1 MODULE 2 | UNIT 1 | THE MANAGEMENT OF PEOPLE

7 The Theory and Application

of Motivation
desire to own a home may motivate a person to work hard
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: in order to gain the income or level of savings needed to
At the end of this chapter students should be able to: acquire that house. Later in the chapter we will examine
Discuss the factors that stimulate and influence the work of theorist Abraham Maslow, who shared this
motivation view in his Hierarchy of Needs.
Outline the main concepts of Maslow’s Hierarchy of
Needs Theory Self-motivation
Outline the main concepts of Herzberg’s Hygiene Theory While some people are motivated by forces in their
Compare and contrast the two main theories of environment and what is done by others, others are self-
motivation motivated. Self-motivation speaks to a situation where
Analyse the main financial and non-financial incentives someone has the drive or ability to perform a task without
that are used in businesses the influence of anyone else. People who are self-motivated
Outline the implications of motivation theories tend to be able to complete a task even in the face of
for managers adversities or without encouragement from anyone. Such
people are often optimistic, energetic and driven by their
desire to succeed in the task at hand.

W
e all make choices in life and the choices we Ability to make choices
make may be influenced by a number of factors.
One of the greatest desires for humans is having the ability
As students, there are a number of factors that
to make certain choices. When this is not the case, people
influence the level of work you do in each subject, including
may feel confined or unhappy with their current situation
Management of Business. Some of you might be driven by a
or environment. In a business operation some employees
desire to do well; a good teacher who encourages you all the
desire to have the autonomy to make choices which could
time; a desire to qualify for the best university; or wanting
influence the work environment or the way the work is
to ensure that your parents’ money is not wasted. These
done. They want to participate in decision making while
factors will influence your level of motivation. In this
knowing that their suggestions will be treated with high
chapter, the concepts of motivation, motivation theories
regard. These choices may be given to employees by a
and incentives will be discussed.
democratic leader as opposed to an autocratic one. It is
often said that employees who have a democratic leader are
usually better motivated than those with an autocratic
Factors that stimulate and influence leader. These different leadership styles will be discussed
motivation later in this book. The idea of allowing employees to have
Motivation is generally defined as the ‘will to achieve’. It is some level of autonomy is supported by the work of
the internal and external forces that arouse a person to theorists Herzberg and McGregor. Both theories are also
carry out a task with enthusiasm. Your level of motivation discussed later.
may be influenced or stimulated by the following factors:
Environmental opportunities
Individual needs The environment in which people work can be a good
We are driven by our needs and the things we do are, very source of motivation. If the work environment offers
often, influenced by our desire to satisfy these needs. An opportunities for personal growth or for promotion, then
employee’s basic need for food, clothing and shelter will people may be motivated. Employees may become de-
influence how he/she works or operates. For example, a motivated if their work environment offers neither of
these two opportunities. Working in an environment
where there is no chance of
2 MODULE 2 | UNIT 1 | THE MANAGEMENT OF PEOPLE

promotion or growing will discourage people from giving

the extra effort to carry out their tasks.
Other influences on motivation include values, attitudes, S
actualisa
e
beliefs and goals. tion
l
Esteem
f
needs
-

Theories of motivation Belongingness

needs
The theories of motivation can be classified into two main
categories: content theories and process theories. Safety
needs
Content theories Physiological
These theories focus on the needs of employees and how needs
these needs motivate them. Theorists in this category
believe that people are driven by their needs. These needs Figure 7.1: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
will be transformed into internal forces that influence their
behaviour pattern. Organisations are therefore encouraged Safety or security needs
to develop reward systems that cater to these needs and Individuals desire to be in a safe and secure physical and
employees will be motivated. Content theorists feel that emotional environment. These needs include job security,
each individual differs in their ability as well as their ‘will to stability, freedom from fear or threat, being treated fairly
do’ a task. To this end, motivation depends on the level or and avoidance of pain. Management should provide security
strength of an individual’s needs. Two of the most guards, ensure that the environment is not easily accessible
prominent content theorists include Abraham Maslow and to unscrupulous people and protect workers from harmful
Frederick Herzberg. substances such as toxic fumes.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Belongingness or social needs

