Motivational Theories And Positive Work Environment Essay.

To complete this assignment successfully students are required to:

• Identify the key motivational theories and discuss which of the theories strongly influences employees’ affective processes and behavioural processes.
• Describe the characteristics of a positive work environment and discuss how HR designs jobs to motivate employees.
• Discuss the synthesis of Hackman and Oldham’s (1976) job characteristics and employees’ psychological states in relation to work outcomes, such as intrinsic work motivation, job satisfaction, and high quality work performance.
• Discuss the possible relationship between Maslow’s general components and job characteristics in view of engaging and motivating employees in organisations.

Identifying the Key Motivational Theories

The HR managers and the human resource department of an organization both are playing an essential role to motivate and encourage employees (Torrington, Hall and Taylor, 2005). On the other hand, various types of motivational theories can influence employee's effective processes and behavioural process.

There are different types of theories can influence motivation, but out of them, some important theories will be discussed in this essay. Besides that, the motivational theories include some divisions such as Need theory, Oldham and Hackman’s job characteristics model , Herzberg’s Job Design model, Adam’s Equity theory and Vroom’s expectancy theory. In this essay, some important motivational theories are discussed below:

According to Maslow’s theory, the pyramid of need theory can satisfy from bottom to top. The segments of need pyramid are physiological, safety, belonging, self-esteem and self-actualization(Allen, 2008). Each and every segment of this pyramid includes critical significance. In addition, physiological segment stated that the management of an organization should provide efficient food, water and warmth to their employees. Besides that, the third part of this pyramid refers belonging which stated that, the management of an organization should be concerned with employee’s friends, family and community. Along with that, self-esteem includes mastery, achievement and recognition which critically evaluate employee’s characteristics and personality. Moreover, self-actualization includes creativity, pursue talent and fulfilment (Buckley and Caple, 2009).

In the year 1969, Clayton P. Alderter condensed Maslow’s five needs of human into three segments such as existence, relatedness and growth which are discussed below;

Existence needs: this segment of the ERG model includes physiological desires and all material for example, water, food, air, safety, clothing, affection and physical love. Moreover, Maslow’s first two levels have similarity with this part.

Relatedness: this segment concludes the relationship with employees and others, for example, friends, family, other employers and co-staffs. With the help of this segment, the employees feel safe and secure as a part of a family or group. Moreover, this segment has similarity with Maslow’s third and fourth levels (Buckley and Caple, 2009).

Growth needs: this segment of the model critically influence to make productive and creative effects on the employees and the environment. This segment defines to the employees for being productive, creative in order to complete significant tasks.

David McClelland introduced acquired needs theory in order to define individual's specific needs. Along with that, McClelland also stated three needs through his theory which can increase effectiveness in certain job functions of the employees. Moreover, McClelland’s motivation theory includes three factors such as achievement motivation, power motivation and affiliation motivation which are discussed below:

Maslow’s Need Theory

Achievement motivation: with the help of this segment, the individuals are being ‘achievement motivated’ to meet desired objectives through facing realistic challenges (Ortmeier and Meese, 2010). Moreover, the management needs to provide effective feedback about the progress and achievement which is required for a sensible work accomplishment. In addition, the achievers mainly avoid low-risk situations because they can access success easily which is not actual achievement. The individuals are preferring either work alone or by high doers.

Authority/power motivation: this segment of the model provides effective, influential support to the individual to make an impact. Along with that, personal status and prestige of the individuals are getting increased through this segment. There are two types of parts included in power motivation such as personal power which is used to direct others for perceiving undesirable objects and institutional power which is influenced by social power as the effort to meet further objectives of the organization. Moreover, in an organization, the managers can be more actual with a high prerequisite for institutional power rather than with a great prerequisite for personal power(Whiteley, 2002).

Affiliation motivation: this segment is mainly based on the need for friendly relationship and enable motivation by interacting with other people. In other words, the individuals require effective relationships by which for feeling accepted by other stakeholders of the organization. Moreover, with the help of this driver, the individuals who were motivated in famous regard are notified as team players. Moreover, these types of people work for getting significant and effective personal interaction. Thus, with the help of this driver, an organization can provide better customer service and effective consumer interaction situations(Lowe, 2009).        

