Motivation, Organizational Behavior and Performance

525 Words2 Pages

Motivation is an important concept which is critical for understanding of and improvement in organizational behaviour and performance. It is therefore important for the managers to understand motivation. It is an important tool which they can use to get more out of their employees and increase organizational performance. Motivation can be defined as the factors, both internal as well as external which arouse in individuals the desire and commitment for a job (Mele, 2005, p. 15). Organizational performance on the other hand refers to the degree to which the organizational objectives have been achieved. Research has shown that motivation in an employee is an important factor which determines his performance. Motivation is the “driving force within individuals” (Mullins, 2007, p. 285). It is the concerned with finding out the reasons which shape and direct the behaviour of the individuals. The people act to achieve something so that they can satisfy some needs (Gitman and Daniel, 2008). It is important for the manager to understand this motivation of individual employees in order to inspire them and devise an appropriate set of incentives and rewards which would satisfy the needs that they have individually (Kerr, 2003). Once these needs are expected to be met in return for some specific behaviour or action, they would work more diligently to have that behaviour in them and to achieve that objective (Meyer and Hersovitch, 2001). Since it would lead to early and fuller achievement of the company objectives as the individual would work more diligently, it would lead to better organizational performance (Wiley, 1997). It is important for manager to understand that what motivates the individuals. There are different kinds of motivation theories which reveal that individuals are motivated by different factors. For example there is extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation (Amabile, 1993). Extrinsic motivation refers to the motivation that one has for the extrinsic rewards such as pay, status, power, etc. Then there are intrinsic motivating factors such as the chance to exercise one’s skills, the opportunity to learn and personal development. Research suggests that various factors motivate employees in a different degree depending on their nature. It would therefore be important for the manager to understand that what are the motivating factors for individual employees and then provide them incentives accordingly so that they can work in a more productive fashion. Once the individuals work with greater excitement and vigour it would automatically lead to better performance.

Show More
Related

  • Self-Efficacy Theory: The Feelings Of Self Motisfaction And Motivation In The Workplace

    937 Words  | 2 Pages

    Motivation is a critical role of management mainly because a manager’s job is to get work done through other people. Therefore a manager needs to understand that each employee has different vales and beliefs and as such different things will motivate them. That being said there are certain aspects of the job that a manager can improve to increase employee satisfaction and commitment, which are linked to the level of which an employee is motivated to work. The purpose of this paper is

    Read More

  • Understanding Incentives as Workplace Motivation

    2086 Words  | 5 Pages

    Every person has a motivating factor that makes them go to work. Some people go to work for the paycheck or the benefits, others go to work for the social aspect or experience, these are incentives. Incentives are the most common motivating factor for people to complete tasks. This is also called, work motivation. Work motivation is defined as “A force that drives people to behave in a way that energizes, directs, and sustains their work behavior” (Steers, R. M., Mowday, R. T., & Shapiro, D. L., 2004). In contrast to the benefits of incentives, incentives are commonly counterproductive because they undermine the intrinsic motivation of an individual, this is the overjustification effect.

    Read More

  • The Impact of Motivation on Workplace Success

    2034 Words  | 5 Pages

    “Motivation is the influence or drive that causes us to behave in a specific manner and has been described as consisting of energy, direction, and sustainability” (Kroth, 2007). At the workplace, employees who are motivated are more engaged in their work and committed about working for the organization. High levels of motivation and workforce engagement can be translated to better performance, productivity and job satisfaction and direct impact on an organization’s success and thrive. According to Jim Harter, a Gallup research scientist, “engagement or the lack of it, has substantial implications for how well businesses organizations achieve their goals” (DuBrin, 2013). In his online blog, Nick Stein from SalesForce.com outlined the results of a recent research which concluded that seventy-eight percent of employees cited recognition as the main motivating factor in their career. Sixty-nine percent of employees said they would work harder if they were better recognized. Fifty-two percent of employees were not satisfied with the amount of recognition they

    Read More

  • Understanding and Combating Employee Demotivation

    733 Words  | 2 Pages

    Employee motivation seems to be a constant problem in the working world. It is true, not everyone is going to absolutely love their job and want to do it five out of seven days a week. Everyone has their bad days where all they want to do is just go home and get away from the office, which is okay. The problem with those people that dislike their job every single day, is that their dislike makes them completely unmotivated to work. This lack of motivation can then rub off on other employees in the office and it can be very hard to get people motivated unless they have the desire to be. I have noticed a few employees at my workplace that seem to be having trouble motivating themselves to do their job. This can be caused by many different things, such as: their perception of their

    Read More

  • Applying Motivational Theories to Improve Workplace Performance

    853 Words  | 2 Pages

    Motivational theories can be applied in a multitude of situations, but in this case the problems that must be resolved include poor morale, low performance levels, and frequent absences. After speaking with the employees it was found that none of them cared about their performance in the workplace. To properly address these issues, Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, McClelland’s Theory, and McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y can be applied. Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory can be used to improve working conditions and decrease employee dissatisfaction. Doing so would potentially motivate employees to perform better in the workplace and be more inclined to be involved in the job. Applying McClelland’s Theory would allow for the employees three basic categories

    Read More

  • Motivation Theories

    1563 Words  | 4 Pages

    “Motivation is the will and desire that a person has to engage in a particular behaviour or perform a particular task” (Lawley & King, P269). In life motivation will be needed to enhance the workforce in various ways, many organisations will use motivation to increase the percentage yield of an individual or to make an individual feel a part of the business or organisation. Incentives have a huge influence on behaviourist & extrinsic approach. In addition other aspects; humanist theorist, intrinsic approach, Taylorism and Fordism have a part in perception of motivation.