Needs Employees want to feel accepted by their peers, to be
The work of Abraham Maslow came about in the mid- loved, to have lasting friendships and to be a part of groups.
1950s. He proposed that: They yearn to socialise with their co-workers and have
An individual’s needs will influence his/her behaviour good relationships with both peers and supervisors.
The greater the need, the greater will be its influence on Managers should cater for this need by having social
the individual’s behaviour. events at work, promoting group work and encouraging
Maslow identified a number of needs that will influence interaction among employees and between management
human behaviour. He summarised his findings in the and employees.
Hierarchy of Needs as shown in Figure 7.1.
According to Maslow, each level of needs must be Esteem needs
acquired or fulfilled before the individual can move on to a These needs include a desire to have a positive self-image,
higher need. Therefore lower-level needs must be fulfilled status, recognition and appreciation by others. Workers
in order for the higher-level needs to be accomplished. want to be recognised and credited for any contribution
These needs are expanded below: given to the organisation. Organisations can provide for
these needs by recognising the contributions of employees
Physiological needs through promotions, award ceremonies and bonuses, etc.
These are the basic needs in life, including food, water, An example of this is seen where they publish photographs
clothing and shelter. Employees desire the means to of their outstanding employees in newspapers. In other
acquire these basic needs by working in an organisation. A businesses, a photograph of an ‘employee of the month’ is
sufficient salary should be able to take of these needs. posted at the reception area to recognise that person’s
Therefore, if the salary earned cannot sufficiently provide effort.
these needs, the individual will not be motivated. With
these needs in mind, some organisations provide Self-actualisation needs
subsidised lunches, housing solutions and concessions on This is the highest category of need. It is where employees
motor vehicle purchases, among other rewards. feel a sense of self-fulfilment. The employee desires to
reach his/her full potential while increasing the level of
competence at the task being completed. Managers can These factors will attract people to the job and help
help employees to fulfil this need by providing additional them to keep the job. The presence of these factors will not
training for employees, whether on the job or off the job. bring about satisfaction, as this is only achieved through
Some organisations provide scholarships for employees who motivators. However, their absence will mean that workers
desire to do higher studies. are indeed dissatisfied.
Herzberg’s theory has the following implications for
Implications of Maslow’s theory for management management:
Management needs to understand the needs that Managers should be aware that workers can be satisfied
motivate the employees and use them to their or dissatisfied with the job or even both. For example,
advantage a worker may love the work that he is doing but be
Motivation is sometimes tied to the leadership style of dissatisfied whenever he receives his pay cheque
the manager The notion is that unless motivators are present at
Management should provide a safe working environment work, employees will not be motivated. Managers must
Opportunities should be given for people to reach their therefore be aware that improving hygiene factors will
full potential not lead to motivation but simply prevent dissatisfaction
Managers should pay an appropriate salary to workers. In order to improve motivation, management needs to
This will allow them to afford the basic needs in life design the job to provide an opportunity for growth,
By rewarding employees, managers can build long- recognise employees for work done and assign
lasting motivated relationships. responsibility.

