Theories of Motivation: KK2

what are the three theories?

• maslow - hierarchy of needs

• locke and latham - goal setting theory

• lawrence and nohria - four drive theory

Locke and Latham - Goal Setting Theory

locke and latham’s goal setting theory is motivational strategy that is based on the concept that employees are motivated to achieve goals. businesses can focus on setting goals for employees with the aim of improving motivation and performance.

factors that influence motivation when setting goals:

• clarity

• task complexity

• feedback

• commitment

• challenge

L&L clarity

• Goals should be clear and specific

• this ensures the employee understands exactly what needs to be accomplished and how they will be assessed which will reduce errors and misinterpretation

  to achieve this business’ may:

• Define measurable metrics for success

L&L challenge

• Challenging goals increase effort and motivation as employees are likely to work harder and put in more effort to achieve something that will extend them

• Goals should push employees while remaining achievable

L&L commitment

• Employees must be committed to the achievement of their goals to generate the drive towards its achievement

• the more committed an employee is, the more motivated they will be to work hard towards the goal

• commitment can be gained by:

  • manager setting the goals and convincing the employee why it is important

  • manager setting the goal collaboratively with employees

L&L feedback

• regular feedback is important as it helps the employee monitor their progress towards the goal

• the feedback can allow the employee to make adjustments if required

• helps maintain momentum towards the goal

L&L complexity

• goals should be challenging but not so complex that the employee does not have the ability to complete

• if goals are too complex it can harm motivation and employees can become overwhelmed

• managers need to consider the skills and ability of the employee when setting goals

• training and support may be provided

advantages and disadvantages of L&L

Lawrence and Nohria's Four Drive Theory

motivation theory that is based on the concept that humans are motivated by four basic drives. businesses need to implement strategies to provide employees the opportunity to satisfy these drives, as a result it creates a productive work environment

the four drives

• drive to acquire

• the drive to bond

• the drive to learn

• the drive to defend

the drive to acquire

drive to acquire: is where individuals desire material possessions, status and power

• employees are motivated by the prospect of gaining more resources, whether it be money, promotions, or power

• can satisfy the drive by:

  • offer financial incentives such as competitive remuneration and bonuses

  • provide opportunities for career progression through promotion

  • recognising good work through recognition/reward programs

drive to bond

drive to bond: is where individuals desire social interaction and connection with others

• employees want to feel as though they belong to the business they work in

This drive can be met by providing:

• Create a positive and supportive work environment

• Opportunities for positive, two-way communication.

• Fostering and supporting trusting friendships

• increase opportunities for social interactions. e.g. social gatherings, or eating lunch together

drive to learn

drive to learn: is where individuals desire personal and professional growth and development

• employees are driven to seek out new challenges and learn new skills

• this drive can be met by providing:

  • Stimulating, interesting tasks with plenty of variety.

  • Opportunities for training and development (e.g. TAFE)

  • provide constructive feedback to provide a learning experience

drive to defend

drive to defend: is where individuals desire to protect themselves and others from harm

• employees are driven by a sense of security (job security)

• This drive is different from the other drives as it is a dormant drive which becomes active only in the face of a threat.

• to satisfy this drive, businesses can:

  • provide a welcoming, supportive and safe workplace.

  • ensure systems and processes are fair (eg. reward and recognition).

  • address any job security issues (e.g. ongoing contracts)

other factors

• all drives occur at the same time

• needs to be a balance between the four drives as they compliment each other

advantages of four drive theory

• the drives are universal for all individuals, therefore the business can focus on strategies that will satisfy the drives for all employees

• based on both short term and long term motivation for employees, therefore the business can continue to implement the strategies

• business performance can improve with the improved motivation

disadvantages of four drive theory

• Some of the workplace applications involve competition between employees, which can have detrimental effects; for example, a workplace may suffer from a lack of cooperation or a lack of information sharing.

• Expensive because they have implement multiple strategies

• difficult to satisfy the drives for all employees (e.g. drive to acquire can be expensive or challenging to promote all employees)

hmr using the four drive theory

allows managers to more quickly provide the solutions or resources that could allow the workers to become satisfied and motivated

Maslow Hierarchy of Needs

• maslow’s theory is based on the concept that people have 5 basic needs that need to be met and that each need will act as a source of motivation while it remains unsatisfied

• an employee must satisfy a specific stage before they can move up a stage

• once a particular need is satisfied it is not longer a motivator

order of needs

highest

• self-actualisation

• esteem

• social

• safety

• physiological

lowest

physiological needs

basic requirements for human survival

• business: basic pay and working conditions

safety needs

security, stability, and protection from harm

• business: safe workplace (abiding by oh&s laws) and job security

social needs

strong relationships, affection, and a sense of community

• business: team-based work, social events (birthdays ect.), and supportive management

esteem needs

self- esteem, respect, and recognition

• business: recognising high performers with rewards, expanding job responsibilities, promotions

self actualisation needs

personal growth, reaching full potential

• business: providing employees with challenging work, and opportunities for skill and knowledge development

strengths of maslows

• allows management to develop an understanding of individual needs — all individual employees are different and they all have specific needs.

• following the theory should allow the business to increase the motivation of all employees

• demonstrates how motivation can be increased over the long term through the working life of the employee

weakness of maslow

• doesn’t consider individual differences, not all stages in the hierarchy apply to all employees

• can be difficult to identify the stage at which each individual employee is — this may make it difficult to determine an appropriate strategy to motivate each employee.

• the hierarchy of needs is very simplistic and one motivation strategy may not be able to satisfy several needs at the same time

Maslow compared with Locke and Latham

Locke and Latham compared with Lawrence and Nohria

Maslow compared with Lawrence and Nohria