Understanding what motivated employees and how they were motivated was the focus of many researchers following the publication of the Hawthorne Study results (Terpstra, 1979). Five major approaches that have led to our understanding of motivation are Maslow 's need-hierarchy theory, Herzberg 's two- factor theory, Vroom 's expectancy theory, Adams ' equity theory, and Skinner 's reinforcement theory. John Stacey Adams ' Equity Motivation Theory allows you to put workplace psychology into action and increase your own or your team 's motivation. Adams ' equity theory builds on Maslow 's Hierarchy of Needs and Herzberg 's Two Factor Theory, and was first presented in 1963. (Adams, 1965)
Adams’ Equity Theory calls for a fair balance to be struck between an employee’s inputs (hard work, skill level, tolerance, enthusiasm, etc.) and an employee’s outputs (salary, benefits, intangibles such as recognition, etc.). According to the theory, finding this fair balance serves to ensure a strong and productive relationship is achieved with the employee, with the overall result being contented, motivated employees. John Stacey Adams, a workplace and behavioral psychologist, put forward his Equity Theory on job motivation in 1963. There are similarities in the simpler theories of Maslow, Herzberg and other pioneers of workplace psychology, in that the theory acknowledges the subtle and variable factors affect each individual 's assessment and perception of their relationship with their work and thereby their employer. The theory is built-on the belief that employees become de-motivated, both in relation to their job and their employer, if they feel as though their inputs are greater than the outputs. Employees can be expected to respond to this in different ways, including de-motivation (generally to the extent the employee perceives the
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