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This resource aims to support those who lead (or who hope to lead) research teams. It applies ideas from some of the classic management texts to the research context. It forms one of a group of three resources:-
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Motivating research staff (This Resource)
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The nature of research teams

Leading research teams
What does the word motivation mean to you? Having considered this, read the definition below.
Our definition of motivation used in the crea tion of this resource is…
“A conscious or unconscious driving force that arouses and directs action towards the achievement of a desired goal.
”
Aspects of the term we identified in the texts are:-
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Has a lot to do with incentive and desire.
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Has little to do with threats, violence or seduction.
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To motivate someone to do something, you have to get them to want to do it.
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Individuals are motivated by different things.
1 [U] enthusiasm for doing something:
He's a bright enough student - he just lacks motivation.
There seems to be a lack of motivation among the staff.
2 [C] the need or reason for doing something:
The motivation behind the decision is the desire to improve our service to our customers.
What was the motivation for the attack?
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Which of these characters best sums up the attitude of your course team? You will find the feedback below after the examples
She does what she’s directed to do but offers little beyond that. She is clearly a very creative person and you would like to tap into this to help achieve the team’s objectives. So far the only way to get more from her is to offer overtime or additional payment for specific project work.
He enjoys the work and seems to thrive in the environment. He seems committed to the research team objectives and comes up with creative solutions to make them happen. He may not always get it right but accepts responsibility for his projects and responds well to feedback
He seems to dislike work. The only way to ensure he does a task is to give specific directions and then regularly monitor progress. The only time he seems really enthusiastic is when he is talking about his many interests outside work. It seems that the only reason he works for you is to provide the money to pay for these!
In his classic work of 1960 Douglas McGregor examined two poles (or even stereotypes) of attitudes that managers have to what motivates their staff.
Theory X managers regard their staff as… (Jane and Tony’s example belongs to Theory X)
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People who inherently dislike work and will avoid it if they can.
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People who, because they dislike work, have to be offered rewards to work and be threatened with punishment if they don’t. People who prefer to be controlled and directed, want to avoid responsibility, have little ambition and desire security more than anything else.
Source: McGregor, D. (2005) The Human Side of Enterprise: annotated edition,
McGraw-Hill
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Theory Y managers regard their staff as… (Sheetal’s example belongs to Theory Y)
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People who do not dislike work and who, under the right conditions, can enjoy it.
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People who will direct and control themselves, if they are committed to the group objectives, rather than having to be controlled from above.
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People who will be committed those objectives if they are getting enough personal satisfaction from the job.
Furthermore…
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The average human being learns to accept and seek responsibility if the conditions are right.
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Ingenuity and creativity are widely distributed and generally underutilised.
Source: McGregor, D. (2005) The Human Side of Enterprise: annotated edition ,
McGraw-Hill
Whatever we call our research teams, we need to establish why people work within them. Ask five people why they work and most will answer
‘Money!’.
Probe a little deeper about what motivates them to work harder and you might get five different reasons. Of course in a research environment there are a host of reasons other than salary why people work.
In this exercise you need to think about the reasons they might give. You might also contemplate the reasons you work hard in your role. You will be asked for single words which sum up reasons for working.
We have identified 5, single word answers which could be considered a factor that motivates. In this exercise you should identify 3 of these. Make a note of the 3 factors you think are the reasons that motivates people. You may be able to identify others relevant to your organisation.
The feedback in this exercise is based on the work of Maslow (1943). His
‘Hierarchy of Needs’ is one of the most widely known theories of human motivation.
It suggests that individuals are first motivated to satisfy their basic needs before moving on to satisfy other, higher order, needs.
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The physiological needs that everyone has to survive. Think of the essential things that you spend your wages on.
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Once basic survival needs have been met we look for things that give us longer term health and security.
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Most employees prefer to work with other people.
This can be particularly important given that we often spend more time with our colleagues than our families!
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We all like our work to be noticed. Praise for what we achieve is welcome from colleagues and managers.
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At its best employment can give people a real sense of enjoyment and purpose.
In his book 'Motivation and Personality' (1954) Maslow explored how people are motivated at work. He identified five stepping stones for progressively achieving staff motivation - from meeting basic needs to self-fulfilment. This has become known as Maslow’s ‘Hierarchy of Needs’.
The five steps in Maslow’s ‘Hierarchy of Needs’ are…
1. Physical needs – pay, food, shelter and clothing.
Physical needs - everyone expects payment for their work. This enables our basic needs for food, shelter and clothing to be met. Fringe benefits, as well as wages, can form part of a remuneration package.
2. Security needs – contract, pension, healthcare, trade unions, health & safety
Security needs - once our basic survival needs have been met, we want to secure our standard of living into the future. This might be provided by a contract, pension, healthcare, trade union membership and health & safety.
