9.7 From Motivation Theory to Application

Motivating Employees through Job Design and Work Scheduling

Motivation theories are only useful if managers can actually apply them. This section covers the practical tools companies use to keep employees engaged: redesigning jobs to be more meaningful, offering flexible schedules, and using economic incentives to reward performance.

Job Enlargement and Enrichment Techniques

Three main strategies let managers redesign jobs to increase motivation:

Job enlargement expands the scope of a job by adding more tasks at the same skill level. The goal is to increase variety and reduce monotony. For example, a data entry clerk might also handle customer inquiries. This can boost motivation, though it may require additional training so the employee can handle the new responsibilities.

Job enrichment goes a step further by giving employees more autonomy, decision-making power, and control over how they do their work. Where enlargement adds more tasks, enrichment adds deeper tasks. A software developer given the freedom to design and implement new features, rather than just coding to spec, is experiencing job enrichment. This taps into intrinsic motivation by creating a sense of ownership and letting employees use their creativity.

Job rotation moves employees between different tasks or positions within the organization. A retail associate might rotate between the sales floor, stockroom, and customer service desk. Rotation broadens skills, reduces boredom, and helps managers identify where each employee's strengths lie.

Work-Scheduling Options for Motivation

Beyond what employees do, when and where they work also affects motivation. Four common scheduling strategies:

• Flexible working hours (flextime) let employees choose their start and end times within a set range. An employee might start at 7 AM to avoid rush hour. This accommodates individual preferences and peak productivity times, reducing stress and improving work-life balance.
• Compressed workweeks condense the standard workweek into fewer, longer days. The most common version is four 10-hour days, giving employees a three-day weekend. This cuts commuting time and costs while providing more days off.
• Telecommuting allows employees to work remotely, either part-time or full-time. An employee might work from home two days a week. This eliminates commuting stress and offers flexibility, but it requires clear communication and performance metrics to stay effective.
• Job sharing splits one full-time position between two part-time employees, each working around 20 hours per week. This helps organizations retain skilled employees who need part-time arrangements due to personal commitments. It does require strong coordination between the two partners.

Motivating Employees through Economic Incentives

Economic Incentives in Employee Motivation

Economic incentives are a form of extrinsic motivation, meaning the drive comes from external rewards rather than from the work itself. Different incentive structures work best in different situations:

• Piece-rate pay compensates employees based on the number of units produced or tasks completed. A factory worker paid per item assembled has a direct link between effort and reward. The risk is that employees may prioritize quantity over quality if the system isn't carefully managed.
• Bonuses provide additional compensation for hitting specific goals or milestones. A salesperson might receive a bonus for exceeding quarterly sales targets. Bonuses can be tied to individual, team, or company performance, and they align employee efforts with organizational objectives. One downside: they can create short-term thinking if not balanced with long-term goals.
• Profit-sharing distributes a portion of the company's profits among employees. This fosters a sense of ownership and encourages teamwork, since everyone benefits from the company's overall success. The tradeoff is that the link between any one person's effort and the reward is less direct, which can weaken individual motivation.
• Stock options grant employees the right to purchase company stock at a predetermined price. This aligns employee interests with long-term company growth and helps attract and retain top talent. Stock options tend to be less motivating for risk-averse employees or those focused on short-term compensation.

Theories of Motivation

These are the major motivation theories you should know, each offering a different lens on why people are motivated:

• Maslow's hierarchy of needs proposes that human needs form a pyramid, from basic physiological needs (food, shelter) at the bottom to self-actualization (reaching your full potential) at the top. People generally must satisfy lower-level needs before higher-level ones become motivating.
• Herzberg's two-factor theory separates workplace factors into two categories: hygiene factors (like pay, job security, and working conditions) prevent dissatisfaction but don't actively motivate, while motivators (like recognition, responsibility, and growth) actually drive satisfaction and engagement.
• Equity theory suggests employees are motivated when they perceive fairness. They compare their own inputs (effort, skill) and outcomes (pay, recognition) to those of coworkers. Perceived inequity leads to dissatisfaction and reduced effort.
• Expectancy theory says motivation depends on three beliefs: that effort will lead to good performance, that good performance will lead to rewards, and that those rewards are actually valuable to the employee.
• Goal-setting theory emphasizes that specific, challenging, and attainable goals motivate better than vague ones like "do your best." Clear targets give employees direction and a sense of accomplishment when reached.