Motivation in Workplace

Motivation in Workplace

What is Motivation?

“Motivation is the creation of stimuli, incentives and working environments that enable people to perform to the best of their ability. The heart of motivation is to give people what they really want most from work. In return managers should expect more in the form of productivity, quality and service.” (Mullins,Laurie.J, 2010)

Study of Motivation is concerned with the reason/reasons of individuals’ willingness to make efforts to obtain a goal. Organizational Behavior focuses on organizational goal.This essay will attempt to illustrate the definition of both content and process theory of motivation. It will also explain why both theories are important through the use of an organisational example. Motivation can be defined as a way in which an organisation encourages its work force to be productive by giving their best for the organisation, Miner (2007).

Motivation Theories:

Content Theories:

Content theories focus on individuals need. That again depends on person, situation etc. The person who works for career progression can turn face from a company if they see no promotion for their hard work.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs theory:

This theory is all about some specific things which can motivate people in organization. According to Maslow, his main concerned was people needs and their strengths. People are motivated in line with the level they stand on the hierarchy. He realizes that people cannot pass a level until all needs have been fulfilled at current level and is arranged by certain series of levels.

Physiological needs are food, shelter, sex; water etc and apple been able to fulfilled most of these needs through average salary going for $ 108,483. This will be able to solve the basic human needs. Maslow considers these as most important of the needs in human life. At the workplace of Apple, physical comfort and refreshment breaks are given and Google they believe that healthy mind and body is really very important for employee’s good performance. That is why Google arranged suitable medical services at work place and also they provide health care coverage. As Maslow said one cannot move to the next level until the level that an individual is, those needs are met.

A report from Apple research (2013) shows the improvement in providing good working environment through support of social network and work groups. Health and safety training are given to staffs to be able to identify hazards.Maslow also argued about individual’s safety and security as important but apple has to improve on job security because Steve uses McGregor X theory in managing the company. Workers are not secure and are scared to lose their jobs. They must be assured that their physiological needs are continually met. Employees need to feel safe about their work and the work is secure.

After the physiological and safety needs people want intimacy, love and the sense of belonging. Maslow (1964) calls these social needs. Steve attended to every single thing being produced by the industry, from the product to cafeteria. Now manager employee relationship is being worked on at Apple Inc., this will create acceptance, affection, recognition at the workplace and extend to the society that an individual lives. These relationships includes in Microsoft UK as they have organised the social needs very well. They have a monthly coffee session chat with each other such as managers from all department and the colleagues from all department, social and sports club, theatre trip, and weekend trip and so on so that employee can exchange their feeling and can be intimate with each other.

Paying employees $108,483, Apple Inc. is concentrating on the higher order needs of its employees especially esteem in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. E.g. executives who are able to finish their work earn 3-5% of their salary as a bonus. This in some ways satisfies their esteem need by rewarding them with a bonus. Some are also promoted. This needs include dignity, ego, self-reliance; strength other includes status, recognition and appreciation. At this level, employees like to show their achievements, want employers to respect them and their views. Individuals also like to have status and attention at this level.(Haider, 2013). Microsoft do employee esteem needs doing employee job rotation, job enlargement and job enrichment.

Self- actualisation includes success at work and progression in organization. When employee’s innovative work is approved and lunched into the market, it