The links below are designed for print; more screen reader friendly documents can be found on the Students: Additional Lumen Resources page.<\/p>
Conducted at the Western Electric Hawthorne Works plant in Cicero, Illinois, Elton Mayo and his colleagues attempted to apply Taylor\u2019s process of scientific management by conducting experiments in the workplace. What resulted is a phenomenon known as the \u201cHawthorne effect,\u201d which occurs\u00a0when subjects being studied change their behavior simply because they are being observed and treated differently.<\/p>\r\n
The first theories used to explain human motivation were need based. These theories proposed that people are mainly motivated by trying to meet certain needs and that if you can understand their needs, you can better motivate them. Among the need-based theories are Maslow\u2019s hierarchy of needs, Herzberg\u2019s two-factor theory, and McClelland\u2019s acquired-needs theory.<\/p>\r\n
Process-based theories of motivation view motivation as a more rational, deliberate process. The three best-known\u00a0process-based theories are equity, expectancy, and reinforcement theories.<\/p>\r\n
Douglas McGregor theorized that worker motivation is closely linked to the way managers view and treat their workers and that all managers fall into one of two types\u2014Theory X and Theory Y. \u00a0Later, William Ouchi combined Eastern and Western management practices to develop Theory Z.<\/p>\r\n
Two methods of applying motivation theory in the workplace are job design and goal setting. Beyond these two applications, companies have become very aware of the way motivated employees impact organizational effectiveness and efficiency.<\/p>\r\n
When applying for a job, it is important to customize your r\u00e9sum\u00e9 for each position by carefully reviewing the job description and making revisions to align your skills and experiences with the employer's preferences, especially if they use an applicant tracking system that scans r\u00e9sum\u00e9s for specific keywords and ranks them accordingly.<\/p>\r\n
applicant tracking system<\/strong><\/p>\r\n software that human resource professionals use to project manage the recruiting and hiring process<\/p>\r\n compressed workweek<\/strong><\/p>\r\n employees work the traditional 40 hours, but fit those hours into a shorter workweek<\/p>\r\n equity theory<\/strong><\/p>\r\n employees\u2019 perceived fairness of the way they are treated and the rewards they earn motivates their behavior<\/p>\r\n expectancy<\/strong><\/p>\r\n the individual\u2019s belief that effort will lead to the intended performance goals<\/p>\r\n expectancy theory<\/strong><\/p>\r\n the probability of an individual acting in a particular way depends on the strength of that individual\u2019s belief that the act will have a particular outcome and on whether the individual values that outcome<\/p>\r\n flextime<\/strong><\/p>\r\n employee works a specified number of hours each week but has the flexibility to decide how to schedule the hours<\/p>\r\n four-day workweek<\/strong><\/p>\r\n employees work only four days a week but work 32 hours or less; alternatively, workers may still work for a 40-hour week but for 10 hours each day for four days<\/p>\r\n Hawthorne effect<\/strong><\/p>\r\n the theory that employees will perform better when they feel singled out for special attention or feel that management is concerned about employee welfare<\/p>\r\n Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene Theory<\/strong><\/p>\r\n also called Two Factor Theory; argues that motivators (intrinsic factors) serve as job satisfiers while hygiene factors (extrinsic factors) act as job dissatisfiers<\/p>\r\n hybrid working<\/strong><\/p>\r\n splitting time between working remotely and working at the company's offices<\/p>\r\n hygiene factors<\/strong><\/p>\r\n extrinsic motivators such as tangible, basic needs like job security and salary<\/p>\r\n instrumentality<\/strong><\/p>\r\n the belief that a person will receive a desired outcome if the performance expectation is met<\/p>\r\n job enlargement<\/strong><\/p>\r\n an employee\u2019s level of responsibility remains the same but is given a greater variety of tasks to reduce boredom; horizontal job expansion<\/p>\r\n job enrichment<\/strong><\/p>\r\n an employee is delegated decision-making and planning responsibilities that give them more authority; vertical job expansion<\/p>\r\n job rotation<\/strong><\/p>\r\n an employee moves between a number of jobs to gain a variety of skills and reduce boredom<\/p>\r\n job sharing<\/strong><\/p>\r\n two individuals to split the tasks, responsibilities, and work hours of one 40-hour-per-week job<\/p>\r\n Maslow\u2019s hierarchy of needs<\/strong><\/p>\r\n the theory that each individual has a hierarchy of needs, consisting of physiological (basic, physical needs), safety (security needs), social (relationship needs), esteem (feeling respected and accomplished), and