The positive work environment includes various types of characteristics which are discussed below:

Transparent and open communication: it is one of the significant segment or effects of a positive work environment. Besides that, the personal feelings of the employees are addressed by this factor which is transparent and open communication. Moreover, the employees feel like a part of the organization with the help of open communication. In addition, the employees also have the clear idea about what are they doing. On the other hand, the management needs to state the organizational mission and vision to each employee through open communication(Lowe, 2009).

Work-life balance: the work-life balance is another important factor of an employee’s career. In other sense, the personal and professional life of an employee is critically effecting the psychology or mentality. Moreover, the management of an organization needs to provide a proper and positive work environment to their employees. Along with that, an employee should not work more than 12 hours because the human brain requires minimum 6-7 hours’ sleep for continuous work. In addition, work-life balance is essentially required by an employee for continuous performance.    

Alderfer’s ERG Model

Training and development focused: in order to improve the performance of an employee, the management of an organization should provide necessary training to the employees. In addition, with the help of effective training process, the skills and abilities of the employees can be extended which will be beneficial for the organization(Lowe, 2009). In other words, the productivity of the employees can be improved through efficient training programs which are an essential part of a positive work environment. Along with that, the interpersonal skills of the employees will also be developed by effective training schedule of an organization. Moreover, the development and growth of the employees both are influenced by the training programs of an organization.    

Recognition for hard work: the management of an organization should review the performance of the employees and provide the appraisal to those employees who archived allocated targets(Clifford and Thorpe, 2007). In other words, recognition is equally important and essential in order to create a positive working environment. Besides that, the hard work should be praised by the management of an organization and the leaders of an organization should give attractive rewards to the hard working employees. 

Strong Team Spirit: the teamwork is an effective and productive strategy which is used by many famous organizations. Besides that, the team leader is also playing an extraordinary role in order to create a positive work environment for his/her followers or team members. Along with that, the leaders of the organizations should encourage both team leaders and team members to increase the team spirit. In other words, if any team is facing problems, the leaders of the organization should get involved and reduce the impact of negativity and increase the team spirit by cheering them(Clifford and Thorpe, 2007).

The human resource department is one of the essential management systems of an organization which design different jobs for improving the performance of the employees. Besides that, the recruitment and selection process which are very important for decision-making process of an organization which are also controlled and managed by the human resource managers (Mathis et al., 2007). In addition, the human resource managers critically design specific jobs for individuals of an organisation. In other words, the human resource managers have the clear idea about the capabilities of various employees and human resource management allocate jobs according to the capability of an individual of an organization. In addition, the human resource management also recommends increment list to the high authority of the organization by which had working employees can get incentives, promotions and bonuses. Apart from that, human resource managers also observe the activity of different employees and report to the high authority of the organization.       

McClelland’s Achievement Motivation Theory

Oldham and Hackman’s job characteristics model includes five important elements which critically motivate the employees though allocated tasks. In other words, tedious and boring jobs neither motivation nor interest according to employees. Along with that, challenges make the task more interesting and enhances motivation (Mathis et al., 2007). According to the Oldham and Hackman’s job characteristics model, autonomy, and variety and decision authority are three important segments of adding challenge to a job. In addition, job rotation and job enrichment are two significant ways by which challenges could be added in a job. On the other hand, Oldham and Hackman’s job characteristics model suggested that employee motivation can be added by skilled designed jobs. Moreover, five significant job characteristics are suggested by Oldham and Hackman’s job characteristics model which discussed below for better understanding:

Skill variety: This is an important factor of the Oldham and Hackman’s job characteristics model which includes different skills and abilities required by a person to do a task (Muku, 2013). Besides that, another issue that is employees asked to make many different things, or it would be the repetitive job. Along with that, skills variety is also influenced by monotonous jobs.   

Task identity: dose the given task contain the clear defined beginning, middle and conclusion. Besides that does the employee know all things about the task? In other words, the employees must have a clear knowledge about what they are doing for completing the task.  

Task significance: this part defines that does the job get a substantial impact. Besides that, the task either effect within the organization or to society. Moreover, this part also concludes that the task or jobs should be meaningful (Muku, 2013).  

Autonomy: this part of Oldham and Hackman’s job characteristics model calculate the freedom or accessibility which is required by an individual to accomplish the allocated tasks. Along with that, autonomy also helps an individual by giving freedom to figure out solutions to get the task complete.  

Job Feedback: the job feedback is an important part of Oldham and Hackman’s job characteristics model which critically notice that is an individual kept in a loop for improved performance. Apart from that, job feedback also includes the suggestions of leaders when they are doing well and when they are not performing well through this part of Oldham and Hackman’s job characteristics model (London, 2005). 