    Read More

  • Abraham Maslow’s Needs Hierarchy Theory

    1909 Words  | 4 Pages

    In today’s world the organization are made of teams to accomplish the organizational goals for that the certain task has been given to them but to complete those task the employees must be motivated to achieve the desired results from them, in contrast the management should make some methods from which the employees can be motivated and the end result is that the organization Goals or targets achieved. This essay will revolve around the motivation & three motivational theories and how the managers of the organization implement these theories by looking at the needs and expectations of the employees. Reference will be made throughout the essay to a case study of BEST BUY sales man (Michael V. Copeland, 2004).

    Read More

  • The Two-Factor Theory And Maslow's Theory Of Motivation

    1138 Words  | 3 Pages

    The performance of employees will make or break a company; this is why it is important to find a variety of methods of motivating employees. The most obvious form of motivation for an employee is money; however, there are other motivation factors that must be considered. Every employee within a company is different and, therefore, is motivated to perform well for different reasons. Conversely, due to the differences within an organization, it is important for a manger to get to know their employees and understand what motivates their performance.

    Read More

  • Motivation in The Workplace

    1780 Words  | 4 Pages

    Employee motivation has always been a central problem in the workplace, and, as an individual in a supervisory position, it becomes one’s duty to understand and institute systems that ensure the proper motivation of your subordinates. Proper motivation of employees can ensure high productivity and successful workflow, while low worker motivation can result in absenteeism, decreased productivity rates, and turnover. A large body of research has been produced regarding motivation, and much of this research is applicable to the workplace. Due to the nature of man, motivation varies from individual to individual, and, because of this, there is no one system that is the best for ensuring worker motivation in every organizational situation, and, as a product, many theories have been created to outline what drives people to satisfactorily complete their work tasks. Throughout the course of this document, the three main types of these motivational theories will be outlined and examples of each, as well as how these theories can be used to further strengthen and sustain worker motivation....

    Read More

  • Manipulation of Employees

    873 Words  | 2 Pages

    The key to understanding what employees’ motivations are, and how managers can support them in their aims and objectives, is to understand that different people are motivated by different things. Managers should make a conscience effort to stay in touch with the interest, skills and abilities that their employees possess. Given the opportunity, it is possible that employees can provide valuable information about how to motivate each other to do a better job.

    Read More

  • Motivation and Leadership

    1594 Words  | 4 Pages

    Motivation is the reason or purpose behind action, or what causes one to act in a particular manner. Motivation can either be intrinsic or extrinsic in nature, yet it rests solely within the power of the individual actor to be motivated (or not) by intrinsic and extrinsic motivators. Motivation is an extremely important topic of discussion in the larger discourse on leadership. It is important because it provides the basis for human action, or inaction. Leaders must be able to understand what motivates their followers in a hope to use that knowledge to guide them to behave in a certain way that is beneficial for the organization. To do so, it behooves leaders to understand the basic concepts and theories of motivation that abound.

    Read More

  • Employee Motivation is the Key to Success

    1396 Words  | 3 Pages

    The job of a manager in the workplace is to get things done through employees. To do this the manager should be able to motivate employees. But that’s easier said than done! Motivation practice and theory are difficult subject, touching on several disciplines.

    Read More

  • The Persistence Of Motivation

    836 Words  | 2 Pages

    Motivation is the “processes that account for an individual’s intensity, direction, and persistence of effort toward attaining a goal.” (Robbins & Judge, 2009, p.175) The intensity of an individual’s motivation is the measure of how hard an individual tries at their job. An employee’s motivation should be directed toward the organization’s goals. The persistence of motivation is measured by how long the employee can maintain effort in order to achieve a set goal. All three of these elements are important in motivation within an individual. Furthermore, it is critical for all individuals within an organization to remain motivated within their jobs to accomplish the tasks required of them.

    Read More

  • The Importance of Motivation in an Organization

    1539 Words  | 4 Pages

    Motivation is the force that transforms and uplifts people to be productive and perform in their jobs. Maximizing employee’s motivation is a necessary and vital to successfully accomplish the organization’s targets and objectives. However, this is a considerable challenge to any organizations managers, due to the complexity of motivation and the fact that, there is no ready made solution or an answer to what motivates people to work well (Mullins,2002).

    Read More

  • Motivation and Conflict Management

    1025 Words  | 3 Pages

    Motivation is the concept of stimulating or arousing a person to achieve a goal. Motivation has much to do with desire and ambition, and if they are absent, motivation is absent too (What is Motivation and How to Strengthen It, para. 1). Motivation theories are unique to each organization. Some organizations have come up with motivation theories such as setting work goals, job performance evaluations, and fair treatment policies within the work environment to keep employees motivated. The impact that individuals, groups and structures have on behavior within organizations is Organizational Behavior. Motivation is affected by organizational behaviors, which is why different organizations apply motivation theories to motivate employees.

    Read More

More about Motivation, Organizational Behavior and Performance

Open Document