3. Social needs – the environment in which we work
Social needs - most people prefer to work with other people. This aspect of work can be particularly important given that we spend more time with colleagues than with our families!
4. Esteem needs – recognition for what we do
Esteem needs - we all like our work to be noticed. Praise for what we achieve is welcome from colleagues and managers.
5. Self-fulfilment needs – a sense of purpose
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Self-fulfilment needs - at its best a job can give people real enjoyment and a sense of purpose. The output of someone who gets fulfilment from their work can be impressive.
This exercise is based on an article about Microsoft in the mid-1990s – a time when it was even more research-intensive (and possibly less corporate?) than it is now. It explores the different ways in which the organisation tried to motivate its creative staff.
"Microsoft Corporation, the industry leader in the software market with a 30 percent share, sells more than its three top competitors combined. In the early 1990s, sales rose by 50 percent to $3 billion in just four quarters.
Future prospects are for continued, though less explosive, growth in sales and profits.
How did Microsoft become so successful? In part, the company's success is the result of an aggressive growth strategy for developing and marketing software products. In part, Microsoft's success stems from the culture that
Bill Gates, Microsoft's founder and CEO, has fostered. Known as the 'Cult of
Bill', Microsoft's culture is intense and action-packed, yet fun.
Bill Gates believes in empowering people so that everyone can have a positive impact on and make a real difference for the company. Typically, employees such as programmers and product managers get a lot of responsibility early in their careers with Microsoft.
Because Microsoft is a relatively flat organisation with fewer layers of management than most, Bill Gates' presence is felt in unique ways. For instance, Gates often becomes actively involved in recruiting prospective employees. Interviews are intense, but Gates goes to extraordinary lengths to persuade talented, creative people to join the company. He will call undecided candidates himself to discuss the situation and talk them through their decision.
New employees participate in an intensive two-week training programme during which they learn the fundamentals of Microsoft's business and begin to build alliances with other new employees. Annual sales meetings also are intense and action-packed. Conducted at attractive locations, the sales meetings are filled with lots of different sessions and team-building activities. Neither spouses nor significant others are allowed to attend. The pace is one of breakneck speed with little scheduled free time.
Daily work activities are equally intense and demanding Microsoft's headquarters, where most of the software development is done, is known as the 'Velvet Sweatshop' because it's a fun place to be but the work is so demanding. The atmosphere is relaxed and causal, to appeal to creative people. Software developers, for example, don't have scheduled work hours as long as they produce. Microsoft's physical facilities are like a college campus, yet in meetings managers are challenged and questioned by fellow managers and a demanding boss. Called "Bill's meetings", these sessions with Gates reveal that he "demands that his colleagues be remarkably wellinformed, logical, vocal, and thick-skinned".
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Still, Microsoft employees have fun at work. People like what they do. Not only are they challenged to be creative but they also are provided with ample opportunities to be creative and contribute. Being creative is fun, but
Microsoft employees also have fun in many other ways. One employee decorates the ceiling of his office with "dead mice" (the computer variety) that customers have sent in. Another hangs a plastic chicken from his desk.
Still another shoots sponge arrows at people in a courtyard of the company's campus-like facilities."
Source: TC to confirm
The feedback is at the end of the quiz.
- The fun elements of working for Microsoft would satisfy:-
1. Physical needs
2. Security needs
3. Social needs
4. Esteem needs
5. Self-fulfilment needs
- The fact that Bill Gates often plays an active role in recruiting staff would satisfy...
1. Physical needs
2. Security needs
3. Social needs
4. Esteem needs
5. Self-fulfilment needs
- The fact that Microsoft is well-established - and profitable - would satisfy...
1. Physical needs
2. Security needs
3. Social needs
4. Esteem needs
5. Self-fulfilment needs
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- Empowering people so that everyone can 'make a real difference for the company' would satisfy...
1. Physical needs
2. Security needs
3. Social needs
4. Esteem needs
5. Self-fulfilment needs
- Microsoft's flat organisation structure might cause problems in satisfying...
1. Physical needs
2. Security needs
3. Social needs
4. Esteem needs
5. Self-fulfilment needs
The ‘correct’ answer should be ‘Social Needs’. This meets the need staffs have for enjoyment and social interaction. Of course, some managers worry when they see people enjoying themselves at work. They can’t be enjoying work, can they?
The ‘correct’ answer should be ‘Esteem Needs’. The fact that someone as important as Bill Gates shows an interest in your appointment is likely to meet esteem needs. This is reinforced once employed by occasional e-mails from Bill Gates sending you an e-mail expressing interest in your project.
The ‘correct’ answer should be ‘Security Needs’. This meets the need staffs have for security because the organisation is likely to continue to meet their basic needs as long as they are employed there.
