Motivation Paper

Motivation Paper Five basic motivation theories have been developed over the years and used in corporations nation-wide to develop and maintain healthy and strong work environments. Motivation is described as "the individual forces that account for the direction, level, and persistence of a person's effort expended at work" (Schermerhorn, J.R., Hunt, J.G., & Osborn, R.N., 2005). In the hopes to achieve the best work possible from employees, JAMS Toy Store uses different motivation theories with the three main groups of employees; salespeople, production workers, and administrative staff. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, the ERG Theory, the Two-Factor Theory, Equity Theory, and the Expectancy Theory are the five basic motivational theories
used for the appropriate group of employees. The following will examine which theory best suits each of the three employee groups, listed above, with the JAMS Toy Store.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Theory contends "human beings are motivated by unsatisfied needs, and that certain lower needs need to be satisfied before higher needs can be satisfied" (Gwynne, 1997).
Physiological, safety, love, and esteem needs must be met in order to attain an unselfish attitude or self-actualization. Physiological needs include air, water, and sleep; safety needs are more of a psychological nature and have to do with a desire to feel safe and secure within the home environment; love and a sense of needing to belong needs are fulfilled by being part of a group, whether in the community or at work; esteem needs are met when one is able to excel at a task or receives praise from others. Finally, "the need for self-actualization is the desire to become more and more what one is, to become everything that one is capable of becoming"
(1997). The administrative staff at JAMS Toy Store would be fulfilling the love or sense of belonging and esteem needs, and even self-actualization, of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. According to Encarta Dictionary, administer means "to be in charge of, to manage the affairs of a business, organization, or institution" (Encarta, 2005). Employees generally belong to some type of organization, such as Administrative Professionals, National Association of Personnel, or other business-type of organization, thus fulfilling the need to be part of a group. The esteem needs are met when these individuals are recognized by others for the work they have done in developing and implementing new programs that lead to efficiency in the workplace. Once the employees have obtained the sense of belonging and recognition, they are well on their way to achieving all they can be, leading to self-actualization.
ERG (Alderfer)
Clayton Alderfer's existence, relatedness, and growth (ERG) Theory is motivation, based on those three groups of needs.
Existence needs reflect all forms of material and psychological desires. Money, for example, would fill the existence need since food and shelter require money. Relatedness needs "center on or is built upon the desire to establish and maintain interpersonal relationships" (nwlink.com, 2005). Coworkers would take up this need since relationships are formed at the workplace. The growth need would push an individual to make productive effects on himself or herself by development. Within the ERG Theory, "an already satisfied lower-level need can become activated when a higher-level need cannot be satisfied" (Schermerhorn, et al., 2005). This means that a not so important need could be the goal when a more important need cannot be
reached.
JAMS Toy Store has many employees that are motivated in different ways. Salespeople could use the ERG Theory effectively. People who work in sales strive to do the best they can in order to support themselves and their families. The salespeople that work for JAMS Toy Store are motivated by the three groups of needs that the ERG Theory is based upon. First, the existence need is just that, existence. The need for existence lies in the salespeople's pay checks. Some may even work on a commission. The more toys in which one sells, the more money he or she might make. The more money he or she makes, the more material things he or she can buy. Second, the relatedness need would also reflect on the employees' attitude. He or she has something in common with the other individuals; they are there to sell. This may bring respect from the other salespeople at JAMS Toy Store which will give one a feeling of acceptance and understanding. This could motivate the employee by having him or her look forward to coming to work each day even more. Lastly, with the growth need comes satisfaction and completeness in the workplace. By gaining personal development, the salesperson will not only gain knowledge of the toys within his or her department, but will also gain the confidence that is needed to succeed at JAMS Toy Store.
Two-Factor Theory
At JAMS Toys, Inc., our production staff consists of 25 workers. Upper management implemented the Two-Factor Theory by Frederick Herzberg, which is broken down into motivational and hygiene factors. The motivational factor regulates higher performance in a production staff while the hygiene factor enforces a workers satisfaction in their job.
Management realized the need for this change to improve job performance. The first motivational step was to regain employee interest in their daily job by recognizing the employee's achievements. Second, the recognition begins when management provides the necessary tools for each employee to reach his or her fullest potential; thereby, allowing growth and advancement.
An impact on the production staff to improve performance is linked to working conditions, job security, and interpersonal relationships. Providing quality supervisors that implement company policies enhances an employee's feeling of being secure in his or her position. The company is responsible for maintaining an atmosphere that provides quality training to allow advancements that are rewarded according to industry standards. "Herzberg theory suggests that often work can and should be arranged in the following ways: - job enlargement - job rotation, and/or - job enrichment" (Valued Based Management, 2005).
With this in mind, rotation of shifts will be considered to improve job skills. By allowing cross-training, employees can become more efficient not only for self-satisfaction but also to improve company performance and production. In an interview in 1971, Frederick Herzberg commented:
"Fundamental to Herzberg's position is the notion that motivation is a result of personal growth and is based on an innate need to grow. What this means is that people find satisfaction in work that is interesting and challenging" (Ratzburg, 2001).