Motivation and Job Satisfaction

Why is this important?

Are you tired of unmotivated, uninterested, and inept workers? One-third to one-half your life is spent at work!!

Theories of Motivation
Content Theories: Focus on the importance of the work (e.g., challenges and responsibilities)
Specific needs that motivate human behavior

Process Theories: Deal with the cognitive processes used in making decisions about our work

Content Theories
Achievement Motivation Theory: David McClelland. Emphasizes need to accomplish something. Linked to successful managers
Favor environment where they can assume responsibility Take calculated risks and set attainable goals Need continuing recognition and feedback

Managers high in achievement motivation show more respect for subordinates and use more participatory systems

Need Hierarchy Theory

Abraham Maslow: proposed that we have a hierarchy of needs. Once one is fulfilled we can move on to the next
Physiological Safety Belonging and Love Esteem Self-Actualization

ERG Theory
Alderfer Similar to Maslow. We have needs, but in this case they are not hierarchically arranged Satisfying a need may increase its strength
Existence Needs Relatedness Needs Growth Needs

Motivator-Hygiene (Two Factor) Theory

Motivator Needs: internal to work itself. If conditions are met, job satisfaction occurs
Job enrichment: expand a job to give employee a greater role in planning, performing, and evaluating their work

Hygiene Needs: Features of work environment. If not met, job dissatisfaction occurs

Job Characteristics Theory

If employees have a high need for growth, specific job characteristics lead to psychological conditions that lead to increased motivation, performance, and satisfaction.
Skill variety Unity of a job Task significance Autonomy Feedback

Process Theories
Valence-Instrumentality-Expectancy (VIE) Theory: people will work hard if they expect their effort to lead to reward Importance of outcome determines its strength as a motivator supported by research

Equity Theory
Motivation is influenced by how fairly we feel we are treated at work
Benevolent Workers: martyrs. Feel guilt when rewarded Equity Workers: Sensitive to fairness. Normal Entitled Workers

Goal-Setting Theory
Idea that our primary motivation on the job is defined in terms of our desire to achieve a particular goal
Research shows that having goals leads to better performance than not having goals Specific goals are more motivating than general Moderately difficult goals are most motivating

High Performance Cycle

Expands on Goal Setting Theory Specific, attainable goals influenced by Moderators (commitment to goal, selfefficacy, task difficulty, feedback) and Mediating Mechanisms (universal task strategies such as direction of attention, effort and persistence)

Job Satisfaction
Overall measures of satisfaction may be too broad: current measures address different facets of job satisfaction Overall job satisfaction rate has remained the same for over 50 years Rates are much lower for government workers When people say they are satisfied, they often mean they are not dissatisfied!!

Personal Characteristics and Job Satisfaction

Age: in general, increases with age
Malcontents have stopped working Older workers have greater chance of fulfillment

Gender: inconclusive results Race: whites are happier Cognitive Ability: slight negative relationship between level of education and satisfaction

Personal Characteristics, Cont.

Use of Skills Job Congruence Personality: less alienation and internal locus of control lead to higher satisfaction Occupational Level: the higher the status level the greater the satisfaction

Low Satisfaction and Job Behavior

Absenteeism: any given day 16-20% of workers miss work. Costs businesses $30 billion dollars a year
Younger have higher absence rates Rates are influenced by economic conditions

Turnover: Not always a bad thing!

Functional Turnover: when bad workers leave Dysfunctional Turnover