Expectant Theory of Motivation

The expectancy theory of motivation suggests that the way a person acts is based on the assumption of what the outcome will be. The employee will exert more effort if it is believed that the reward will satisfy a specific personal goal or specific achievement. An example of this type of behavior would be to volunteer for extra work at the office in an effort to be considered for the next promotion.
There are three components and relationships in the expectancy theory of motivation. The first component is the effort-performance relationship. This relates to the probability perceived by the employee that exerting a given amount will lead to performance. In this case, an employee’s low motivation is in his or her belief that no matter how hard they work, the likelihood of obtaining positive feedback from a manager is low. What is the motivation to succeed? There is no difference in pay for the employees who produce better results. For those who put forth the effort, the reward is not worth the time and effort that was applied. In an effort to motivate the employees, both supervisors should meet and discuss ways to create incentives for the employees to perform better. For example, the Company could create a rewards program. The employees could earn points for meeting quality and production goals and this can go towards extra time off, gifts, bonus, etc. The supervisors also need to verbally recognize the employees who do meet the goals. Sometimes a “thank you” and just acknowledging the hard work from your employees can go a long way.
The second is performance-reward relationship. This considers the degree in which an employee believes that performing at a certain level will lead to a desired outcome. What do I have to do to get promoted? If an employee performs at a high level consistently, what is the motivation to keep doing so? The supervisors in this situation need to show the employees the big picture of how their contribution can benefit the Company and in