MOTIVATION:

Motivation is the inner drive that directs a person’s behavior toward goals. Motivation can be
defined as a process which energizes, directs and sustains human behavior. In HRM the term
refers to person’s desire to do the best possible job or to exert the maximum effort to perform
assigned tasks. An important feature of motivation is that it is behavior directed towards goal.

Why is motivation important?

Motivation is important in getting and retaining people. Motivation tools act as the glue
that links individuals to organizational goals, In addition, make individuals go beyond
the job and be creative.
The Motivation Process
In its simplest form, the motivation process begins with a need; an individual’s
perception of a deficiency .For instance, an employee might feel the need for more
challenging work, for higher pay, for time off, or for the respect and admiration of
colleagues. These needs lead to thought processes that guide an employee’s decision to
satisfy them and to follow a particular course of action. If an employee’s chosen course
of action results in the anticipated out come and reward, that person is likely to be
motivated by the prospect of a similar reward to act the same way in the future.
However, if the employee’s action does not result in the expected reward, he or she is
unlikely to repeat the behavior. Thus, the reward acts as feedback mechanism to help
the individual evaluate the consequences of the behavior when considering futures
action.
Motivation is the Heart of HRM
Motivation is the inner drive that directs a person’s behavior toward goals. Motivation
can be defined as a process which energizes, directs and sustains human behavior. In
HRM the term refers to person’s desire to do the best possible job or to exert the
maximum effort to perform assigned tasks. An important feature of motivation is that it
is behavior directed towards goal.
Why is motivation important?
Motivation is important in getting and retaining people. Motivation tools act as the glue
that links individuals to organizational goals, In addition, make individuals go beyond
the job and be creative.
The Motivation Process
In its simplest form, the motivation process begins with a need; an individual’s
perception of a deficiency .For instance, an employee might feel the need for more
challenging work, for higher pay, for time off, or for the respect and admiration of
colleagues. These needs lead to thought processes that guide an employee’s decision to
satisfy them and to follow a particular course of action. If an employee’s chosen course
of action results in the anticipated out come and reward, that person is likely to be
motivated by the prospect of a similar reward to act the same way in the future.
However, if the employee’s action does not result in the expected reward, he or she is
unlikely to repeat the behavior. Thus, the reward acts as feedback mechanism to help
the individual evaluate the consequences of the behavior when considering futures
action.
Core Phases of the Motivational Process:
Need Identification: First phase of motivation process is need identification where
the employee feels his/her some unsatisfied need. The motivation process begins with
an unsatisfied need, which creates tension and drives an individual to search for goals
that, if attained, will satisfy the need and reduce the tension.
Searching Ways to satisfy needs: Second phase is finding the different alternatives
that can be used to satisfy the needs, which were felt in first stage. These needs lead to
thought processes that guide an employee’s decision to satisfy them and to follow a
particular course of action.
Selecting Goals: Once if the need is assessed and employee is able to find out the way
to satisfy the need than next phase is selection of goals to be performed.
Employee Performance: These needs lead to thought processes that guide an
employee’s decision to satisfy them and to follow a particular course of action in form of
performance.
Consequences of performance Reward/punishments: If an employee’s chosen
course of action results in the anticipated out come and reward, that person is likely to
be motivated by the prospect of a similar reward to act the same way in the future.
However, if the employee’s action does not result in
the expected reward, he or she is unlikely to repeat the behavior
Reassessment of Need deficiencies: Once felt need is satisfied through certain
rewards in response to performance than employee reassesses any deficiencies and
entire process is repeated again.
Methods for Motivating Employees for Employee Satisfaction
Rewards: People behave in ways that they believe are in their best interest, they
constantly look for payoffs for their efforts. They expect good job performance to lead to
organizational goal attainment, which in turn leads to satisfying their individual goals or
needs. Organization, then, use rewards to motivate people.
Challenging Jobs: Job design refers to the number and nature of activities in a
job. The key issue is whether jobs should be more specialized or more enriched and non-
routine. Job design has been implemented in several ways. Job
enlargement assigns workers to additional same-level tasks to increase the number of
tasks they have to perform. Job rotation systematically moves workers from job to job.
Job enrichment means building motivators like opportunities for achievement into the
job by making it more interesting and challenging. Forming natural work groups,
combining tasks, establishing client relationships, vertically loading the job, and having
open feedback channels may implement Job enrichment.
Using Merit Pay: A merit raise is a salary increase, usually permanent, that is based
on the employee’s individual performance. It is a continuing increment rather than a
single payment like a bonus. Relying heavily on merit rewards can be a problem because
the reinforcement benefits of merit pay is usually only determined once per year.
Using Spot Awards: A spot award is one given to an employee as soon as the laudable
performance is observed. These awards are consistent with principles of motivation
because they are contingent on good performance and are awarded immediately.
Using Skill-Based Pay: With skill-based pay, employees are paid for the range, depth,
and types of skills and knowledge they are capable of using rather than for the job they
currently hold. Skillbased pay is consistent with motivation theory because people have
a self-concept in which they seek to fulfill their potential. The system also appeals to the
employee’s sense of self-efficacy because the reward is a formal and concrete recognition
that the person can do the more
challenging job well.
Using Recognition: Some employees highly value day-to-day recognition from their
supervisors, peers and team members because it is important for their work to be
appreciated by others. Recognition helps satisfy the need people have to achieve and be
recognized for their achievement.
Using Job Redesign: Job design refers to the number and nature of activities in a job.
The key issue is whether jobs should be more specialized or more enriched and
nonroutine. Job design has been implemented in several ways. Job enlargement assigns
workers to additional same-level tasks to increase the number of tasks they have to
perform. Job rotation systematically moves workers
from job to job. Job enrichment means building motivators like opportunities for
achievement into the job by making it more interesting and challenging. Job enrichment
may be implemented by forming natural work groups, combining tasks, establishing
client relationships, vertically loading the job, and having open feedback channels.
Using Empowerment: Empowerment means giving employees the authority, tools,
and information they need to do their jobs with greater autonomy, as well as the self-
confidence to perform new jobs effectively. Empowerment boosts employees’ feelings of
self-efficacy and enables them to use their potential more fully.
Using Goal-Setting Methods: People are strongly motivated to achieve goals they
consciously set. Setting goals with employees can be a very effective way of motivating
them. Goals should be clear and specific, measurable and verifiable, challenging but
realistic, and set with participation.
Using Positive Reinforcement: Positive reinforcement programs rely on operant
conditioning principles to supply positive reinforcement and change behavior. Experts
claim it is better to focus on improving desirable behaviors rather than on decreasing
undesirable ones. There are a variety of consequences including social consequences
(e.g., peer approval or praise from the boss),
intrinsic consequences (e.g., the enjoyment the person gets from accomplishing
challenging tasks), or tangible consequences (e.g., bonuses or merit raises).
Using Lifelong Learning: Lifelong learning can be used to deal with problems of
downsizing and employee commitment, and to counterbalance their negative effects. It
provides extensive continuing training and education, from basic remedial skills to
advanced decision-making techniques, throughout the employees’ careers, which
provide employees the opportunity to boost
their self-efficacy and self- actualization.
Challenges of motivating employees:
Motivation is not a simple subject; no two people respond to precisely the same set of
motivators. Mangers face several pressing issues that complicate the challenges of
motivating their employees.
Workforce Diversity: the composition of the workforce becoming less homogeneous.
This diversity complicates the task of motivating employees because mangers must
consider so many more motivational variables
Organizational Restructuring: The wave of mergers and acquisitions is followed by
massive layoffs that represent another challenge. Employees who have been let go for
reason unrelated to their performance may question whether initiative and creativity are
 now less important than political survival skills. Moreover, employees who have seen
colleagues’ loss their jobs may concentrate on keeping their own jobs and may stop
taking risks –risk that might lead to new products, new markets, or other advances.
Fewer Entry-level Employees: The labor force is growing at half the rate of the
previous decade; the number of qualified candidates for most entry-level positions is
decreasing. In such a tight labor market, mangers face new challenges in attracting;
retaining and motivating qualified entry-level employees. Managers must also
determine how to motivate under qualified candidates to upgrade their skills and
education so that they can handle the entry-level tasks.
An oversupply of managers: In the middle and top ranks of management, quite
different phenomenon is causing organizational headaches. The number of senior
management positions is far fewer than the number of deserving candidates, and the
trend toward flatter organizations only makes matters worse for people who want to
climb the hierarchal ladder. As managers in organizations come to grips with these
increasingly urgent challenges, they must understate the forces that derive employees’
actions, how employees channel their actions towards goals, and how high performance
behavior can be sustained.
Types

