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9: Motivating Employees

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    140218

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    Learning Objectives

    After reading this chapter, you should be able to answer these questions:

    1. What are the basic principles of Frederick Taylor’s concept of scientific management?
    2. What did Elton Mayo’s Hawthorne studies reveal about worker motivation?
    3. What is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, and how do these needs relate to employee motivation?
    4. How are McGregor’s Theories X and Y and Ouchi’s Theory Z used to explain worker motivation?
    5. What are the basic components of Herzberg’s motivator-hygiene theory?
    6. What four contemporary theories on employee motivation offer insights into improving employee performance?
    7. How can managers redesign existing jobs to increase employee motivation and performance?
    8. What initiatives are organizations using today to motivate and retain employees?

    • 9.1: Introduction
      This page outlines key motivational theories essential for workplace dynamics, referencing figures like Taylor, Mayo, and Maslow. It emphasizes motivation's role in improving employee performance and discusses modern theories and job redesign strategies. Additionally, it highlights Chuck Kaplan from Ciena Corporation and the corporate band OTN Speedwagon's impact on fostering collaboration, trust, and community, illustrating how motivation contributes to organizational success.
    • 9.2: Early Theories of Motivation
      This page discusses Frederick Taylor's scientific management, which aims to enhance efficiency with economic incentives and systematic work methods. It outlines Taylor's four key principles: developing scientific methods, careful worker selection and training, promoting cooperation, and assigning tasks based on expertise. While Taylor's approach increased productivity and shaped modern management practices, it is critiqued for oversimplifying motivation by focusing solely on economic factors.
    • 9.3: The Hawthorne Studies
      This page summarizes Elton Mayo's Hawthorne studies (1927-1932), which showed that social factors and employee attitudes significantly influence worker motivation and productivity, rather than just economic needs. The studies introduced the Hawthorne effect, illustrating that special attention and group participation enhance motivation.
    • 9.4: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
      This page discusses Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, a motivation theory divided into five levels: physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization. It explains that individuals strive to meet their basic needs first, using Wegmans supermarket as an example of successful application across all levels, fostering low turnover and a strong culture. Although the theory provides valuable insights, it faces criticism for its inflexibility and limited empirical support for certain aspects.
    • 9.5: McGregor's Theories X and Y
      This page discusses three management theories: McGregor's Theory X, which views employees as needing control due to a dislike of work; Theory Y, which sees employees as self-motivated and thriving under support; and Ouchi's Theory Z, which combines practices from the U.S. and Japan, emphasizing long-term employment and collective decision-making for worker well-being.
    • 9.6: Herzberg's Motivator-Hygiene Theory
      This page discusses Frederick Herzberg's motivator-hygiene theory, which distinguishes between intrinsic motivating factors that lead to job satisfaction and extrinsic hygiene factors that prevent dissatisfaction. Herzberg argues that lack of satisfaction doesn't imply dissatisfaction. Critiques focus on the theory's emphasis on job satisfaction rather than motivation and concerns about its reliability. Despite this, Herzberg's contributions have greatly influenced theories on employee behavior.
    • 9.7: Contemporary Views on Motivation
      This page discusses four contemporary theories of employee motivation: expectancy theory, equity theory, goal-setting theory, and reinforcement theory, each offering insights for improving employee performance. It highlights cultural implications, particularly in Japan, where advancement is low but challenges are valued, questioning the applicability of equity theory globally.
    • 9.8: From Motivation Theory to Application
      This page discusses effective strategies for enhancing employee motivation and performance, including job redesign techniques like enlargement, enrichment, and rotation, alongside flexible work schedules and recognition. It highlights Netflix's culture of trust, which boosts productivity, and explores economic incentives such as performance-based pay, bonuses, and experiential rewards that companies like Google are adopting.
    • 9.9: Trends in Employee Motivation
      This page discusses organizational initiatives to enhance employee motivation and retention, emphasizing trends like education and training, employee ownership, and work-life balance. Companies are using sabbaticals and flexible benefits to improve employee satisfaction and skill development. Addressing high turnover and absenteeism is crucial for maintaining stability and performance.

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