Concept of Motivation

There is inherence of desires, needs and wishes in every employee working in an organization.  They want these desires, wishes and needs to be fulfilled by means of their working in the organization. This is the base for motivation.

Motivation is the way by which employee needs are fulfilled to develop a willingness to do work in them. It is concerned with encouraging and stimulating subordinates for their effective performance. In other words, motivation can also be said as the process of creating willingness among employees to do the assigned work the best way with regards to their knowledge, skill, abilities and efficiency.

Key Definitions

Defined By	Definition
Stephen P. Robbins	“Motivation is a process that accounts for an individual’s intensity, direction and persistence of effort toward attaining a goal”
Koontz and O’Donnell	“Motivation is a general term applying to the entire class of drives, desires, needs, wishes and similar forces that induce an individual or a group of people to work”
William G. Scott	“Motivation means a process of stimulating people to action to achieve desired goals”

From the above discussion and definitions:

> Motivation as a human physiological aspect.

> It is the process of stimulating employees to do their work in the best way they can ensuring their needs will be fulfilled.

>Motivation is also an art of inspiring employees for better performance through different incentives. Such incentives could be either financial or non-financial.

>In motivation, financial incentives include salary, wages, allowances, bonuses, percentage-based incentives etc. Likewise, non-financial incentives include job security, welfare schemes, fringe benefits, promotion, responsibility, authority etc.

>Motivation is the process that accounts for the intensity, direction and persistence of efforts of subordinates positively towards the achievement of objectives of both employees and the organization.

Features of Motivation

Motivation is the process of stimulating employees for better performance. It is a continuing process in an organization directed towards the achievement of organizational goals. The features of motivation are mentioned as below;

1. Physiological Process: Motivation is the process of stimulating and influencing the behavior of employees. It should be initiated with the understanding that employees’ needs differ from one another and such needs should be fulfilled. Motivation can be initiated through financial and non-financial incentives. The preference of such incentives also differs from person to person which needs to be addressed by the organization.
2. Continuous Process: Motivation is a continuous process till the existence of an organization. An employee satisfied today might not be satisfied tomorrow. This is because when one need is fulfilled, a new need emerges. Therefore, the organization must develop techniques, methods and systems to fulfill the changing needs of employees.
3. Complex and Unpredictable: Motivation level depends on the fulfillment of needs. Human wants are unlimited and change according to time and situation. An employee satisfied at present might be unsatisfied tomorrow and vice-versa. Even the same factor cannot motivate two different individuals working in an organization. Hence, motivation is complex and unpredictable.
4. Pervasive Function: Every person in an organization need motivation. Managers from top to bottom level need and initiate motivation. Top-level managers motivate middle-level managers and middle-level managers motivate lower-level managers. Similarly, lower-level managers have to motivate their subordinates. This means, motivation is a pervasive function used and practiced at all levels of management.
5. Influence the Behaviour: Motivation is the way of influencing the behavior of employees. It is influencing and inspiring employee behavior in such a way that employees concentrate on their work with efficiency. Thus, managers must be skillful and tactful enough to influence such behavior of employees to achieve common goals.
6. Concentrates on the Whole Individual: Employees get motivated after their needs get fulfilled by working in an organization. An employee at the work has family needs too. These needs are to be fulfilled mostly through incentives. The employee also has his/her job-related expectations or needs. This means motivation concentrated on a whole individual aspect of an employee fulfilling his/her personal, family and work needs through proper incentives and working conditions in the organization.
7. Positive or Negative: Motivation has either a positive or negative form. Positive motivation can be initiated through financial and non-financial incentives. Similarly, negative motivation can come from punishments in the form of penalties, job termination, demotion, suspension, warning etc. Managers must use both forms of motivation depending upon the need of the situation. However, positive motivation is better than negative motivation for employees.

Importance of Motivation

Motivation is an important function of management. Since motivation influences the behavior of employees, it influences their performance also. This means there is a direct relationship between motivation and performance. The importance of motivation are mentioned as under:

