[Solution] Motivation
Created at:
Author: Sarah Bennett
An employee's performance is determined by motivation, ability, and work environment (resources). Training can often address a lack of ability, and missing resources can be provided. However, motivation depends on individual behavior, which is complex. Therefore, it can be difficult for a manager to determine why an employee is demotivated or how to solve the problem.
Motivation is the set of forces that cause an individual to behave in certain ways. For example, Monica wishes her boss would compliment her work more often (need). She considers working even harder to try to earn more praise, but she also considers transferring to a different job reporting to a manager with a more agreeable personality (ways to meet the need). Monica decides to work harder (behavior). Her boss still seems to take her for granted (evaluation). Monica decides to seek a transfer (determination of future needs and making another choice).
What is motivation?
- The set of organizational activities directed at creating and maintaining an effective workforce
- The set of forces that cause an individual to behave in certain ways
- A fairly stable set of psychological attributes that distinguish one person from another
- Education provided so that employees can perform well in their job or future jobs
View Explanation
The forces that cause an individual to take action and to choose one action over another are collectively termed motivation.
The set of psychological attributes that make a person unique are a person's personality. Organizational activities intended to make an effective workforce are human resource management. Giving employees knowledge or skills so they can perform well relates to training and development.
Which approach would an advocate of the human resource approach to motivation recommend?
- Offer employees extra pay if they increase production.
- Allow employees a small degree of participation in decisions.
- Wholeheartedly encourage employees to participate in decision making.
View Explanation
The human resource approach to motivation assumes that workers have social needs to feel important and that their contributions are in fact beneficial to the organization. According to this perspective, managers should fulfill the needs of both the employees and the organization by encouraging worker participation in decisions.
