Module 5: Motivation Part 2
Motivational Methods and Programs
Four motivational methods and programs are considered in this chapter. They are as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
motivation through job design;
organizational behavior modification;
motivation through recognition and pride; and
motivation through financial incentives.
Motivation through Job Design
One way of motivating employees is to make their job challenging so that the worker who is
responsible for it enjoys doing it. This management activity is called job design, when it is
undertaken; some useful benefits will accrue to the organization.
Job design may be defined as the way the elements in a kob are organized.
Three concepts are important in designing jobs. They consist of the ff:
1. Job enrichment
2. Job characteristics model
3. Job crafting
Job Enrichment
This term refers to the practice of building motivating factors like responsibility,
achievement and recognition into job content. It provides the worker with a more exciting job
and increases his job satisfaction and motivation.
An enriched job has any or all of the ff characteristics:
1. Direct feedback - which means employees receive immediate evaluation of their work.
2. Client relationships - which means an employee is given a chance to serve an external
or internal client.
3. New learning - which means that the employee acquires new knowledge while doing his
work.
4. Control over method - which means that the employee has some control over which
method to choose to accomplish a task.
5. Control over scheduling - which means that the employee has the ability to schedule his
work.
6. Unique experience - which means the job has unique qualities or features, like
opportunity to see the world.
7. Direct communication authority - which means the job provides the employee the
opportunity to communicate directly with people who use their output.
8. Control over resources - which means the employee has some control resources such
as money, material or people.
9. Personal accountability - which means the employee is responsible for his or her result.
He accepts credits for doing a good job and blame for a poor job.
Job Characteristics Model
This term refers to the method of job design that focuses on the task and interpersonal
demands of a job. It emphasizes the interaction between individuals and the specific attributes
of the job.
This model maintains that there are 5 core job characteristics of special importance to job
design. When these core job characteristics are high, the job is said to be enriched.
The 5 core job characteristics are defined as follows:
1. Skill variety - the degrees to which there are many skills to perform. An example would
be the master carpenter who makes and installs doors, cabinets, wooden floors, tables,
chairs, toys etc.
2. Task identity - the degree to which one worker is able to do a complete job, from
beginning to end, with the tangible and possible outcome. An example would be a guitar
maker who designs the product, selects the materials, builds the object and finishes it to
be a fine musical instrument.
3. Task significance - the degree to which the job has a substantial impact on the lives or
work of other people. An example would be a close-in bodyguard who protects the
president of a nation.
4. Autonomy - the degree to which the job gives the employee substantial freedom,
independence and discretion in scheduling the work and determining the procedures
used in carrying it out. An example would be a bus inspector who schedules his own
work and decides on the most effective means of checking the work of drivers and
conductors assigned to him.
5. Feedback - the degree to which a job provides direct information about performance. An
example would be an electrician who installs wirings at residences and then tests them
for the homeowner to see if they operate properly.
Job Crafting
This refers to the physical and mental changes workers make in the task aspect of their jobs.
The common types of job crafting are:
1. Changing the number and type of job tasks;
2. Changing the interaction with others on the job; and
3. Changing one's view of the job.
Organizational Behavior Modification
OB modification is the application of reinforcement theory in motivating people at work.
Reinforcement theory is defined as the contention that behavior is determined by its
consequences. Simply stated, a person tends to repeat behavior that is accompanied by
favorable consequences and tends not to repeat behavior that is accompanied by unfavorable
consequences. It consists a five-step problem-solving model as follows:
1. Identifying critical behaviors that make a significant impact on the employee's job
performance;
2. Developing baseline data which is obtained by determining the number of times the
identified behavior is occurring under present conditions;
3. Identifying behavioral consequences of performance;
4. Developing and implementing an intervention strategy to strengthen desirable
performance behaviors and weaken undesirable behaviors; and
5. Evaluating performance improvement.
Among the benefits of OB Modification are:
1. Improvement of employee productivity;
2. Reduction of errors, absenteeism, tardiness and accident rates; and
3. Improvement of friendliness toward customers.
Motivation through Recognition and Pride
Recognition is a natural human need and it is a strong motivator. To make it an effective
motivator, the following steps are necessary:
1. Identify a meritorious behavior ( for an example, the development of a scheme that
reduces the cost of providing service to customers); and
2. Recognize the behavior with an oral, written, or material reward.
For a better understanding and implementation of reward and recognition programs, the
following points must be considered:
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2.
3.
4.
5.
Feedback is an essential part of recognition;
Praise is one of the most powerful forms of recognition;
Reward and recognition programs should be limited to organizational goals;
Identification of the type of rewards and recognition that workers will value; and
It is important to evaluate the effectiveness of the reward and recognition program.
Pride is also a motivator, but one that is intrinsic. Workers who achieve outstanding
performance experience the emotion of pride. The feeling that satisfies the need for self-esteem
and self-fulfillment.
Motivation through Financial Incentives
Financial incentives are powerful tools of motivation. They are monetary rewards paid to
employees because of the output they produce, skills, knowledge, and competencies or a
combination of these factors.
Financial incentives take the form of any or combination of the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Time rates
Payment by results
Performance and profit related pay
Skill/competency based pay
Cafeteria or flexible benefits system
Each of the foregoing financial incentives offers unique advantages although there are also
some disadvantages when they are used to motivate employees.
Application/Activity
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2.
3.
4.
5.
What conditions make job performance possible in any organization?
What motivates people to behave differently?
What does Abraham Maslow espouse in his hierarchy of needs theory?
In what way does job design motivate people?
According to David McClleland, what motivates people?
Reminder: Please do not just copy and paste your answers. Make sure to read and understand
your answers as you go over.