Employee Motivation and Leadership Theories

Employee Motivation

• Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985): Motivation originates from energetic forces both within and out of an individual which initiate behavior and determine its:

  • Form
  • Direction
  • Intensity
  • Duration

• Types of Motivation:

  • Intrinsic Motivation:
  • Originates from within the individual.
  • Sustainable but can be weakened by external factors.
  • Examples: Personal development, meaningful tasks, sense of autonomy.
  • Extrinsic Motivation:
  • Results from external factors.
  • Financial incentives boost performance.
  • Motivation must be tailored to individual needs.

• Employee Performance = Motivation + Ability + Environment (Discipline)

  • Factors influencing motivation include Autonomy, Competence, and Relatedness.

• Key Propositions:

  • Support of psychological needs leads to high-quality motivation.
  • If these needs are thwarted, performance is reduced.

Theories of Motivation

Week 2 Overview

• Needs-Based Motivation:

  • Distinction between External Regulation and Integrated Regulation.
  • Personality Traits:
  • Neuroticism (-)
  • Conscientiousness (+)

• Self-Esteem:

  • Impact on work performance as per Korman's Consistency Theory.
  • Improvement Strategies: Workshops, experience with success, supervisor behavior, Pygmalion/Golem Effects, Galatea Effect.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs:

• Moving from lower needs to higher ones:

  1. Physiological: Basic amenities, comfortable working conditions.
  2. Safety: Job security, stable employment, supportive workplace environment.
  3. Love: Social relationships at work.
  4. Esteem: Sense of accomplishment; opportunities for growth.
  5. Self-Actualization: Personal fulfillment.

• Alderfer’s ERG Theory:

  • Growth, Relatedness, Existence.
  • More flexible than Maslow’s.

Process-based Motivation Theories

Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory

• Distinguishes:
  • Hygiene Factors: Essential job elements (e.g., work policies, work conditions).
  • Motivator Factors: Actual job responsibilities leading to higher motivation (e.g., achievements, growth).

Adam’s Equity Theory

• Motivation relies on perceived fairness within the workplace.
• Key Components:
  • Inputs: Efforts, skills, contributions.
  • Outputs: Rewards, compensation, benefits.
• Equity Sensitivity Types:
  • Entitled: Expect high outputs with minimal inputs.
  • Benevolent: Higher inputs, accepting lower outputs.
  • Equity Sensitive: Desire for balance between inputs and outputs.

Organizational Justice Theory

• Vroom’s Expectancy Theory:
  • Valence: Value of rewards.
  • Instrumentality: Likelihood performance will yield outcomes.
  • Expectancy: Belief that effort leads to performance.

Stress in the Workplace

Concepts of Stress

• Eustress: Positive stress leading to enhanced performance.
• Distress: Negative stress adversely affecting performance.

Job Rotation and Job Enrichment

• Job Rotation: Enhances skill variety and experience.
• Job Enrichment: Adds responsibilities for increased autonomy.

Stress Leads to Health Issues

• General Adaptation Syndrome (Hans Selye): Response to stress in three stages: Alarm, Resistance, Exhaustion.
• Conservation of Resources Model (Stevan Hobfoll): Focuses on resource management to minimize stress.

Effects of Stress

• Occupational Health Psychology studies physical/psychological impacts of stress.
• Job Demands vs. Resources Model: Mismatches cause strain and stress to employees.
  • Role Conflict and Role Ambiguity are major stressors.

Managing Stress

Workplace Strategies

• Promote a healthy work environment with clear communication and flexibility.
• Individual Strategies: Exercise, healthy diet, social support, mindfulness.
• Organizational Strategies: Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), wellness programs.

Group Dynamics in Handling Stress

• Understanding group dynamics can alleviate stress; cohesiveness promotes better functioning and reduced stress levels.
• Manage group tasks effectively through clear role definitions and social support systems.
• Grasping interaction types: Sequential, Mutual, and Reciprocal Interdependence.
• High cohesiveness can enhance performance but may risk ignoring organizational goals.

Leadership and Group Dynamics

Leadership Emergence

• Historical tendencies to categorize leadership traits (openness, conscientiousness, etc.).
• Assessing Motivation to Lead based on experiences and personal situations.
• Gender roles within leadership dynamics.

Team Dynamics and Structure

• Distinction among Leadership Styles: directive vs. supportive.
• Leader-Member Exchange (LMX): Focus on individual relationships over a collective group process.
  • High-Quality Exchanges vs. Low-Quality Exchanges.
  • Effects on overall team performance and satisfaction.

Situational Leadership Theory

• Adapt leadership style based on the situation and follower needs.
  • Cognitive deficiencies and situational challenges can impede success.
• Directing, Supporting, Coaching, Delegating behaviors tailored to the context of the interaction.

Conclusion: Understanding Motivation and Leadership

• Comprehending different motivation theories equips managers with tools to improve workplace dynamics.
• Recognizing the influence of stress and group interactions helps create a conducive environment for productivity and satisfaction.
• Effective leadership and motivation techniques foster employee performance and well-being in the workplace.