Edinburgh Napier University

Management and Organisational Change

HRM11117
TR2 2022-23
[Name]
[Institution’s Name]
[Date]

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 Table of Contents
Introduction..............................................................................................................................3
Background and Key Issues....................................................................................................3
Theoretical Framework............................................................................................................4
Content Theory of Motivation...............................................................................................4
Process Theory of Motivation: Expectancy Theory..............................................................5
Process Theory of Motivation: Equity Theory.......................................................................6
Analysis and Application..........................................................................................................7
Recommendations...................................................................................................................8
Conclusion...............................................................................................................................8
References.............................................................................................................................10

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Introduction
Ms. Betty is an administrative employee at a university. She has been employed there for 15
years, has been exceptional with her attendance, and is fairly dedicated to her job. She has
applied for a promotion but has been unsuccessful on three occasions. She has had an
opportunity for educational advancement, but the university does not provide financial
support for employees regarding tuition. Ms Betty is dissatisfied, and her behaviour reflects a
lack of motivation. In this case, motivation theories will be used to explain why Ms. Betty is
not motivated and what can be done to motivate her. Applying motivation theory to Ms
Betty's case requires exploring motivation theories that can be broken down into content
theories that focus on the needs that must be satisfied for motivation. Process, as theories,
focus on the cognitive processes which affect an individual's level of motivation (Ryan et al.,
2019; Urhahne & Wijnia, 2023). Using a content theory (Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs) and
two process theories (Expectancy Theory and Equity Theory), Ms Betty's situation of having
diminishing motivation due to promotion attempts and her university employment education
opportunities will be analysed (World of Work Project, 2019; Saracho, 2019). This will
explain what the underlying problems are and what strategies to put in place to re-engage
Ms Betty.

Background and Key Issues

Ms. Betty, a reliable administrative staff member at a university, has churned out work with a
consistent smile and strong interpersonal skills for the past 15 years. While she met every
deadline, her attempts to advance her career went unrewarded. She has applied for
promotions at least three times in the last three years, only to find herself outgunned by
formal qualifications but less experience than new colleagues. Her equally modest requests
for educational support to undertake a postgraduate diploma course were officially denied
due to budget cuts. Ms Betty’s waning motivation is characterised by a unique combination
of lack of recognition and advancement with increasing disregard for her personal and
professional growth within the organisation. Her de-motivation state is typical of many
employees feeling undervalued and stuck in their roles, leading to falling motivation and job
satisfaction.

Work motivation cannot be overstated. Employees with a strong sense of motivation are
more likely to commit higher levels of productivity, exhibit better performance and engage in
more positive behaviour and attitudes that contribute to creating a positive culture in the
workplace and contribute enormously to the overall success (Albrecht et al., 2015; Kooij et
al., 2014). Conversely, employees lacking motivation are less efficient, exhibit higher

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turnover rates, and have a negative impact on the work environment, with associated effects
on profits and customer satisfaction (Bakker & Demerouti, 2017; Ryan & Deci, 2017).
Therefore, it is essential to understand and address each factor that influences employees'
motivation to foster and maintain a productive, satisfied, and dynamic workforce.

Theoretical Framework
Content Theory of Motivation
Content theories of motivation, such as Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Herzberg's Two-
Factor Theory, are concerned with identifying and understanding the specific factors that
motivate individuals. In contrast to Maslow's notion that unsatisfied needs will motivate,
Herzberg argues that only by meeting hygiene factors can a base level of contentment.
When these prevent dissatisfaction, unhappiness will be prevented, but you will not
necessarily be on the path to joy. Moreover, it is only entirely by considering what the factors
that make people satisfied are—e.g., achievement, recognition, and work itself—that we can
truly do something about improving motivation (Herzberg, 1959; SodexoEngage, 2021).
Seeing Ms Betty's declining motivation through the lens of these theories might lead to her
unmet needs (specifically, esteem—recognition, status; and self-actualisation—personal
growth, fulfilment) as causing her dissatisfaction (Maslow, 1943; Surbhi S, 2018).

