Motivation :

Motivation is the word derived from the word ’motive’ which means needs, desires,
wants or drives within the individuals.

It is the process of stimulating people to actions to accomplish the goals.

In the work goal context the psychological factors stimulating the people’s behaviour can be
-

desire for money

o
success
o
recognition
o
job-satisfaction
o
team work, etc
o
One of the most important functions of management is to create willingness amongst
the employees to perform in the best of their abilities. Therefore the role of a leader is to
arouse interest in performance of employees in their jobs. The process of motivation
consists of three stages:-

1. A felt need or drive.

2. A stimulus in which needs have to be aroused.
3. When needs are satisfied, the satisfaction or accomplishment of goals.
Therefore, we can say that motivation is a psychological phenomenon which means
needs and wants of the individuals have to be tackled by framing an incentive plan.

Team motivation:”
Motivation plays an impeccably valuable role in any organization. It is a trait that
should be instilled in every employee of an organization, despite their designation or
responsibilities. Having stated that, it is imperative that senior management looks at ways of
increasing team motivation within an organization.
Team structures may vary depending on the function in an organization that is
assigned to a group of people to the mere fact of a group of people belonging to an
organization.
Whatever the nature of the team formation is, it is important that such groups of
people falling into one or more teams act in harmony and in line with an organization's
ultimate goals.

Two Main Approaches for Team Motivation

1. Negative Team Motivation

On the outset you may feel that some managers really enjoy belittling employees and
shouting at them all the time.
Such approach to motivation is guided by the fear factor principal and is a very
primary approach; one that we know from our childhood. Therefore, the effects of such
negative motivational techniques will surely be effective in short term as against the desired
result of long term.
Some managers also tend to set unrealistic goals before their teams in hopes of
getting team members to work harder and more effectively.
 However, as this delusion takes its stance, employees will become understanding of
the unrealistic nature of the goals and also will feel demotivated at the same time due to the
lack of achievement orientation.
2. Positive Team Motivation
Since the primary approach of negative motivation techniques have not brought
about effective results, more and more managers have now turned to positive motivational
techniques.
Guiding a team's motivation based on positive reinforcement involves a few steps:
 You will need to understand individual strengths and weaknesses and how these
strengths and weaknesses affect the person and his/her team when operating within
a team.
 Building self-esteem of both the team and individuals.
 Assigning value to each team member (e.g., seeking their opinion, sharing
information and allowing their contribution to play a role in team decisions).

Team Motivation
A group heading towards a common objective will perform best when it is motivated
as a team. Team motivation is determined by how well the team members’ needs and
requirements are met by the team.

Some tips for effective team motivation are as follows:

 The team’s objective should well align and synchronize with the team members needs
and requirements.
 Give in written the team’s mission and ensure that all understand it (as mission is a
foundation based on which the team performs).
 For maintaining motivation, the team should be given challenges (which must be
difficult but achievable) consistently.
 Giving a team responsibility accompanied by authority can also be a good motivator
for the team to perform.
 The team should be provided with growth opportunities. The team’s motivation level is
high when the team members feel that they are being promoted, their skills and
competencies are being enhanced, and they are learning new things consistently.
 Effective and true leaders can develop environment for the team to motivate itself.
They provide spur for self- actualization behaviours of team members.
 Devote quality/productive time to your team. Have an optimistic and good relation with
your team members. This will make you more acquainted with them and you can get
knowledge of how well they are performing their job. Welcome their views and ideas
as they may be fruitful and it will also boost their morale.
 Motivation is all about empowerment. The skills and competencies of the team
members should be fully utilized. Empowering the team members makes them
accountable for their own actions.
 Provide feedback to the team consistently. Become their mentor. Give the team
recognition for good and outstanding performance. Give the team a constructive and
not negative feedback.
 Discover and offset the factors which discourage team spirit such as too many
conflicts, lethargy, team members’ escape from responsibilities, lack of job
satisfaction, etc.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory
Abraham Maslow is well renowned for proposing the Hierarchy of Needs Theory in 1943.
This theory is a classical depiction of human motivation. This theory is based on the
assumption that there is a hierarchy of five needs within each individual. The urgency of
these needs varies. These five needs are as follows-

