Effective Motivation

1. Effective Motivation Frank Stauble Organization Development ENM 582

2. The Need for Motivation • Management’s goal: Get the job done effectively • Requires job performance by employees • Job performance = f (motivation) (ability) • Motivation is key to management Frank Stauble

3. What Is Motivation • Desire to put forth effort • Intensity of effort • Capabilities are the limiting factor • Directed towards organizational goals • Effort toward unintended are waste • Sustained periods • Sustained long enough to complete goal Frank Stauble

4. Low Performance: Is There a Motivational Problem? • What is the root cause of the problem? • Problem analysis • Describe problem thoroughly: Separate fact and opinion • Whose performance is not adequate? • What specific behavior? • When problem first occurred and when since? • What is the extent of the problem? Frank Stauble

5. Low Performance: Is There a Motivational Problem? • Performance comparisons • Individual’s various tasks • Individual in previous work place • Others performing the same job • Define differences • Between the problem and normal performance • IS and IS NOT exploration is often helpful • Identify any changes in the work environment • Generate and test possible causes • Verify cause with confirming evidence Frank Stauble

6. Low Performance: Is There a Motivational Problem? • Why root cause? • Other problems are only symptoms of root • Failing to find, will result in temporary solutions • Findings: often the root is not motivational • Intervening problems • Individual is motivated, but performance limited by factors beyond individual’s control • Lack of motivation exist but was not root cause • Only a symptom of root cause • Overload, job incompatibility…. Frank Stauble

7. Low Performance: Is There a Motivational Problem? • Solutions (non-motivational cause) • Address root cause • Adjustments to job • Adjustment to job relationships • Elimination of communication problems • Clear and explicit instruction • True motivational problems - addressed by motivational theory and practice Frank Stauble

8. Preventing Problems • Problem prevention is often overlooked • The best time to prevent a problem is • Before it occurs • Before employee is frustrated • Before unnecessary work disruptions • Prevents loss of productivity Frank Stauble

9. Preventing Problems • How? • Honesty and accuracy when hiring • Result in close job/employee fit • Normal consideration in decisions • Clear communication • Honesty during evaluations • Employees knows what to expect in future Frank Stauble

10. Motivational Theory • Theories provide background • Basis for motivation in practice • Provide familiarity with terminology • Need theories • Motivation is explained by fulfillment of needs • Separate need into various number of internal and external drives • Often criticized and only moderately effective Frank Stauble

11. Motivational Theory • Reinforcement Theory • Human behavior is a function of consequences • Very good at predicting productivity and absenteeism • Equity Theory • People compare their performance and benefit received to others • Inequity is eliminated by various means up to quitting • Good predictor of absenteeism and turnover Frank Stauble

12. Motivational Theory • Expectancy Theory • Effort is dependent upon likelihood of desire outcome that will result in an attractive award • Sometimes viewed as idealistic • Explains low effort • Goal Setting Theory • Specific and difficult goals with feedback results in increased performance • Excellent in predicting productivity Frank Stauble

13. Motivation in Practice:Financial Motivation • How important is money? • Many sources list as most important • Others minimize importance • US department of labor study • White-collar workers listed money as 10th • Blue-collar workers list as most important • Importance varies by individual • Necessary to maintain lifestyle Frank Stauble

14. Motivation in Practice:Financial Motivation • Equity plays a key role • Lack of equitable pay will likely cause loss of motivation • Comparisons are made to others, both inside and outside the company • Therefore, pay below norm acts as a hygiene factor • Lack of money is a disincentive Frank Stauble

15. Motivation in Practice:Financial Motivation • People will do almost anything for money • The higher the degree of job dissatisfaction, the more rapidly motivation will decline, despite money • Monetary compensation above equilibrium is often only a temporary solution • Money in not necessarily a permanent motivator • As excess monetary compensation is increased, there is a diminishing return Frank Stauble

16. Motivation in Practice:Financial Motivation • Variable Pay Programs • Piece-rate, profit-sharing, gainsharing… • Tie pay to performance • Benefits to company • Convert fixed costs into variable costs • Does not permanently increase salaries • Effectiveness • To be effective, a strong relationship between performance and rewards is needed Frank Stauble

17. Motivation in Practice:Financial Motivation • Skill-based Pay Programs • Pay based upon skills possessed • Increases flexibility • Improves communication • Gives employees opportunity to grow and accept new challenges • Can increase productivity and job satisfaction Frank Stauble

18. Motivation in Practice:Management by Objective • MBO • Based upon goal setting theory • Specific and difficult goals with feedback results in increased performance • Adds involvement by employee in goal setting to increase acceptance • Excellent at improving productivity • With difficult yet realistic goals Frank Stauble

19. Motivation in PracticeAdditional Tools • Recognition • Very powerful and low cost • Visibility improves and encourages others • Involvement • Use a wider range of employee skills • Increase commitment • Gives employee control and responsibility • Control over items that personally affect Frank Stauble

20. Motivation in PracticeAdditional Tools • Flexibility • Flexibility can be used to better meet individual needs and therefore increase motivation • Flextime, compressed work weeks, flexible benefits and job sharing are common examples Frank Stauble

21. Motivation in PracticeGeneral Comments • There are no universal solutions • Individual needs must be addressed • People have a wide range of rewards they desire • Individuals make comparisons • Although different tools are used, equity should be maintained • Use clear and visible goals along with honest evaluation. Known objectives give understanding of future Frank Stauble

22. Motivation in PracticeGeneral Comments • Motivational techniques used should be diverse and comprehensive • Clearly link rewards to performance • Incentives should not cause employees to compete: Teamwork is needed • Motivation requires: • Employee has a desire • Tie the reward to goals • Provides link to effort • Must be possible and deliverable Frank Stauble

23. Sources Desler, Gary. Human Resource Management. 7th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1997. pp. 481-490. Kepner, Charles H., Benjamin B. Tregoe, The New Rational Manager. Princeton, NJ: Kepner-Tregoe, Inc., 1981. pp. 185-199. Mondy, R. Wayne, Shane R. Premeaux. Management Concepts, Practices, and Skills. 6th ed. Needham Heights, Mass: Allyn and Bacon, 1993. pp. 294-321. Robbins, Stephen P. Organizational Behavior. 9th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 2001. pp. 155-208. Frank Stauble