Two-factor Process theories

theory Process theories essentially argue that people’s thought
In the late 1950s, Frederick Herzberg developed what he processes will influence their behaviour. They change the
called a two-factor theory of motivation. After conducting focus from people being driven by their needs (content
interviews with a number of employees, he concluded that theories) to one where they select behavioural actions
there are some factors that will lead to job satisfaction and to meet their needs. Process theories include Vroom’s
others that will cause job dissatisfaction. The factors that Expectancy Theory and Adams’ Equity Theory.
lead to job satisfaction were called ‘motivators’ and those
that cause job dissatisfaction ‘hygiene factors’. Vroom’s Expectancy
Theory
Motivators Victor Vroom’s Expectancy Theory suggests that
These factors include: employees will be motivated to carry out tasks in order to
An attraction to the work itself reach a goal if it is worthwhile to do so. Therefore a
Recognition from both management and colleagues person's motivation can be linked to the anticipated
Being given responsibility for tasks worth that is placed on a goal and the probability of that
A sense of achievement goal being achieved. The Expectancy Theory proposes
Opportunities for advancement and personal growth. three variables:
Herzberg suggests that where there is a presence of The effort of the individual – this assess the individual’s
motivators on the job, workers will be motivated. However, expectation that if enough effort is placed on a task it
the lack of motivators will not lead to dissatisfaction but will generate the desired level of performance. The level
workers will be neutral towards their work. Instead, it is of expectation usually depends on the worker’s ability,
the hygiene factors that will prevent dissatisfaction. experience and the available resources
The performance of the individual – the expectation
Hygiene factors here is that the desired level of performance will bring
These factors include: about the desired outcome. For example, an insurance
Working conditions agent who believes that selling 100 life insurance
Interpersonal relationships policies will earn him the ‘agent of the month’ award.
Pay and job security Suffice it to say that the level of expectation will
The policy of the organisation determine the level of motivation – that is, a high level
The quality of management and supervision of expectation will result in highly motivated workers
Perceived differences with others. The attractiveness of the desired outcome (valence)
– this represents the value that is placed on the
 CASE STUDY

‘Chaos at Fun Lovers’ Paradise’

These are the words of the livid union leader, Mr Folkes. He opined that the union will have to be called in to deal with the
unfair treatment and poor working conditions that workers at Fun Lovers’ Paradise amusement park have to contend with.
Workers have complained that they are expected to work under less than favourable conditions. There is poor lighting in the
factory and when it rains heavily the roof leaks. Management has blamed this on tough times for the firm, indeed, staff have
been asked to take a 15 per cent cut in pay and to forgo their Christmas bonus. Some workers also bemoaned the fact that they
have been doing the same boring tasks for the last five years and there is no more zest in them to carry on. Mr Folkes stated
that management usually just post information on the notice board at the front entrance and there is little or no opportunity to
communicate with them. He said that even if workers gave suggestions they were not even considered.
Productivity levels have plummeted and profits are dwindling as a result. If management does not make a decisive move to
improve the morale of the workers then Fun Lovers’ Paradise may be no more. Now the patrons are watching the situation
with bated breath, as the firm is one of the largest local attractions for both children and adults.

Questions
1. Give evidence from the case to show that the workers are de-motivated. (3 marks)
2. Discuss how the occurrences at Fun Lovers’ Paradise represent a deviation from Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. (10 marks)
3. Briefly explain Herzberg’s theory and discuss how it could be used to improve motivation at Fun Lovers’ Paradise. (12 marks)
Total 25 marks

outcome by the individual. For the employees’ level of Earlier in this chapter it was discussed that theorists
motivation to be high, the outcome must be desirable such as Herzberg believe that money is not source of
and highly valued. motivation.

Adams’ Equity
Theory
John Adams’ Equity Theory suggests that inequities will
exist if people believe that the rewards they receive for a
completed task are unequal to those received by other
people. If employees perceive that the rewards received
for a task are the same as the rewards for other people
carrying out a similar task, they will see themselves as being
treated fairly and equitably. Where this is not the case,
however, then they attempt to reduce the perceived
inequity by:
Modifying the inputs – for example, the level of effort
exerted to carry out the task
Changing the outcomes – for example, lobbying for
better wages and working conditions
Resigning from the post
Mentally distorting their perception.

Financial and non-financial motivational

strategies
Financial strategies
However, in a number of organisations today, money is still
being used to motivate employees. Financial strategies can be
divided into payment schemes and incentive schemes. Each of
these is examined below.