The ‘correct’ answer should be ‘Self-fulfilment Needs’. This meets the need staffs have for self-fulfilment. In a research environment this can often be an important motivator which means that people accept other needs barely being met.
The ‘correct’ answer should be ‘Esteem Needs’. This might cause problems in meeting the esteem needs of staff. Promotion certainly could meet this need but a flat organisational structure (ie with few tiers of management) may restrict the scope for it.
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A concern for what motivates people is not confined to commercial research like Microsoft. Increasingly HE institutions are becoming aware of the importance of motivation to get the most out of their research staff.
The University of Bath, for example, has implemented a detailed policy on developing its research staff.
A Code of Practice for the Employment of Research Staff at the University of
Bath: Phase 1
Research staff co-ordinators
Each Head of Department should appoint a Research Staff Co-ordinator from among the permanent members of staff, who has sufficient interest and status to carry out the following roles:
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Ensuring that all new research staff take part in a comprehensive induction to the University, the Department and their role
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Supporting the Department in enacting the new code of practice for employment of research staff, and feeding back on progress to Research
Committee
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Supporting research staff in forming networks within the Department, by coordination of a mentoring or buddy system
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Acting as a point of information and advice for researchers regarding departmental facilities and the rights and responsibilities of research staff and their managers
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Sharing good practice in research staff employment through the Research
Staff Working Group
Inclusivity in University life and equity of status
Research staff (RS) should be fully integrated into the academic and social life of the University, recognising that their status and contribution to the institution’s success is no less than any other staff group. The underpinning principles should be inclusivity and equity of status between members of research staff and other staff groups. Research staff should only be distinguished from other staff when there are clear and objective reasons for doing so.
Departmental Committees
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RS should have membership by right on those Departmental Committees that are currently inclusive of all lecturing staff, and proportional representation on other Committees. It may be necessary to appoint a representative number of RS where it is impractical for a large RS population to attend. RS members will receive notification of meetings, minutes, papers and agenda.
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Those RS who teach undergraduate and postgraduate students should be involved fully in the teaching and assessment process, as appropriate to their role and as permitted under the Regulations. This will include membership of unit Boards and other boards relevant to their area of
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activity. Such RS will receive notification of meetings, minutes, papers and agenda.
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Research Staff should be invited to Departmental away-days and other meetings that facilitate end-of-year analysis of Departmental performance.
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The rights detailed above have an attendant obligation for RS to take advantage of opportunities and contribute to the life of the Department and
University.
Supervision
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Where RS undertake teaching activities, their contribution should be recognised. In the case of project supervision, this should be by coappointment as supervisor. This will lead, for example, to research staff being present at supervisory team meetings, being provided with a copy of project reports, dissertations and theses that result from work that they have co-supervised, and co-authorship on any publications. A judgement needs to be made – usually by unit convenors or directors of studies - about whether the level of involvement of RS in these activities justifies a co-appointment.
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Senior research staff, who have received appropriate training, should be encouraged to take a more leading role in teaching and research supervision, as far as permitted under the Regulations.
Grant applications
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RS who make a significant contribution to the writing of an application should be included as a co-applicant or be given other recognition allowed by the regulations of the funding body concerned.
Publications
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RS contribution to publications should receive proportionate recognition. Clearly agreed authorship conventions, and the significance of different types of publication, should be part of the induction process.
Commercial development
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RS should be associated fully with commercialisation of the research to which they have made a significant contribution.
Public face
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Research staff should be encouraged and supported to contribute to publicity arising from their research.
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Research staff should have equal opportunity with other staff for a place in the public face of the department, including photo boards and web pages.
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The arrangements should not imply that research staff have an inferior place in any hierarchy; for preference alphabetical listings should be used.
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The occupants of research staff offices should be as clearly signed as those of established staff. Departments should provide appropriate technology to allow labelling of offices, with a clear corporate format that is equivalent to that on other staff offices.
Induction is a vital part of employees’ time with an organisation; it is when they gain a first basic understanding of “how things work,” principally the logistics of their workplace. It is also a time that expectations are set about working practices, management relationships and longer term issues such as career progression. Line managers often neglect these expectations and assume someone else will look after the logistics. Research staff are in a particularly vulnerable position; there is a lot of anecdotal evidence that research managers assume newly arrived staff will be able to get on with the job with minimal guidance or support.
Every new member of research staff should have a comprehensive induction to their role and workplace, based on the following framework:
1. To the institution - general.
Responsibility: Research Manager and Departmental RS Co-ordinator to remind staff of this opportunity
All new staff are invited to the monthly “Introduction to the University of
Bath” session, which covers the general mission, organisation and facilities of the University. Research staff should be encouraged to attend.