self-actualization (need to live up to your potential) needs and that unmet needs are what motivate people to act<\/p>\r\n McClelland\u2019s acquired needs theory<\/strong><\/p>\r\n workers are motivated by three categories of needs, achievement, affiliation, and power, which are shaped by their life experiences<\/p>\r\n motivation<\/strong><\/p>\r\n the set of forces that prompt a person to release energy in a certain direction<\/p>\r\n motivation factors<\/strong><\/p>\r\n intrinsic motivators such as emotional needs like recognition and relationships<\/p>\r\n need-based theories of motivation<\/strong><\/p>\r\n assume that workers act to satisfy their individual needs<\/p>\r\n outcomes-to-inputs ratio<\/strong><\/p>\r\n employees evaluate their outcomes (salary, benefits) in relation to their inputs (hours worked, skills and experience) and compare to others to decide if their outcome is fair<\/p>\r\n process-based theories of motivation<\/strong><\/p>\r\n assume that individuals analyze their environment, develop reactions and feelings, and respond in predictable ways<\/p>\r\n punishment<\/strong><\/p>\r\n anything that decreases the behavior<\/p>\r\n reinforcement theory<\/strong><\/p>\r\n assumes that behavior is a function of its consequences<\/p>\r\n remote working or telecommuting<\/strong><\/p>\r\n a work-scheduling option that allows employees to work from home via a computer that is linked with their office, headquarters, or colleagues<\/p>\r\n reward<\/strong><\/p>\r\n anything that increases the particular behavior<\/p>\r\n Theory X<\/strong><\/p>\r\n a management style based on a pessimistic view of workers that results in micro-management<\/p>\r\n Theory Y<\/strong><\/p>\r\n a management style based on a positive view of workers that results in encouraging workers to develop their skills<\/p>\r\n Theory Z<\/strong><\/p>\r\n a management style that blends U.S. and Japanese work culture and assumes a collaborative relationship between managers and workers<\/p>\r\n valence<\/strong><\/p>\r\n the unique value an individual places on a particular outcome<\/p>","rendered":" The links below are designed for print; more screen reader friendly documents can be found on the Students: Additional Lumen Resources page.<\/p>\n Conducted at the Western Electric Hawthorne Works plant in Cicero, Illinois, Elton Mayo and his colleagues attempted to apply Taylor\u2019s process of scientific management by conducting experiments in the workplace. What resulted is a phenomenon known as the \u201cHawthorne effect,\u201d which occurs\u00a0when subjects being studied change their behavior simply because they are being observed and treated differently.<\/p>\n The first theories used to explain human motivation were need based. These theories proposed that people are mainly motivated by trying to meet certain needs and that if you can understand their needs, you can better motivate them. Among the need-based theories are Maslow\u2019s hierarchy of needs, Herzberg\u2019s two-factor theory, and McClelland\u2019s acquired-needs theory.<\/p>\n Process-based theories of motivation view motivation as a more rational, deliberate process. The three best-known\u00a0process-based theories are equity, expectancy, and reinforcement theories.<\/p>\n Douglas McGregor theorized that worker motivation is closely linked to the way managers view and treat their workers and that all managers fall into one of two types\u2014Theory X and Theory Y. \u00a0Later, William Ouchi combined Eastern and Western management practices to develop Theory Z.<\/p>\n Two methods of applying motivation theory in the workplace are job design and goal setting. Beyond these two applications, companies have become very aware of the way motivated employees impact organizational effectiveness and efficiency.<\/p>\n When applying for a job, it is important to customize your r\u00e9sum\u00e9 for each position by carefully reviewing the job description and making revisions to align your skills and experiences with the employer’s preferences, especially if they use an applicant tracking system that scans r\u00e9sum\u00e9s for specific keywords and ranks them accordingly.<\/p>\n applicant tracking system<\/strong><\/p>\n software that human resource professionals use to project manage the recruiting and hiring process<\/p>\n compressed workweek<\/strong><\/p>\n employees work the traditional 40 hours, but fit those hours into a shorter workweek<\/p>\n equity theory<\/strong><\/p>\n employees\u2019 perceived fairness of the way they are treated and the rewards they earn motivates their behavior<\/p>\n expectancy<\/strong><\/p>\n the individual\u2019s belief that effort will lead to the intended performance goals<\/p>\n expectancy theory<\/strong><\/p>\n the probability of an individual acting in a particular way depends on the strength of that individual\u2019s belief that the act will have a particular outcome and on whether the individual values that