Payment schemes
Time rates
This type of payment is used for workers who are paid for the
amount of hours they spend at work. At the end of the week,
fortnight or month, workers will be given their total wages or
salary. The rate paid is usually a fixed amount and is based on
a standard working week. For example, most CARICOM states
have a standard work week of 40 hours.
In some cases workers are paid for working over the
specified amount of hours for the week. The excess hours
work for the week is termed ‘overtime’. The payment
received for overtime work done is usually over and above the
ordinary hourly rate. For example, regular hours work may be
paid at $50 per hour but overtime is paid at ‘time and a half’
per extra hour worked – that is $75 per hour. If a worker
works for 45 hours for the week, his weekly pay would be
calculated as:

Regular pay: 40 hr × $50 = $2,000

Overtime pay: 5 hr × $75 = $ 375
Total week’s pay = $2,375
 This higher rate is an incentive for people who have Compared with time rates, the level of supervision is far
made the sacrifice and worked more than the specified lower
weekly rate. Encourages efficiency, as, if products are unacceptable,
then payment would not be made.
Advantages of time rates
Simplicity in calculation and administration Disadvantages of piece rates
Gives employees some amount of certainty in the May lead to poor quality as workers may hasten
prediction of their income production to receive more pay
Offers an incentive for workers who put in extra effort May affect workers’ health negatively, as they may
to get work done be overworked
Suitable for jobs where productivity is difficult to Firms may incur huge costs in implementing quality
measure control strategies.
Workers have some security of payment even in the
‘down times’ of machinery and equipment Commission
Workers can focus on quality since they are not being Commission is a form of payment scheme often used with
paid based on output salespeople. It is a reward given to employees for making
Tends to improve punctuality and truancy. a number of sales in a given period of time. Commission
pay schemes are highly utilised in the insurance sector and
Disadvantages of time rates fashion stores. The employees are usually paid a basic salary
Does little to encourage efficiency and productivity, and are then given a percentage of the total sales value of
as output may not increase the items sold.
Requires close supervision of workers who may want to
waste valuable production time Advantages of commission
Paying for idle time may increase cost of production Workers can earn more salary by doing more work
Firms may not be able to estimate the exact payment for Used by firms to attach pay to performance
employees because of possible overtime work. Workers are motivated to work harder
The firm can ascertain the amount of its products that
Piece rates or piecework are actually sold rather than just produced as with the
Piece rates occur where a worker is paid a specific or piece rate system.
agreed rate per unit produced. This type of payment scheme
is often used in manufacturing such as in the garment Disadvantages of commission
industry. It serves as a form of motivation since workers will Workers may give misleading information in order to
be rewarded more for more work done. make numerous sales
Since payment is based on the amount of goods May affect workers’ health negatively, as they may
produced, workers may be disadvantaged during be overworked.
production ‘down times’ – for example if machinery or
equipment fails or there are shortages or delays in raw Fringe benefits
materials. With this in mind, piece rates may be reinforced Fringe benefits are forms of compensation to employees
by a basic pay or a guaranteed amount. Workers would be apart from wages and salaries. They may include, but are not
given a basic pay and then be paid using the piece rate limited to, health insurance, car upkeep, housing
system. allowance, free lunches and pension schemes. The
amount of fringe benefits received by a worker may differ
Advantages of piece rates
according to their position in the firm. For instance, senior
Encourages workers to work harder and thus improve
managers tend to receive more fringe benefits than floor
productivity
members.
Workers will earn more as a result of their putting
in more effort Advantages of fringe benefits
The firm can lower labour cost since it would not pay
Workers’ human and social needs are met
for sick leave and holidays
These benefits encourage loyalty to the firm
Reduces idle time as workers are paid by result
Will increase employees’ morale and work ethics
 Some fringe benefits are not taxable and so employees Appraisal
benefit from having a tax-free portion of their income.
This is the process of reviewing employees’ performance.
The process is usually carried out annually and seeks to
Disadvantage of fringe benefits
rate employees’ skills and expertise in relation to the job
These benefits are additional costs to the firm.
requirements. Management uses performance appraisal to:
Promote, redeploy or transfer employees
Fees
Identify strengths and weaknesses of employees and
Fees are paid to workers for a specific task that is performed. their training needs
Unlike salaries or wages, which are paid for a specified time Review the annual performance of employees
(week or month), a fee is a one-time payment. The amount Assess the effectiveness of the recruitment, selection and
paid to the worker may depend of the length of time it takes training processes
to finish the task and the level of difficulty in doing so. Fees Outline the requirements and responsibilities of
are paid to people such as consultants and lawyers. employees.
Appraisal may be done formally (where employees are
Incentive
assessed at a specified time through one-on-one interviews
schemes
or using an appraisal document) or informally (which is an
Performance-related pay ongoing process carried out by supervisors).
In recent times a number of firms have been taking this
approach in paying their workers. You will recall that in Advantages of performance
Chapter 5 it was pointed out that FW Taylor believed that appraisal
workers should be paid based on performance. Today, firms Managers are able to keep a record of performance
and governments are gravitating towards performance- throughout the year
related pay. Gives managers and employees an opportunity to
Performance-related pay occurs where workers are paid discuss their performance
based their performance on the job. They are expected to When used in conjunction with a good reward system,
meet or exceed the required standard in order to receive it can improve workers’ motivation
the full amount of their salary. In order to measure Can be used as a means of providing employees with
performance, three steps are usually followed: feedback on their performance
1. The workers’ performance is assessed against the agreed Gives employees an opportunity to clarify the
objectives or standards organisation’s expectations of them.
2. They are then categorised, based on the results of the
assessment Disadvantages of performance
3. Employees are then paid for their performance, which appraisal
may take the form of bonuses, increments, or increase Can be time consuming and overwhelming for the
in salaries. parties involved
Since it can be opinionated, the result is subject to biases
Advantages of performance-related pay and errors
Employees receive a reward for their contribution It may create a very negative experience for workers if
Properly developed performance-related pay systems not conducted properly.
will reward the best performers
Can be used to eliminate poor performance in an Job evaluation
organisation This is a process of measuring the worth of a job using
It is an incentive to achieve the targets of the business. prescribed factors such as qualification, knowledge,
responsibilities and skills. It gives managers the opportunity
Disadvantages of performance-related pay to compare jobs that are similar or different and ascertain a
The workers may not be able to meet unrealistic targets, fair wage for them.
which lowers motivation Before firms can evaluate a job, they must first decide on
Disputes may arise about the measurement of a suitable method of evaluation. Firms have a number of
performance job evaluation methods available to them. These may
May hamper cooperation and teamwork. include:
Ranking – this is where jobs are organised from top to
bottom, focusing on the level of managerial skills involved
and the value that is placed on each position.
 For example, a Managing Director would be ranked and equipment used in the organisation must be adaptable so as to
paid more than a clerk. This is by far the easiest and achieve the best
least expensive method of job evaluation
Classification – this involves the categorisation and
description of jobs and the assignment of job titles.
Workers are then paid based on their classification.
Public-sector workers such as nurses and teachers are
usually paid based on this type of job evaluation
Point evaluation – this is a widely used system of job
evaluation. It involves the identification of a set of
factors for which workers receive compensation, such as
skills, responsibilities, effort and working conditions
Market evaluation – compensation for a job in one
organisation is compared with the market rate for
similar jobs in comparative organisations.