There are two types of motivation, Intrinsic and Extrinsic motivation. It's important to
understand that we are not all the same; thus effectively motivating your employees
requires that you gain an understanding of the different types of motivation. Such an
understanding will enable you to better categorize your team members and apply the
appropriate type of motivation. You will find each member different and each member's
motivational needs will be varied as well. Some people respond best to intrinsic which
means "from within" and will meet any obligation of an area of their passion. Quite the
reverse, others will respond better to extrinsic motivation which, in their world,
provides that difficult tasks can be dealt with provided there is a reward upon
completion of that task. Become an expert in determining which type will work best
with which team members.

Intrinsic Motivation
Intrinsic motivation means that the individual's motivational stimuli are coming from
within. The individual has the desire to perform a specific task, because its results are
in accordance with his belief system or fulfills a desire and therefore importance is
attached to it.

Our deep-rooted desires have the highest motivational power. Below are some
examples:

 Acceptance: We all need to feel that we, as well as our decisions, are accepted by our
co-workers.
 Curiosity: We all have the desire to be in the know.
 Honor: We all need to respect the rules and to be ethical.
 Independence: We all need to feel we are unique.
 Order: We all need to be organized.
 Power: We all have the desire to be able to have influence.
 Social contact: We all need to have some social interactions.
 Social Status: We all have the desire to feel important.

Extrinsic Motivation
Extrinsic motivation means that the individual's motivational stimuli are coming from
outside. In other words, our desires to perform a task are controlled by an outside
source. Note that even though the stimuli are coming from outside, the result of
performing the task will still be rewarding for the individual performing the task.

Extrinsic motivation is external in nature. The most well-known and the most debated
motivation is money. Below are some other examples:

 Employee of the month award

 Benefit package
 Bonuses
 Organized activities