1. Satisfaction of Employees: Satisfied employees are important for an organization. Motivation satisfies the physiological as well as social needs of employees. When such needs are satisfied, the employee morale becomes high. Employees with high morale give a better and efficient performance. Such efficient performance is the result of employee satisfaction obtained through motivation.
2. High Level of Productivity: Motivation makes employees satisfied. Such satisfaction develops high focus and active involvement in work. This level of focus develops working efficiency in employees. When employees work efficiently, it increases the production and productivity of the organization. With this growth, the organization can expand its business for higher market share and profitability.
3. Lead to Profitable Operation: Motivation brings a high sense of responsibility to employees. Such highly self-responsible employees work the best way they can utilizing organizational resources such as materials, machines, equipment, methods etc. in the most effective way. This results in the profitable operation of the organization with reduced cost, wastage and time during work.
4. Effective Use of Human Resources: Manpower is the most active resource of an organization that uses and utilizes other resources. A motivated employee does the best at work to his/her optimum level. Motivated employees can make the best utilization and use of their knowledge, skills and abilities. In this way, motivation ensures better performance through the best use of employee inherent qualities and skills. This means human resources in the organization are effectively utilized and used in the best possible manner.
5. Basis of Coordination: Motivation is the basis for coordination. Well-motivated employees have better coordination and understanding. They can discuss and solve problems through mutual advice and recommendations. This promotes team spirit and teamwork culture in the organization. Such effective coordination among individuals and groups is due to motivation.
6. Best Remedy for Resistance to Change: Change in different aspects of an organization is required at different times. Such change could be in organizational structure, process, rules and regulations, technology etc. A motivated employee knows the positive aspects of such initiated change. Hence, the resistance to change can be managed through motivation ensuring job security and stability of employees.
7. Stability of Workforce: Motivation contributes to the stability of the workforce. All organizations want their workforce to be stable and settle. A dissatisfied and frustrated employee may want to leave the organization for better opportunities. But a motivated employee wants to stay and do his/her best for the organization. This ensures low employee turnover and stability of the existing organizational workforce.
8. Minimizes Supervision Cost: Motivated employees have a sense of self-responsibility. Due to this, they work the best way they can with great focus. This results in the efficient performance of these employees. This means such employees require low supervision, Timely suggestions and guidance are sufficient for such motivated employees. That’s why motivation means low supervision and low supervision means low cost of supervision.
9. Minimizes Disputes and Strike: Motivation helps in creating coordination and harmony between employees and management in an organization. This ensures better understanding among them with mutual respect. As a result of this, there will be a reduction in disputes between employees and management. Likewise, employees need not go on strike as management understands them better with fair treatment.
10. Achievement of Organizational Goals: Every organization is established with definite objectives. The management of the organization act as the facilitator to achieve these objectives. As a part of which the management focuses on employee motivation knowing motivated employees give better performance results. Motivated employees ensure the best effort at work, effective utilization of organizational resources, increase in production and productivity, reduction in cost etc. All these combinedly contribute immensely towards the achievement of organizational goals.

Key Theories of Motivation

Different studies have been conducted regarding motivation. The results of such studies have yielded different theories of motivation. These  theories have tremendous contribution in understanding and studying motivation. Some of the key  theories have been discussed below:

1.    Maslow’s Hierarchy Need Theory

Abraham H. Maslow was a human psychologist gave this theory in 1943. Maslow discussed this theory in his book “Motivation and Personality”. This theory was based on “Need drives motivation”. According to Maslow, a person is motivated due to and for need. An individual tries to satisfy a need that motivates him/her. After satisfying this need, the individual shifts to another need. In this way, a hierarchy of needs is formulated. Maslow developed the idea of such a hierarchy of needs motivates an individual. According to Maslow, satisfied needs can no more be motivation. However, needs are never satisfied because when one need is satisfied next need emerges and this sequence goes in a hierarchial order. This theory can be studied in detail as below:

Assumptions

•  Human needs and motives are complex
• Needs form hierarchy
• Unsatisfied needs motivate workers
• People seek growth and development

Maslow’s Need Hierarchy

According to Maslow, a quest for satisfying unfilled needs is the cause of motivation. Thus, he classified human needs broadly into two levels: Lower Level and Upper Level. Lower level needs are the basic foundational physiological and security needs. Whereas, higher-level needs include needs for belongingness, ego and living to the best potential of an individual. Such need hierarchy of Maslow has been discussed below:

1. Physiological Needs: These are the most basic human needs. These are body and survival needs. These are at the bottom of Maslow’s need hierarchy. Physiological needs include the need for food, shelter, clothing, sex etc. Every human being first tries to satisfy these needs before moving up to the level of needs defined in Maslow’s hierarchy. Such needs of the employee in the organization can be satisfied through sufficient wages and financial incentives to keep them motivated towards their job.
2. Safety/Security Needs: After fulfillment of basic needs, people urge for safety/security needs. People seek security in different aspects under such needs. Safety/security needs are in the forms of physical security, social security and economic security. Physical security includes the safety of the body against unexpected events like fire and accident. Social security means safety in old age and at the time physical incapability to work. Likewise, economic security includes assurance of economic sources for the fulfillment of basic needs. Such safety/security needs of employees can be motivated through job security schemes, life insurance premiums, medical facilities, provision of provident fund, pension after retirement etc.
3. Social/Affiliation Needs: It is a general human tendency to live socially and enjoy social elements. Every human being likes social belongingness, social acceptance, social recognition and social inclusion. To ensure the satisfaction of such needs of employees, the management should create a good and harmonious working environment. Such social needs of employees can be fulfilled by promoting team spirit, employee work praises, promotion etc.
4. Esteem/Ego Needs: These are higher-order physiological needs. There are two types of esteem needs: Self Esteem and Public Esteem Self-esteem Is concerned with self-recognition and self-respect. Public esteem is concerned with external recognition and respect from others. It is a need for praise, power and prestige. Such needs of employees can be fulfilled by promoting them to a higher level, assigning leadership-oriented tasks and making them incharge of a group, unit, or department.
5. Self-Actualization Needs: These are the highest level needs in Maslow’s hierarchy which are activated only when all prior needs are reasonably fulfilled. This is concerned with an individual becoming what he/she can be. This means an individual realizing his/her fullest potential level. This is the level at which individuals seek challenges that can make them more creative along with a hand full of opportunities for growth and advancement. Self-actualization makes employees creative, independent, spontaneous and with a better perception of reality. Management can motivate such employees by providing challenges that can bring out creativity from such employees and even by posting them at a job requiring higher decision-making abilities.

Evaluation of Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Theory

Commendations

Criticisms

It is based on needs and need hierarchy which is a logical concept as need drives motivation It helps in understanding employee behavior and determines motivation schemes for employees The determined needs and their hierarchy is not just valid in an organization but also in other aspects of human lifeHuman needs are unlimited and satisfaction of one need is replaced by some other unfulfilled need in a certain order, which is a rational concept

Every individual have their own need and it may not go as in order set by MaslowIt does not consider needs like happiness and mental peaceThis theory does not recognize the simultaneous existence of two or more needs at a timeIt is not applicable all the time at all situations everywhere Human behavior is the outcome of needs only is an incorrect assumption

2.    Motivation-Hygiene Theory (Two Factor Theory)

Frederick Herzberg was one of the first behavior scientists who conducted studies to know human behavior and motivation. He conducted a study in a group of 200 accountants and engineers. In the study, he asked them to mention what is good and what is bad about their work and working environment. From the study, he found there are only two factors concerned with motivation. He named these two categories of factors as hygiene factors and motivating factors.

a.    Hygiene Factors: These are the factors whose presence does not motivate employees. But the absence of such factors causes job dissatisfaction. Hygiene factors are those factors that prevent job dissatisfaction but do not add to job satisfaction. These are external factors to a job whose presence is not appreciated by employees but its absence is heavily criticized. The hygiene factors include:

• Company policy and administration
• Supervision
• Relationship with supervisor
• Working condition
• Salary
• Relationship with peers
• Personal life
• Relationship with subordinates
• Job security
• Status

b.    Motivating Factors: Motivating factors are also known as motivators or satisfiers or job content factors. These are actual job related factors arsing directly due to job itself. The presence of these factors highly motivates employees. On the other hand, the absence of these factors does not bring dissatisfaction to employees. Theseare the actual factors that truly motivate or satisfy employees. This includes the following factors:

• Achievement
• Recognition
• Advancement
• Work itself
• Personal growth
• Responsibility

Evaluation of Two-Factor Theory

Commendations	Criticisms
It laid the concept that job satisfaction is not the opposite of job dissatisfaction Financial incentives are not motivators as they only prevent employees from being dissatisfied Hygiene factors prevent dissatisfaction and motivating factors to provide satisfaction It brought more need job redesign and job enrichment as motivation can be obtained from job contents	The conclusion derived only from a study of accountants and engineers with no multi-disciplinary representation Only two factors cannot determine the entire motivation phenomenon More concerned on employee satisfaction than employee motivationThere may not be a direct relationship between satisfaction and performance

3.    McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y

This theory was developed by Douglas McGregor in the 1950s. All the theories before this theory were focused on organization. But this theory focused on people in the organization. According to McGregor, there are only two types of people in an organization. He categorized these two types of people as theory X people and theory Y people. These two categories of people found in an organization are opposite requiring completely different treatment from the organization. Theory X people are not more focused at work with a low level of motivation and requiring close supervision. On the other hand, theory Y people are more up for the job with high motivation requiring very low supervision. McGregor suggested different treatment approaches for both types of people as their personality and work intensity is different. The essence of McGregor’s theory can be mentioned as under:

Type of People	What kind of people?	How to tackle?
Theory X	Do not like to workNo ambitions Avoid responsibility Need regular direction Low commitmentLacks motivationWork for survival, not excellence	Objectives set by the superiors Autocratic leadership style Motivation through high control as well as punishments Close supervision
Theory Y	Enjoy working Personal as well as organizational aims Self-motivated Love responsibility High work commitment Highly self-directed Growth & progress of organization is most	Participate in a set of goals and objectives Democratic or laissez fire leadership style Motivation through incentives and praise Very low level of supervision need

According to McGregor, due to good qualities and easy to tackle any manager would prefer to have a theory Y type of people. But it is not possible that way as any organization consists of a mixed group of both types of people. On the other hand, a new employee joining an organization is likely to have qualities of theory Y people. But she/he is surrounded by theory X type of people who have influential ability enough to convert a theory Y type of employee into theory X type. Hence, organizations’ not just manage theory X type of people but also have to prevent and protect theory Y type people from being theory X type people. To carry both these together is a huge challenge for modern organizations.