Work study
This concept was borne out of the work of FW Taylor in
his Scientific Management theory. It seeks to determine the
level of efficiency achieved through the use of labour when
compared with other factor inputs in an organisation.
Work study incorporates and uses two techniques: method
study and work measurement.
The first technique, method study, analyses the way in
which a job is performed and identifies ways to improve
performance. The process usually involves the following
steps:
1. Selecting, observing and recording the current method
of work being used
2. Examining, in detail, the method being used, placing
emphasis on quality
3. Developing an improved alternative way of performing
the job
4. Implementing the new method of performing the
task. This method should be constantly monitored and
improved to ensure that it is reaping the desired results.
The second technique, work measurement or time
study,
is used to measure and compare the time it takes to
complete a particular task or job. Work measurement may
involve the following steps:
1. Identification and selection of the work to be measured
2. Definition of the method of measurement to be used
3. Assessing the task and measuring its duration
4. Gathering details about the work
5. Setting a standard time in which the particular task
should be done.
A major feature of work study is the concept of
ergonomics. Ergonomics studies the relationship between
workers and machines or equipment. Machines and
performance. It incorporates factors such as lighting, Non-financial strategies
seating, noise level and temperature, among other Initially, most firms saw financial rewards as the way to
things. motivate workers. This view was also supported by the early
Work study is known to provide the firm with management theorists. However, the workplace is quickly
the following benefits: changing and many firms are finding that workers are not
Avoidance of bottlenecks, as work flows at a good pace motivated just by money but also by other non-financial
Management can maintain closer control
Improved performance by employees
Can be used to implement performance-based pay
Improves the overall performance and efficiency of
the firm.