1. Physiological needs- These are the basic

needs of air, water, food, clothing and
shelter. In other words, physiological needs
are the needs for basic amenities of life.
2. Safety needs- Safety needs include
physical, environmental and emotional safety
and protection. For instance- Job security,
financial security, protection from animals,
family security, health security, etc.
3. Social needs- Social needs include the need
for love, affection, care, belongingness, and
friendship.
4. Esteem needs- Esteem needs are of two  FIGUR
types: internal esteem needs (self- respect, Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Model
confidence, competence, achievement and
freedom) and external esteem needs
(recognition, power, status, attention and
admiration).
5. Self-actualization need- This include the
urge to become what you are capable of
becoming/what you have the potential to
become. It includes the need for growth and
self-contentment. It also includes desire for
gaining more knowledge, social- service,
creativity and being aesthetic. The self-
actualization needs are never fully satiable.
As an individual grows psychologically,
opportunities keep cropping up to continue
growing.
According to Maslow, individuals are motivated by
unsatisfied needs. As each of these needs is
significantly satisfied, it drives and forces the next
need to emerge. Maslow grouped the five needs
into two categories - Higher-order
needs and Lower-order needs. The
physiological and the safety needs constituted the
lower-order needs. These lower-order needs are
mainly satisfied externally. The social, esteem,
and self-actualization needs constituted the
higher-order needs. These higher-order needs are
generally satisfied internally, i.e., within an
individual. Thus, we can conclude that during
boom period, the employees lower-order needs
are significantly met.
Implications of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory for Managers

As far as the physiological needs are concerned, the managers should give employees appropriate sal
to purchase the basic necessities of life. Breaks and eating opportunities should be given to employees.

As far as the safety needs are concerned, the managers should provide the employees job security, safe
hygienic work environment, and retirement benefits so as to retain them.

As far as social needs are concerned, the management should encourage teamwork and organize s
events.

As far as esteem needs are concerned, the managers can appreciate and reward employees
accomplishing and exceeding their targets. The management can give the deserved employee highe
rank/position in the organization.

As far as self-actualization needs are concerned, the managers can give the employees challenging jo
which the employees’ skills and competencies are fully utilized. Moreover, growth opportunities can be g
to them so that they can reach the peak.

The managers must identify the need level at which the employee is existing and then those
needs can be utilized as push for motivation.

Limitations of Maslow’s Theory

o It is essential to note that not all employees are governed by same set of needs.
Different individuals may be driven by different needs at same point of time. It is always
the most powerful unsatisfied need that motivates an individual.
o The theory is not empirically supported.
o The theory is not applicable in case of starving artist as even if the artist’s basic needs
are not satisfied, he will still strive for recognition and achievement.

Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory of Motivation

In 1959, Frederick Herzberg, a behavioural scientist proposed a two-factor theory or the
motivator-hygiene theory. According to Herzberg, there are some job factors that result in
satisfaction while there are other job factors that prevent dissatisfaction. According to
Herzberg, the opposite of “Satisfaction” is “No satisfaction” and the opposite of
“Dissatisfaction” is “No Dissatisfaction”.
Herzberg classified these job factors into two categories-

1. Hygiene factors- Hygiene factors are those job factors which are essential for
existence of motivation at workplace. These do not lead to positive satisfaction for long-
term. But if these factors are absent/if these factors are non-existant at workplace, then
they lead to dissatisfaction.
In other words, hygiene factors are those factors which when adequate/reasonable in a
job, pacify the employees and do not make them dissatisfied. These factors are
extrinsic to work.
Hygiene factors are also called as dissatisfiers or maintenance factors as they are
required to avoid dissatisfaction. These factors describe the job environment/scenario.
The hygiene factors symbolized the physiological needs which the individuals wanted
and expected to be fulfilled. Hygiene factors include:
o Pay: The pay or salary structure should be appropriate and reasonable. It must be
equal and competitive to those in the same industry in the same domain.
o Company Policies and administrative policies: The company policies should not
be too rigid. They should be fair and clear. It should include flexible working hours,
dress code, breaks, vacation, etc.
o Fringe benefits: The employees should be offered health care plans (mediclaim),
benefits for the family members, employee help programmes, etc.
o Physical Working conditions: The working conditions should be safe, clean and
hygienic. The work equipments should be updated and well-maintained.
o Status: The employees’ status within the organization should be familiar and
retained.
o Interpersonal relations: The relationship of the employees with his peers,
superiors and subordinates should be appropriate and acceptable. There should be
no conflict or humiliation element present.
o Job Security: The organization must provide job security to the employees.
2. Motivational factors- According to Herzberg, the hygiene factors cannot be regarded
as motivators. The motivational factors yield positive satisfaction. These factors are
inherent to work. These factors motivate the employees for a superior performance.
These factors are called satisfiers. These are factors involved in performing the job.
Employees find these factors intrinsically rewarding. The motivators symbolized the
psychological needs that were perceived as an additional benefit. Motivational factors
include:
 o Recognition: The employees should be praised and recognized for their
accomplishments by the managers.
o Sense of achievement: The employees must have a sense of achievement. This
depends on the job. There must be a fruit of some sort in the job.
o Growth and promotional opportunities: There must be growth and advancement
opportunities in an organization to motivate the employees to perform well.
o Responsibility: The employees must hold themselves responsible for the work.
The managers should give them ownership of the work. They should minimize
control but retain accountability.
o Meaningfulness of the work: The work itself should be meaningful, interesting
and challenging for the employee to perform and to get motivated.
Limitations of Two-Factor Theory
The two factor theory is not free from limitations:

