Money is essential, but large salaries can also be perceived as a status symbol.
What is the basis of Herzberg’s motivation theory?
That people have two types of needs: basic animal needs (hygiene factors) and psychological growth factors (motivators).
Name five examples of motivators according to Herzberg.
achievement recognition personal growth/development advancement or promotion work itself
Name five ‘Hygiene’ factors suggested by Herzberg
status security work conditions company policies and administration relationship with supervisor relationship with subordinates salary
Of Hygiene and motivator factors, what should be fulfilled first by the business, according to Herzberg?
Hygiene
Why cant businesses only use Hygiene factors to motivate employees.
Once they are satisfied, the effects of them quickly wear off. True motivators are found in other factors.
In terms of motivation, what is one of the main reasons as to why employees may leave the business and find work elsewhere?
For some people, other factors maybe more important than money alone. A lack in such motivations mean Employees may leave.
why are different payments and financial rewards used in a business?
To provide incentives to employees to work efficiently and harder.
Name 5 types of financial rewards that can be used by a business to motivate its employees.
- wage
- salary
- bonus
- commission
- Profit sharing
what is a wage?
is a payment for work, usually paid weekly.
What are the advantages of providing wages?
- The worker gets a regular pay and will not have to wait long.
- Overtime wage can paid to workers
What are the drawbacks of paying wages?
- They have to calculated weekly and can take time and money.
- Wage clerks will have to be employed.
what is a time rate?
is an amount payed to an employee for one hour of work.
Identify the advantages to paying in time rates.
- Easy to calculate.
- worker will know how much he has to recieve.
