James Roberts
PSY/320
January 21, 2010
Dr. Sarah Christensen
Workplace Motivational Theory Assembling theories about how motivational processes work transpire through research on motivation and emotion and elude personal insights (Reeve, 2009). In assessing the scientific merit of motivational theories, hypothesis can spawn and put to objective empirical testing (Reeve, 2009). Motivational concepts one chooses should be meticulously chosen, and continuously assessed in contrast to new findings, with inadequate findings set aside, improving functional concepts, and new concepts always sought (Reeve, 2009). At University hospital radiology department, employees appear to motive themselves through employee evaluation tools that compensate worker achievement, team participation, and idea sharing. Individual employees use both employer objectives and self-improvement goals to attain a monetary percentage bonus based on the previous yearly evaluation period. The goal setting theory once applicable to each individual employee is no longer relevant as management is taking cost saving measures through elimination of the evaluation bonuses in conjunction with the approval of a $750 million construction project to improve university hospital and its downtown medical facility. Because motivation starts with a need, dream, vision, or desire to achieve, the previous evaluation system motivates employees to set goals with a monetary motivational dynamic as their accomplishment (Maxwell, 2008). Goals set forth by employees and their supervisors generate an energetic function affecting individual persistence in obtaining predetermined goals, indirectly leading to use of task relevant knowledge and strategies for the betterment of the individual employee and his or her workplace (Locke and Latham, 2002). Through employees and supervisors setting attainable objectives, employees look for additional responsibilities and become
References: Bouchard, J. (2007). The actual act of motivation and engagement in the workplace. DCPP LLC. Hrcases. 2008. US CEO compensation trends. Retrieved from http://hrcases.wordpress.com/ category/hr-surveys/ Maxwell, J.R. (2008). Work system design to improve the economic performance of the firm. Business Process Management Journal, 14(3), p. 432-446. Retrieved from Proust database. Reeve, J. (2009). Understanding motivation and emotion (5th ed.). Available from the University of Phoenix eBook Collection database.