1. The two-factor theory overlooks situational variables.

2. Herzberg assumed a correlation between satisfaction and productivity. But the research
conducted by Herzberg stressed upon satisfaction and ignored productivity.
3. The theory’s reliability is uncertain. Analysis has to be made by the raters. The raters
may spoil the findings by analyzing same response in different manner.
4. No comprehensive measure of satisfaction was used. An employee may find his job
acceptable despite the fact that he may hate/object part of his job.
5. The two factor theory is not free from bias as it is based on the natural reaction of
employees when they are enquired the sources of satisfaction and dissatisfaction at
work. They will blame dissatisfaction on the external factors such as salary structure,
company policies and peer relationship. Also, the employees will give credit to
themselves for the satisfaction factor at work.
6. The theory ignores blue-collar workers.
Despite these limitations, Herzberg’s Two-Factor theory is acceptable broadly.

Implications of Two-Factor Theory

The Two-Factor theory implies that the managers must stress upon guaranteeing the
adequacy of the hygiene factors to avoid employee dissatisfaction. Also, the managers must
make sure that the work is stimulating and rewarding so that the employees are motivated to
work and perform harder and better.

This theory emphasize upon job-enrichment so as to motivate the employees. The job
must utilize the employee’s skills and competencies to the maximum. Focusing on the
motivational factors can improve work-quality.

Theory X and Theory Y

In 1960, Douglas McGregor formulated Theory X and Theory Y suggesting two aspects of
human behaviour at work, or in other words, two different views of individuals (employees):

1. one of which is negative, called as Theory X and

2. the other is positive, so called as Theory Y
According to McGregor, the perception of managers on the nature of individuals is based on
various assumptions.
Assumptions of Theory X
 An average employee intrinsically does not like work and tries to escape it whenever
possible.
 Since the employee does not want to work, he must be persuaded, compelled, or
warned with punishment so as to achieve organizational goals. A close supervision is
required on part of managers. The managers adopt a more dictatorial style.
 Many employees rank job security on top, and they have little or no aspiration/
ambition.
 Employees generally dislike responsibilities.
 Employees resist change.
 An average employee needs formal direction.
Assumptions of Theory Y
 Employees can perceive their job as relaxing and normal. They exercise their physical
and mental efforts in an inherent manner in their jobs.
 Employees may not require only threat, external control and coercion to work, but they
can use self-direction and self-control if they are dedicated and sincere to achieve the
organizational objectives.
 If the job is rewarding and satisfying, then it will result in employees’ loyalty and
commitment to organization.
 An average employee can learn to admit and recognize the responsibility. In fact, he
can even learn to obtain responsibility.
 The employees have skills and capabilities. Their logical capabilities should be fully
utilized. In other words, the creativity, resourcefulness and innovative potentiality of
the employees can be utilized to solve organizational problems.
Thus, we can say that Theory X presents a pessimistic view of employees’ nature and
behaviour at work, while Theory Y presents an optimistic view of the employees’ nature and
behaviour at work. If correlate it with Maslow’s theory, we can say that Theory X is based on
the assumption that the employees emphasize on the physiological needs and the safety
needs; while Theory X is based on the assumption that the social needs, esteem needs and
the self-actualization needs dominate the employees.

Implications of Theory X and Theory Y

 Quite a few organizations use Theory X today. Theory X encourages use of tight
control and supervision. It implies that employees are reluctant to organizational
changes. Thus, it does not encourage innovation.
 Many organizations are using Theory Y techniques. Theory Y implies that the
managers should create and encourage a work environment which provides
opportunities to employees to take initiative and self-direction. Employees should be
given opportunities to contribute to organizational well-being.

Theory Y encourages decentralization of authority, teamwork and participative

decision making in an organization. Theory Y searches and discovers the ways in
which an employee can make significant contributions in an organization. It
harmonizes and matches employees’ needs and aspirations with organizational needs
and aspirations.