The psychological state of mind influences the intrinsic work motivation which can improve the performance of the employees. Besides that, Oldham and Hackman’s job characteristics model also stated that employee motivation is enhanced by adding challenges. In other words, work motivation can be enhanced by job challenges. Moreover, employee motivation is also influenced and enhanced by task significance factor of Oldham and Hackman’s job characteristics model . In addition, the management should give important tasks to the employees for intrinsic work motivation (London, 2005).     

Characteristics of a Positive Work Environment

Job satisfaction is one of the major cause of the employee satisfaction. In other sense, the job satisfaction is not possible by achieving easy task achievement. Besides that, by adding challenges, the allocated task would be more interesting and challenging which can enhance the job satisfaction. Moreover, the employees should follow Oldham and Hackman’s job characteristics model for getting job satisfaction.

Job feedback is one of the critical segment of Oldham and Hackman’s job characteristics model which can influence high quality work performance. In other sense, the management should notify the employees about their current activity and task performance which would be either positive or negative. In other words, with the help of management’s job feedback process which is part of Oldham and Hackman’s job characteristics model can cause high-quality work performance.   

The relationship between Maslow's general components and job characteristics of Oldham and Hackman’s job characteristics model are discussed below which can engage and motivate employees in an organization. According to Maslow’s theory, the pyramid of need theory can satisfy from bottom to top(Vroom, 2000). The segments of need pyramid are physiological, safety, belonging, self-esteem and self-actualization which are interrelated with five job characteristics of Oldham and Hackman’s job characteristics model Each and every segment of this pyramid includes critical significance and interrelation with the job characteristics of Hackman and Oldham’s model.

In addition, physiological segment stated that the management of an organization should provide efficient food, water and warmth to their employees. In addition, this factor of Maslow’s model is interrelated with Autonomy which is a part of Oldham and Hackman’s job characteristics model (Vroom, 2000). In addition, this factor calculates the freedom or accessibility which is required by an individual to accomplish the allocated tasks for mental satisfaction. Along with that, autonomy also helps an individual by giving freedom to figure out solutions to get the task complete. Moreover, with the help of Maslow’s component and job characteristics of Hackman and Oldham’s model, an organization can improve employee engagement and employee motivation.

Besides that, the third part of this pyramid refers belonging which stated that, the management of an organization should be concerned with employee's friends, family and community. In addition, task significance which is a part of Oldham and Hackman’s job characteristics model defines that does the job get a substantial impact. In other words, important task comes with proper belongings for the individuals. Besides that, the task either effect within the organization or to society. Moreover, this part also concludes that the task or jobs should be meaningful which can improve relations with employee’s family and others(Vroom, 2000).  

Along with that, self-esteem includes mastery, achievement and recognition which critically evaluate employee’s characteristics and personality which is related to the job feedback. In addition, job feedback is an important part of Oldham and Hackman’s job characteristics model which critically notice that is an individual kept in a loop for improved performance for self-esteem. Apart from that, job feedback also includes the suggestions of leaders when they are doing well and when they are not performing well through this part of Oldham and Hackman’s job characteristics model (Hesselbein, Goldsmith and Beckhard, 2006). In other words, self-esteem is influenced by job feedback of an organization for employee engagement and employee motivation. Moreover, self-actualization is a part of Mallow’s components which includes creativity, pursue talent and job fulfilment. In addition, each and every factor of self-actualization are helping the organization to motivate and encourage the employees. Moreover, Maslow’s components have operative relation with job characteristics of Oldham and Hackman’s job characteristics model which help an organization to engage and motivate the employees. In other words, with the help of the relation, the management can increase empowerment of the organization for fruitful productivity(Hesselbein, Goldsmith and Beckhard, 2006). 

References

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Hesselbein, F., Goldsmith, M. and Beckhard, R. (2006). The organization of the future. 1st ed. San Francisco, Calif.: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

London, M. (2005). The power of feedback. 1st ed.

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Muku, A. (2013). Job Characteristics Model of Hackman and Oldham in Garment Sector in Bangladesh: A Case Study in Savar Area in Dhaka District. International Journal of Economics, Finance and Management Sciences, 1(4), p.188.

Ortmeier, P. and Meese, E. (2010). Leadership, ethics, and policing. 1st ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

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Whiteley, P. (2002). Motivation. 1st ed. Oxford, U.K.: Capstone Pub.