Profit sharing and share

ownership
In order to motivate workers, firms sometimes
distribute a proportion of their profits to employees. In
this case the employees would be given the same
benefits as a shareholder would receive when the
company is profitable. This practice encourages
employees to improve their level of productivity, since
the company’s success will result in their receiving a
portion of the profits. An evaluation of this technique is
seen below.

Advantages of profit
sharing
Helps to motivate workers
Workers have an opportunity to earn more as
the company makes more profit
Workers are more willing to accept changes that
will improve efficiency and performance.

Disadvantages of profit
sharing
There may be disagreements about how the
profits should be divided among workers
It is sometimes difficult to see the link between workers’
performance and the profit of the firm.
Share ownership is where senior managers in the
company are given shares. This may be done
instead of paying bonuses or using profit-sharing
schemes. The manager in receipt of a share in the
company will become a part-owner of the company and
would have the same rights as any other shareholder.
The benefits of this technique would be that
managers would work harder to ensure that the
company is successful and they are less likely to resign
from since they have ownership in it. A drawback of
this practice is that it is usually not given to the entire
workforce.
factors. In this section we will examine some of these interests and needs and the remuneration is
non-financial rewards that are commonly used in the satisfactory.
organisation to motive workers.

Individual job
needs
This can be linked to the work of Frederick Herzberg. On the
heels of mounting dissatisfaction with financial incentive,
Herzberg attempted to ascertain the factors that would
reduce dissatisfaction and motivate workers. In essence,
he tried to identify the individual job needs of workers
by attempting to answer the question of ‘What do people
want from their jobs?’. From this research he came up with
what he termed ‘motivators’, which were discussed earlier
in this chapter. In order to foster motivation, jobs should
be designed to meet the individual needs of the workers.
These needs could include, but are not limited to: status,
friendship, self-fulfilment, responsibility, interaction and
cooperation. If workers feel that their individual job needs
are being met, then their level of motivation may increase.

Participatio
n
This relates to the involvement of employees in the decision-
making process of the firm. It can be used to motivate
employees, as they feel that they are valued by the firm.
Their involvement in the decision-making process gives a
sense of accomplishment and recognition. A manager who
desires to improve motivation can involve his subordinates
in decisions regarding the planning, design and scheduling
of the work.
The process of employee participation helps in their
empowerment in the organisation. Participation helps to
decentralise the organisation as decisions are no longer
skewed to top management but may involve any level of
workers. Employee participation may include quality
circles, consultation and suggestion schemes.
Some of the common benefits of employee participation
include increased motivation, increased productivity,
improvement in product quality and improvement in the
performance of employees. However, amid the benefits of
employee participation, it may considerably slow down
the decision-making process in some organisations. Also,
there may be certain sensitive information that cannot be
communicated to the wider organisation.

Job
satisfaction
An important way to improve performance on the job is
to ensure that workers are satisfied. Job satisfaction occurs
where an employee regards his/her work with a positive
attitude. It is where the work being done coincides with
The extent to which an employee is satisfied with work may
depend on the relationship with co-workers and supervisor, the
quality of the work environment and the level of
fulfilment received from working.
Managers who make the link between job satisfaction and
performance can use it to their advantage. The notion is that
the more satisfied workers are, the greater will be their level
of productivity and, hence, performance. To this end,
managers should ascertain the factors that influence workers’
satisfaction and implement them in order to improve
performance. Managers may also find that job satisfaction
can reduce the level of absenteeism and labour turnover while
improving productivity. They should also be aware that there
are other factors, apart from job satisfaction, that may affect
performance. Those factors should also be ascertained.

