Motivation theories explain what drives employee behavior and how to enhance performance. Process theories focus on the cognitive aspects of motivation, examining how individuals make decisions about their actions in the workplace.
Key process theories include operant conditioning, , , and . These frameworks provide managers with practical tools to boost motivation through , fair treatment, clear goals, and aligning efforts with valued outcomes.
Process Theories of Motivation
Components of process motivation theories
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developed by suggests behavior is a function of its consequences and can be shaped through reinforcement and
Reinforcement strengthens behavior through positive reinforcement (adding a pleasant stimulus such as praise) or negative reinforcement (removing an unpleasant stimulus such as an undesirable task)
Punishment weakens behavior through positive punishment (adding an unpleasant stimulus such as a reprimand) or negative punishment (removing a pleasant stimulus such as a privilege)
Equity theory proposed by posits that employees compare their to others and inequity leads to tension and motivation to restore balance
Inputs include factors such as effort, skills, and experience while outputs encompass rewards, recognition, and status
Underrewarded employees may decrease inputs (reduce effort) or seek more outputs (ask for a raise) to restore equity
Overrewarded employees may increase inputs (work harder) or rationalize the inequity to reduce tension
Goal-setting theory developed by and emphasizes the motivational power of specific, challenging goals
Goals affect performance by directing attention, mobilizing effort, increasing persistence, and encouraging strategy development
Feedback on goal progress and employee commitment to the goals are important for goal effectiveness
theory proposed by suggests motivation depends on expectancy (belief effort leads to performance), (belief performance leads to outcomes), and (perceived value of outcomes)
Motivation can be calculated as Motivation=Expectancy×Instrumentality×Valence
Individuals make choices among alternatives to maximize their expected satisfaction based on the motivational force of each option
Goal-setting for employee motivation
Set specific, clear goals (increase sales by 10%) rather than vague or "do your best" goals to provide direction and enable progress tracking
Ensure goals are challenging but attainable as can inspire higher performance but impossible goals can demotivate
Example: incrementally increasing production targets from 100 to 110 units per hour rather than jumping to 200
Provide regular feedback on progress towards goals through metrics (sales figures) or check-ins to allow for goal adjustment and maintain motivation
Encourage employee participation in goal setting through discussions or suggestions to increase goal commitment and acceptance
Consider individual differences in goal preference as some prefer (develop a new skill) while others favor (exceed sales targets)
Use goals to prioritize and coordinate work efforts by aligning individual, team, and department goals with organizational objectives
Example: tie individual project milestones to company-wide strategic initiatives
Offer support and resources needed to achieve goals such as training, equipment, or mentorship to enable goal attainment
Expectancy theory in workplace scenarios
Employees assess their ability to perform a task (expectancy), so provide training and resources to boost confidence and ensure job demands match employee skills
Example: offer software training before expecting employees to use a new
Employees consider whether performance will lead to desired outcomes (instrumentality), so clearly link performance to rewards and recognition and follow through on promised rewards
Example: specify in advance that the top sales performer will earn a bonus and announce the winner publicly
Employees evaluate the attractiveness of potential outcomes (valence), so offer rewards that are valued by the individual, considering both intrinsic and
Example: let employees choose between extra vacation days or a gift card for achieving a goal
Managers can influence motivation by adjusting expectancy (clarify performance expectations), instrumentality (strengthen performance-reward link), and valence (offer desirable rewards)
Example: explain exactly how many products must be sold to earn each tier of rewards in a sales incentive program
Employees may choose among behavioral options based on motivational force calculated as Motivation=Expectancy×Instrumentality×Valence, pursuing the option with the highest force
Example: an employee may choose to focus on individual tasks (high expectancy of completion) rather than team projects (low instrumentality for individual rewards) based on motivational force
Additional Motivation Theories
proposes that individuals have three innate psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness
, a sub-theory of self-determination theory, focuses on how external factors affect
identifies five core job dimensions that influence motivation: skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback