Motivating Workers

What is Motivation?

It is the main motive why employees want to work hard and effectively in an organisation.

Advantages

1. Suggestions for improvement
2. Low Labour Turnover
3. Low absenteeism rate

Types of Motivational Theories

1. Maslow Hierarchy of Needs – It is a motivational theory in physiology comprising a five-tier model of human needs often depicted as hierarchical levels within a pyramid.
2. Taylorism Theory – Also known as scientific management, and could be called as money as a motivator theory.
   • Such as: workers should be paid based on how much they produce (Piece Rate). However, this method could be biased if the number of outputs produced by each employee cannot be measured properly.
3. Herzberg two two-factor theory – It argues that there are two factors that an organization can adjust to influence motivation in a workplace.
   • The factors:
     • Motivators:- The job itself, Advancement, Growth
     • Hygiene Factors:- Supervisions, Working Conditions, Salary

Financial and Non-financial Factors

(i) The financial factors

1. Wages – Paid every week

Advantages	Disadvantages
More incentive to take overtimes	Increase the workload

2. Time rate – Paid on an hourly basis

Advantages	Disadvantages
Increase the revenue of the employee	Pretending to work

3. Piece rate – Paid on the amount produced

Advantages	Disadvantages
Work harder and be more productive	Less quantity of the product

4. Salary – Paid every month

Advantages	Disadvantages
Reduce the workload of the business	Disincentive to undertake overtime

(ii) Non-financial factors

1. Job satisfaction – satisfied with the work done
2. Job rotation – Shift jobs to avoid having the feeling of boredom or monotony.
3. Job enrichment – When the tasks require more skills and responsibilities to provide enough challenges to keep the employee motivated.