IGCSE Business Studies
2.1.1 The importance of a well
motivated workforce
Learning Outcomes
To be able to understand:
• Why people work and what motivation
means
To be able to understand and apply:
• The concept of human needs –
Maslow’s Hierarchy
• Key motivation theories: Taylor and
Herzberg
SO WHAT IS MOTIVATION???
Motivation… Some definitions
What’s the motivation?
What might have motivated these
people?
Task
• Can you think of a
time when you (or
someone else you
know) really really
wanted to achieve a
particular goal?
• What motivated you
(them)?
Let’s get them written on the board
Why do people work and what makes them work hard once
they’re there?
MOTIVATION AND WORK
Why do people work?
Brainstorm as
many reasons as
you can
Increasing Worker Motivation
To get the best out of workers firms need
to understand why people work and what
might make them motivated to work
harder.
Very Easy Question…….
What are the benefits to a
business of having a
motivated workforce?
Why is Motivation Important?
• Higher productivity
• Better customer service
• Improved teamwork
• Lower absenteeism
• Lower labour turnover
These all lead to LOWER COSTS or HIGHER
REVENUES and therefore
HIGHER PROFITS
Task: Can you analyse how? Write one
sentence fully explaining ONE benefit of having
a motivated work force
Task
• What does this
picture mean?
• What types of
factors do you
think would
motivate
employees to work
harder?
• Think of as many
ideas as you can
THE CONCEPT OF HUMAN
NEEDS - MASLOW
Abraham
Maslow
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
• Abraham Maslow (1908 – 1970) introduced the
Neo-Human Relations School in the 1950’s,
which focused on the psychological needs of
employees.
• Maslow put forward a theory that there are five
levels of human needs
• All of the needs are structured into a hierarchy
• Once a level of need has been fully met, a
person will be motivated by the opportunity of
having the next need up in the hierarchy
satisfied
Maslows Hierarchy of Needs
Research Maslow’s
hierarchy and fill in your
template
Include the name of each
level and a description of
what each level means
Maslows Hierarchy of Needs
Self
Actualisation
Needs
Esteem
Needs
Social Needs
Safety Needs
Basic Needs
Which level of needs will each of these meet?
APPLYING MASLOW IN THE
WORKPLACE
Which need?
Paying workers a fair salary
Which need/needs?
Giving an employee a promotion
Which need/needs?
Having a staff Christmas party?
Which need/needs?
Employee of the month scheme
Which need/needs?
Providing protective clothing
Task
• How can employers aim to satisfy the
needs at each level of the hierarchy?
• Each group will take one need and
brainstorm ideas:
House points for
• Basic Needs
the best ideas.
• Safety Needs
• Social Needs
• Esteem Needs
• Self Actualisation
The hierarchy of needs
version 2.0????
Frederick Herzberg and Frederick Taylor
KEY MOTIVATION THEORIES
Frederick Herzberg:
Two Factor Theory
Task
• Let Frederick Herzberg introduce you
to his thoughts on what motivates
workers
• Watch the video ‘Jumping for
Jellybeans’
Questions:
• What are the 2 types of factors that
Herzberg identifies?
• What are some examples of these 2
factors?
• What is the difference between
movement and motivation?
• What is job enrichment?
• What is meant by KITA?
Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory
• Herzberg developed the idea of job
satisfaction
• In the right circumstances, people can
get pleasure from their work
• If people enjoy their work they will be
MOTIVATED
• Herzberg stated that MOTIVATION is
different to MOVEMENT
The Two Factors
Herzberg said that there are two types
of factors that affect workers
motivation
• Motivator Factors – Factors which if
present will motivate staff
• Hygiene Factors – Factors which will
not in themselves motivate, but will
demotivate staff if they are not present
Frederick W Taylor:
Scientific Management
What Taylor thought…..
Famous for applying his principles of
scientific management to the world of
work.
Taylor was interested to see whether a
job or work could be designed to
increase efficiency.
He tried to break down tasks into
smaller steps and look at exactly how
production actually worked.
Task
• Watch the video clip
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Pd
mNbqtDdI
Questions:
• What were Taylor’s core principles?
• What were the benefits of Taylor’s
approach?
• What were the problems of Taylor’s
approach?
• What was Taylor’s view on pay?
• What do you think Herzberg would
think of Taylor’s principles?
Taylor’s Views…..
•
•
•
•
•
Frederick Winslow Taylor (1856 – 1917) put forward the idea that
workers are motivated mainly by pay. His Theory of Scientific
Management argued that workers do not naturally enjoy work and so
need close supervision and control
Managers should break down production into a series of small tasks
Workers should then be given appropriate training and tools so they
can work as efficiently as possible on one set task.
He advocated Piece Rate Pay
Henry Ford adopted Taylors approach, as it increases productivity and
reduces unit costs.
However workers soon came to dislike Taylor’s approach as they were
only given boring, repetitive tasks to carry out and were being treated
little better than human machines. Firms could also afford to lay off
workers as productivity levels increased.
Poor Motivation at the Sandwich
Factory
• Gregg’s Sandwich Factory has a big problem
with their staff
• Labour turnover and absenteeism are high and
productivity has fallen
• Currently each member of staff on the
production line has their own section and are
paid the national minimum hourly wage
according to their age
• Staff always stay on their own section and due
to the way the factory is set up, has very little
interaction with other staff apart from at
lunchtimes
Task
• Each group takes on the theory of a
motivational theorist:
• Mayo
• Taylor
• Maslow
• Herzberg
Assuming you are following one
motivational theory, write detailed
suggestions on how you would improve
motivation at Greggs
Task
• Read the ‘Motivation at Tesco’ case
study and see how each of the
motivation theories have been
implemented
Homework
Herzberg’s theory states that ‘Pay is not
a motivator’. With reference to
Herzberg as well as other motivational
theorists discuss whether this view is
true (12 marks)
Knowledge 2
Application 3
Analysis 3
Evaluation 4