4.    ERG Theory of Motivation

Clayton Alderfer redefined the theory of Maslow in his way with empirical evidence. He classified the order needs to be suggested by Maslow more simplistically and differently. This work of Alderfer is called the ERG theory of motivation. He classified Maslow’s needs into 3 simpler and broader categories. Such category has been mentioned below:

• Existence Need (E): include Physiological and Safety need as defined by Maslow
• Relatedness Need (R) include Maslow’s Social needs and external components of Esteem needs
• Growth Need (G) include intrinsic Esteem needs and Self-Actualization needs of Maslow

Strategies for Motivating Employees

There is a direct relationship between motivation and performance. The status of achievement of organizational objectives depends on employee performance. That’s why management must prioritize employee motivation and frame it strategically. Some key strategies for motivating employees are discussed below:

1. Financial Incentives: Financial incentives help in fulfilling the basic personal and family needs of an employee. It is also a means of social prestige and recognition. Higher-order needs and wants are satisfied through a higher level of financial incentives. Financial incentives in the form of salary, wages, profit sharing, leave with pay, medical reimbursement, allowances,etc motivate employees for better performance. Hence, an organization must set pay levels that justify employee efforts to create employee satisfaction and their long-term stay with the organization.
2. Participation: Participation is the employee involvement in different organizational activities. Through participation, employees can be involved in planning, its implementation and decision making. Through participation, employees can fulfill their esteem needs. It promotes employee initiatives also. Actively participating employees ensure safe material handling, effective machine handling and reduction in wastage and cost. Participation promotes group effort to solve challenges and problems. That’s why employees can be motivated through their participation in various organizational activities.
3. Delegation of Authority: Delegation of authority means the dispersal of some part of the authority to subordinates. This is done to ensure subordinates can handle their responsibilities better with higher dedication. Delegation of authority helps in employee training and development. It is also a way of making subordinates future-ready for being superiors. This is a way of keeping employee morale high. So, a suitable and sufficient level of delegation of authority is required to motivate employees.
4. Job Security: The level of job security perceived by employees determines the way and length of stay of an employee in the organization. Employees want to feel secure about their job. They want security during work, in old age, at the condition of being differently able, for their families etc. Therefore, an organization must incorporate all the job security aspects in the job and keep on improving it with changing scenarios of time, law and competition. This sense of job security can motivate employees highly.
5. Job Rotation: Job rotation is the shifting of an employee from one job to another at different times. This is done to develop multiple job knowledge, skills and abilities in an employee. This also helps in reducing boredom and disinterest in doing the same job continuously for a long time. The incorporation of different job-related skills and understanding of its affairs make them happy and feel good about the organization.  A happy employee due to this has a high level of motivation.
6. Job Enlargement: An employee feels monotonous after doing the same job for a long time and finds nothing interesting about it. In such a situation, job enlargement can be done by adding responsibilities, challenges and complexities to the job. This regenerates interest and reduces monotony from the job. With job enlargement, employees are presented with opportunities to be more creative, responsible, grow and advance. All these traits contribute towards motivation in employees.
7. Job Enrichment: Job enrichment is the vertical expansion of a job by adding planning, evaluating, decision making and controlling responsibilities. It allows freedom and opportunity to exercise power to employees. This makes them more independent, develops better problem-solving skills, encourages them to make the right decisions and develops some level of leadership qualities. With such a scope of chances and opportunities, employees feel motivated towards their job.
8. Quality of Work Life (QWL): Quality of work-life refers to different work-related attributes such as working conditions, fair pay, work autonomy, participation, opportunities, challenges etc. All these attributes contribute one way or the other towards motivation and performance. Hence, different policies, strategies, programs and procedures are to be directed towards making these attributes better individually and for improving the overall quality of work life. With this, better and higher employee motivation can be achieved.
9. Competition: There competition among employees to perform better than others. Employees performing better in the competition are awarded, rewarded, or promoted. These are means of recognition which is the social need of employees. This feeling of competing for better performance act as stimuli to boom the motivation level of employees.