Job enrichment
This non-financial strategy is where employees are given
more interesting and complex tasks to complete. For job
enrichment to be successful, workers should be given greater
responsibility in the work process. The workers’ tasks may be
extended to include supervisory roles, planning the work
process and quality control, among other things. The challenge
provided by job enrichment can help workers to achieve a sense
of self-fulfilment, especially when they have successfully
completed the task. Job enrichment works to expand the
responsibility of workers ‘vertically’ and gives them an
opportunity to utilise their ‘unused’ skills. Workers who do
well with job enrichment may feel a sense of fulfilment as
they note their contribution to the success of the organisation.

Job enlargement
Unlike job enrichment, which deals with a ‘vertical’ expansion,
job enlargement involves expanding the number of tasks that
workers are expected to complete. For example, a dressmaker
would be given an entire dress to sew rather than just sewing
on a collar or sleeve. Job enlargement is particularly effective
where workers feel that the job that they are completing is
oversimplified. Using this strategy gives workers a variety of
tasks to complete and more challenge on the job. The
increase in tasks can work as a motivator for workers who
have successfully completed the tasks given amid the
challenges.

Job rotation
This strategy has helped a number of employees to develop
their skills and working ability. Job rotation involves the
moving of workers in a systematic way from one job
responsibility to another. For example, a cashier may discuss quality problems, recommend solutions and take the
be transferred to complete the task of a receptionist then necessary actions to solve the problem. Quality circles, to a
customer service representative while the others workers large extent, consist of shop-floor workers who can use the
are also reshuffled. This can be motivating for workers who opportunity to become self-motivated. This concept will be
would rather learn new tasks than do the same repetitive discussed further in Unit 2, Module 1.
tasks on a daily basis.

Opportunities for Implications for managers

promotion The implications of motivation for managers can be
According to Maslow, people strive to reach a state of self- examined in terms of getting the best out of individuals,
actualisation, which is the highest level in his hierarchy of appreciation of work and appropriate reward systems.
needs. Workers want to feel that they have an opportunity Management has to realise that in order to get the
to move up the hierarchy. The lack of such assurance can maximum output from its subordinates they should be
lead to a state of boredom on the job, dissatisfaction and low satisfied with their jobs – and satisfied employees means
productivity. Employees need to know that if they put in that they will put in more effort in carrying out their
the effort at work for a number of years they have a jobs. Herzberg outlined the factors that will bring about
chance of becoming supervisor or manager. Senior satisfaction. Think about this: when a teacher is able to
managers should ensure that there is a succession plan in motivate you in class, it is more likely that you will try to do
place which includes lower-level managers and your best in that particular subject. It is no different in the
employees. People should be trained to succeed senior work environment: people who are motivated tend to exert
managers upon retirement. Giving employees an more effort in carrying out a job. This can help to improve
opportunity for advancement and growth can lead to the quality of work done, appreciation for the job, labour
increased satisfaction and motivation. productivity and the overall output of the firm.
Choosing an appropriate reward system can be a
Group or team challenge for some managers. Managers should be aware of
work
the fact that people are motivated in different ways. Some
A group or team can be defined as the interaction of two people may be motivated by financial rewards, while others
or more people, in an interdependent way, to achieve a are motivated by non-financial rewards. Management, in
common goal or objective. This concept will be explored particular the Human Resource Manager, needs to assess
further in a subsequent chapter. However, working in the workforce to ascertain the best reward system to use.
teams can be beneficial to both employees and Often, it is advisable to use a combination of financial and
management. Some of the common benefits would include non-financial rewards
an increase in productivity, improvement in motivation and
improvement in the morale of employees.

Quality control
circles
Quality control circles are groups of employees who have
been given the responsibility for holding regular meetings to