Question

Compare and contrast three motivational theories (pertaining to employee training and development). Explain specifically how one of these three can be applied to a training situation.

Answer 1

Motivational theories

1. Hertzberg’s Two-Factor Theory

The Two-Factor Theory of motivation (otherwise known as dual-factor theory or motivation-hygiene theory) was developed by psychologist Frederick Herzberg in the 1950s.

Analysing the responses of 200 accountants and engineers who were asked about their positive and negative feelings about their work, Herzberg found 2 factors that influence employee motivation and satisfaction…

1. Motivator factors – Simply put, these are factors that lead to satisfaction and motivate employees to work harder. Examples might include enjoying your work, feeling recognised and career progression.
2. Hygiene factors – These factors can lead to dissatisfaction and a lack of motivation if they are absent. Examples include salary, company policies, benefits, relationships with managers and co-workers.

According to Herzberg’s findings, while motivator and hygiene factors both influenced motivation, they appeared to work completely independently of each other…

While motivator factors increased employee satisfaction and motivation, the absence of these factors didn’t necessarily cause dissatisfaction. Likewise, the presence of hygiene factors didn’t appear to increase satisfaction and motivation but their absence caused an increase in dissatisfaction.

How to apply it to the workplace

This theory implies that for the happiest and most productive workforce, you need to work on improving both motivator and hygiene factors.

To help motivate your employees, make sure they feel appreciated and supported. Give plenty of feedback and make sure your employees understand how they can grow and progress through the company.

To prevent job dissatisfaction, make sure that your employees feel that they are treated right by offering them the best possible working conditions and fair pay. Make sure you pay attention to your team and form supportive relationships with them.

Don’t forget that all of your employees are different and what motivates one person might not motivate another. Paul Hebert of Symbolist believes that benefits packages should not be one-size-fits all…

“For true engagement to occur in a company you must first remove the issues that cause dissatisfaction – the baseline benefits offered by the company that satisfy the hygiene needs of the employee. Then you must focus on the individual and what they want out of their association with your enterprise.”

2. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

The Hierarchy of Needs theory was coined by psychologist Abraham Maslow in his 1943 paper “A Theory of Human Motivation”.

The crux of the theory is that individuals’ most basic needs must be met before they become motivated to achieve higher level needs.

The hierarchy is made up of 5 levels:

1. Physiological – these needs must be met in order for a person to survive, such as food, water and shelter.
2. Safety – including personal and financial security and health and wellbeing.
3. Love/belonging – the need for friendships, relationships and family.
4. Esteem – the need to feel confident and be respected by others.
5. Self-actualisation – the desire to achieve everything you possibly can and become the most that you can be.

According to the hierarchy of needs, you must be in good health, safe and secure with meaningful relationships and confidence before you are able to be the most that you can be.

How to apply it to the workplace

Chip Conley, founder of the Joie de Vivre hotel chain and Head of Hospitality at Airbnb, used the Hierarchy of Needs pyramid to transform his business. According to Chip, many managers struggle with the abstract concept of self actualization and so focus on lower levels of the pyramid instead.

Conley found one way of helping with higher levels was to help his employees understand the meaning of their roles during a staff retreat…

“In one exercise, we got groups of eight housekeepers at a table and asked an abstract question: if someone from Mars came down and saw what you were doing as a housekeeper in a hotel, what name would they call you? They came up with “The Serenity Sisters,” “The Clutter Busters,” and “The Peace of Mind Police.” There was a sense that people were doing more than just cleaning a room. They were creating a space for a traveler who was far away from home to feel safe and protected.”

Conley’s team were able to realise the importance of their job to the company and to the people they were helping. By showing them the value of their roles, the team were able to feel respected and motivated to work harder.

In order to get the most out of your team, you should also make sure you support them in other aspects of their lives outside work. Perhaps you could offer flexible working hours to give employees time to focus on their families and make sure they are paid fairly to help them feel financially stable.

3. Hawthorne Effect

The Hawthorne Effect was first described by Henry A. Landsberger in 1950 who noticed a tendency for some people to work harder and perform better when they were being observed by researchers.

The Hawthorne Effect is named after a series of social experiments on the influence of physical conditions on productivity at Western Electric’s factory at Hawthorne, Chicago in the 1920s and 30s.

The researchers changed a number of physical conditions over the course of the experiments including lighting, working hours and breaks. In all cases, employee productivity increased when a change was made. The researchers concluded that employees became motivated to work harder as a response to the attention being paid to them, rather than the actual physical changes themselves.

How to apply it to the workplace

The Hawthorne Effect studies suggest that employees will work harder if they know they’re being observed. While I don’t recommend hovering over your employees watching them all day, you could try providing regular feedback, letting your team know that you know what they’re up to and how they’re doing.

Showing your employees that you care about them and their working conditions may also motivate them to work harder. Encourage your team to give you feedback and suggestions about their workspace and development.

A work force filled with people eager to learn and develop is a sure sign a company hired well. Employees who are engaged in their jobs and careers want to know more about their company and industry and to learn skills that will improve their performance. Employers who want to harness the full value of their employees and foster loyalty and retention will find training is a winning prospect for all involved.

Using Two factor theory in training

Understanding :

Each employee contributes to an organization's overall function. Only, not everyone sees how that occurs. Employees with specific and limited scope jobs can easily come to feel they are just a cog in the wheel whose work may not be that important. Training can help employees understand how their work fits into their company's structure, mission, goals and achievements. As a result, employees can become more motivated and excited about their work as they understand how what they do matters to the success of the organization.

Improvement :

Employees often know as well or better than managers when their work, processes or productivity could be better. In many cases, employees are missing the tools, education or organization to achieve their potential. Training--particularly for departments, workgroups and teams--can help get things on track to improve work quality and outcomes. As a result, people feel happier in their work and more excited about the prospects of success.

Career Development :

Many workers join their organizations not just to have a job but to develop a career. Opportunities for advancement are essential to employee retention and performance. However, if these prospects exist only in theory, workers can become disenfranchised. Training helps employees realize their goals by giving them the education they need not only to do their jobs better but to learn about new aspects of business and even higher-level managerial skills they can use down the line.

Training is an investment employers make in their work force. When companies offer training and education to their employees, they indicate that they value their people and the contributions they make. They also send a message that the organization values progress -- both in organizational achievements as well in the careers of its people. Naturally, this creates attachment, loyalty and enthusiasm among staff.