2. To the institution – research staff specific
Responsibility: Staff Development Unit, with input from HR, Careers
Advisory Service, Research and Innovation Services, Departmental RS Coordinators and research staff networks
Approximately every 3 months (depending on numbers arriving), there will be an introduction session for new research staff covering some of: o Status and entitlements o Scope and nature of research in the University o Funding and research support structures o Brief overview of University finance systems o Intellectual property policies o Basics of the taught provision (ie. how the academic system works). o Careers development services.
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These events will also be an opportunity to discuss general issues around research employment and careers.
3. To the Department.
This is often assumed to be a clerical job, sometimes thought of at the level of: “where are the toilets and how do I charge photocopying.” However, much of the useful information is held by the community. (For example, who can you turn to for advice about grant applications, what’s the best way to get involved in teaching, which meetings you can / should attend.)
Department-level co-ordination, both formally and informally, is therefore necessary to ensure the most complete induction possible for new members of research staff.
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Departmental research staff co-ordinators to ensure basic induction, possibly against check list issued by staff development, probably by delegation for the basics.
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Local RS networks to collate key information and ensure welcome to new staff.
 Buddy system; each new RS gets allocated “buddy” who will be their first point of informal contact within the departmental community.
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Departmental co-ordinators to monitor Research Manager induction
/ progress checks.
Responsibility: Departmental RS Co-ordinator to ensure that new staff are aware of the induction process and their expectations of who will be involved in the different elements
4. Induction to role
Responsibility: Research Manager
In most (but not all) cases Research Managers give research staff an introduction to their role. Where funding is individual – fellowships etc – it is often less clear who is responsible as the Research Manager, although line management responsibility is specified in contracts. This process is a crucial part of the relationship between researcher and research manager, and sets much of the tone for the way of working throughout the project. It sets the groundwork for meaningful probation review and appraisal.
The following should be discussed in early meetings.
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Clarification of job description and performance standards
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Expectations of working practices including feedback, project meetings
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Key targets for mid- and end-probation
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Where to go for help and advice
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Resources available in terms of library, computing, laboratory facilities and materials, and technical assistance.
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Ethical standards (including published codes where they exist)
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Laboratory procedure and practice (where appropriate)
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Reasonable expectations of output
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Protocol for publication (authorships, favoured publication methods)
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An opportunity for the RS to explain their own needs and aspirations, and to bring out any skills they may have that could contribute to the project or more widely to the group or Department.
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It is also the time for research managers to encourage or dispel, as appropriate, expectations or delusions about the job or the institution.
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It is not always possible in early meetings to gain a clear understanding of the degree of freedom which a researcher has in pursuing the research objectives, but this should be discussed as appropriate.
Where the research manager is not directly involved in inducting the new member of staff (for example, in explaining use of the library) they should at least check that the member of staff is happy that they have the information they need.
The importance of motivation in any workplace is reflected by the volume of management texts on it. Among those developing Maslow’s work are such writers as Herzberg and Lawler.
Herzberg sought to categorise different motivational factors. On one hand he identified features that are dissatisfiers. If these are absent or inadequately addressed they will cause early dissatisfaction. In fact if these aren’t present your researchers will soon be looking for other work (if you can recruit them in the first place!).
He also identified satisfiers that would motivate staff to work harder and better. Such satisfiers are important in any workplace, but particularly so in a research intensive environment.
In this exercise given below, you need to decide which of Maslow’s stages are satisfiers and which are dissatisfiers
1. Physical needs – pay, food, shelter and clothing.
Satisfier or Dissatisfier
2. Security needs – contract, pension, healthcare, trade unions, health & safety
Satisfier or Dissatisfier
3. Social needs
– the environment in which we work
Satisfier or Dissatisfier
4. Esteem needs – recognition for what we do
Satisfier or Dissatisfier
5. Self-fulfilment needs
– a sense of purpose
Satisfier or Dissatisfier
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2.
3. This could be either a dissatisfier or a satisfier. Most staff tend to be unhappy and will leave if their individual social needs are not met – so this is a dissatisfier. Individuals are unlikely to achieve their potential if the collective or team social needs of the group they work in are bit met
– so this is a satisfier. Some would argue, however, that researchers are used to solitary work and so social needs are less important. What do you think?.
4. This is a satisfier. Most people thrive on recognition of the work they are doing and what they are achieving. It may not have a short-term impact but it enables people to achieve their potential and means they are likely to stay with the organisation longer. This can be informal – expressing interest in their work or a simple thank you. It can also be formal – promotion or performance bonuses.
5. . Work forms such a significant par t of peoples’ lives that it is fundamental to our feeling of self-worth. Again, it may not have a shortterm impact but it enables people to achieve their potential and means they are likely to stay with the organisation longer. The reason many researchers accept lower salaries than they could secure elsewhere is because they feel the work is valuable. How can you develop such feelings of self-fulfilment?.
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