outcome<\/p>\n flextime<\/strong><\/p>\n employee works a specified number of hours each week but has the flexibility to decide how to schedule the hours<\/p>\n four-day workweek<\/strong><\/p>\n employees work only four days a week but work 32 hours or less; alternatively, workers may still work for a 40-hour week but for 10 hours each day for four days<\/p>\n Hawthorne effect<\/strong><\/p>\n the theory that employees will perform better when they feel singled out for special attention or feel that management is concerned about employee welfare<\/p>\n Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory<\/strong><\/p>\n also called Two Factor Theory; argues that motivators (intrinsic factors) serve as job satisfiers while hygiene factors (extrinsic factors) act as job dissatisfiers<\/p>\n hybrid working<\/strong><\/p>\n splitting time between working remotely and working at the company’s offices<\/p>\n hygiene factors<\/strong><\/p>\n extrinsic motivators such as tangible, basic needs like job security and salary<\/p>\n instrumentality<\/strong><\/p>\n the belief that a person will receive a desired outcome if the performance expectation is met<\/p>\n job enlargement<\/strong><\/p>\n an employee\u2019s level of responsibility remains the same but is given a greater variety of tasks to reduce boredom; horizontal job expansion<\/p>\n job enrichment<\/strong><\/p>\n an employee is delegated decision-making and planning responsibilities that give them more authority; vertical job expansion<\/p>\n job rotation<\/strong><\/p>\n an employee moves between a number of jobs to gain a variety of skills and reduce boredom<\/p>\n job sharing<\/strong><\/p>\n two individuals to split the tasks, responsibilities, and work hours of one 40-hour-per-week job<\/p>\n Maslow\u2019s hierarchy of needs<\/strong><\/p>\n the theory that each individual has a hierarchy of needs, consisting of physiological (basic, physical needs), safety (security needs), social (relationship needs), esteem (feeling respected and accomplished), and self-actualization (need to live up to your potential) needs and that unmet needs are what motivate people to act<\/p>\n McClelland\u2019s acquired needs theory<\/strong><\/p>\n workers are motivated by three categories of needs, achievement, affiliation, and power, which are shaped by their life experiences<\/p>\n motivation<\/strong><\/p>\n the set of forces that prompt a person to release energy in a certain direction<\/p>\n motivation factors<\/strong><\/p>\n intrinsic motivators such as emotional needs like recognition and relationships<\/p>\n need-based theories of motivation<\/strong><\/p>\n assume that workers act to satisfy their individual needs<\/p>\n outcomes-to-inputs ratio<\/strong><\/p>\n employees evaluate their outcomes (salary, benefits) in relation to their inputs (hours worked, skills and experience) and compare to others to decide if their outcome is fair<\/p>\n process-based theories of motivation<\/strong><\/p>\n assume that individuals analyze their environment, develop reactions and feelings, and respond in predictable ways<\/p>\n punishment<\/strong><\/p>\n anything that decreases the behavior<\/p>\n reinforcement theory<\/strong><\/p>\n assumes that behavior is a function of its consequences<\/p>\n remote working or telecommuting<\/strong><\/p>\n a work-scheduling option that allows employees to work from home via a computer that is linked with their office, headquarters, or colleagues<\/p>\n reward<\/strong><\/p>\n anything that increases the particular behavior<\/p>\n Theory X<\/strong><\/p>\n a management style based on a pessimistic view of workers that results in micro-management<\/p>\n Theory Y<\/strong><\/p>\n a management style based on a positive view of workers that results in encouraging workers to develop their skills<\/p>\n Theory Z<\/strong><\/p>\n a management style that blends U.S. and Japanese work culture and assumes a collaborative relationship between managers and workers<\/p>\n valence<\/strong><\/p>\n the unique value an individual places on a particular outcome<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"menu_order":1,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Putting It Together: Motivating Employees\",\"author\":\"Linda Williams and Lumen Learning\",\"organization\":\"\",\"url\":\"\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"\"}]","pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"part":3105,"module-header":"cheat_sheet","content_attributions":[{"type":"cc","description":"Putting It Together: Motivating 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a pdf of this page here.<\/a><\/h4>\n
Download the Spanish version here.<\/a><\/h4>\n
Essential Concepts<\/h2>\n
The Hawthorne Effect<\/h3>\n
Need-Based Theories<\/h3>\n
Process-Based Theories<\/h3>\n
Managers’ Attitudes and Motivation<\/h3>\n
Strategies for Motivating Employees<\/h3>\n
Career Connection: Customizing Your R\u00e9sum\u00e9<\/h3>\n
Glossary<\/h2>\n