HRM 360 Ch 6: Motivation

Motivation

Set of energetic forces that originates both within and outside an employee, initiates work-related effort, and determines its direction, intensity, and persistence

Engagement

high levels of intensity and persistence in work effort

Expectancy Theory

A theory that describes the cognitive process employees go through to make choices among different voluntary responses

Expectancy

The belief that exerting high levels of effort will result in the successful performance of some task (you won’t be motivated to do something if you think you’re bad at it)

Self-Efficacy

The belief that a person has the capabilities needed to execute the behaviors required for task success

Past accomplishments

The degree to which a person has succeeded or failed in a similar job task in the past

Vicarious experience

Observations of and discussions with others who have performed the job task

Verbal persuasion

Pep talks that lead employees to believe that they can “get the job done”

Emotional cues

Positive or negative feelings that can help or hinder task accomplishment

Instrumentality

believing that successful performance will result in some outcome
(reading this book is instrumental for getting good grades)

Valence

The anticipated value of the outcomes associated with successful performance

Intrinsic Motivation

The desire to put in work effort due to the sense that task performance servers as its own reward
(learning a new skill because of curiosity and enjoyment)

Extrinsic Motivation

Motivation that is controlled by some contingency that depends on task performance
(doing your job to earn a paycheck)

Meaning of Money

The idea that money can have symbolic value (achievement, respect, freedom) in addition to economic value

Goal Setting Theory

A theory that views goals as the primary drivers of the intensity and persistence of effort

Specific and Difficult goals

Goals that stretch employees to perform at their maximum level while still staying within the boundaries of their ability

Self-set goals

The internalized goals that people use to monitor their own task progress

Task Strategies

Learning plans and problem-solving approaches used to achieve successful performance

Feedback

Updates on employee progress toward goal achievement

Task Complexity

The degree to which the information and actions needed to complete a task are complicated

Goal Commitment

The degree to which a person accepts a goal and is determined to achieve it

SMART Goals

An acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results-Based, Time-Sensitive goals

Equity Theory

Acknowledges that motivation doesn’t just depend on your own beliefs and circumstances, BUT also on what happens to OTHER people

Comparison Other

Another person who provides a frame of reference for judging equity

Equity distress

An internal tension that results from being overrewarded or underrewarded relative to some comparison other

Cognitive Distortion

A reevaluation of the inputs an employee brings to a job, often occurring in response to equity distress

Internal Comparisons

Comparing oneself to someone in the same company

External Comparison

Comparing oneself to someone in a different company

Psychological Empowerment

An energy rooted in the belief that work tasks contribute to some larger purpose

Meaningfulness

Captures the value of a work goal or purpose, relative to a person’s own ideals and passions

Self-determination

A sense of choice in the initiation and continuation of work tasks

Competence

A person’s belief in their capability to perform work tasks successfully

Impact

The sense that a person’s actions “make a difference” - that progress is being made toward fulfilling an important purpose