Figure 1: (World of Work Project, 2023)

Herzberg would suggest that while your concern with hygiene factors (salary, work
conditions) may be adequate, the absence of motivational factors (recognition,
advancement) is likely the source of her disillusionment. Understanding that motivation is

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indeed this complex and knowing that both sets of needs must be countered to improve
workplace satisfaction and engagement is critical. By applying these content theories
precisely this way, Betty's manager could pinpoint the areas of deficiency and develop
targeted strategies to address these, thereby considerably enhancing her motivation and
overall job satisfaction.

Process Theory of Motivation: Expectancy Theory

Developed by Victor Vroom, Expectancy Theory is a process theory of motivation that
explains the process of choosing from different behaviours and how these behaviours are
directed toward achieving the individual's goals (World of Work Project, 2023). Expectancy
Theory is built on three components:

1. Expectancy, which is an individual's belief that their effort will lead to their desired
performance,
2. Instrumentality, which is an individual's belief that their performance will lead to a
reward,
3. Valence, which is an individual's value or the importance the person places on the
expected reward (Vroom, 1964; Jeremy Sutton, PhD, 2024).

In this case, the Expectancy Theory can explain Ms. Betty's decreasing motivation. Her
expectancy to be promoted by consistent performance and persistence has continuously
been reduced as promotions never happen, leading to a low expectancy perception.

Figure 2: (Jeremy Sutton Ph.D., 2024)

Though she wants to be promoted (high valence), her instrumentality is low (she does not
have a clear picture of how her performance will lead to a promotion) (World of Work Project,
2023). Her manager would have to strive to increase her expectancy by transparently linking
performance to promotions, improve instrumentality by ensuring the reward systems are fair

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and well communicated, and maintain and improve valence by providing rewards positively
correlated with her personal and professional goals (Denis, 2018).

Process Theory of Motivation: Equity Theory

Equity Theory is a process theory of motivation that focuses on individuals' perceptions of
fairness in distributing rewards and resources in interpersonal relationships (World of Work,
2019). It states that individuals are motivated by fairness. If they perceive an inequity, they
will be motivated to bring it back into balance (either by changing their inputs or outcomes or
by changing both the inputs and outcomes of the other) (Adams, 1965; Indeed et al., 2020).
The critical components in Equity Theory are inputs (what the individual contributes),
outcomes (what the individual receives), and comparison (how the individual's ratio of inputs
to outcomes compares to others') (World of Work, 2019). In Ms. Betty's case, she sees
individuals with less experienced but highly formal qualifications receiving promotions. At the
same time, she has been consistently dedicated, and her efforts and loyalty are not matched
with promotion.

Figure 3: (Adams, 1965)

This results in her perceiving unfair treatment and not being equally rewarded as her peers,
resulting in her disillusionment and lack of motivation. To improve her situation, Ms Betty's
manager should better distribute rewards and recognition more equitably, considering both
formal qualifications and experience (Ph.D., 2023). Being more transparent about promotion
criteria would allow for a more balanced consideration of the employees' various
contributions, and providing employees time and tuition assistance for college efforts to gain
formal education would also be helpful.

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Analysis and Application
Applying these motivation theories to Ms. Betty’s case provides various perspectives on her
deteriorating motivation. The Hierarchy of Needs of Maslow (a content theory) proposes that
Ms. Betty’s motivation challenges result from unsatisfied esteem and self-actualisation
needs. While Ms. Betty has achieved her lower-level needs, the lack of recognition and
shortage of career advancement opportunities means her higher-order needs are not
fulfilled, resulting in motivation erosion (World of Work Project, 2023). In contrast, the
Expectancy Theory (a process theory) suggests Ms Betty’s diminishing motivation is due to
the expectations of the relationship between effort and outcome (Ryan & Deci, 2020). In this
case, when Ms. Betty does not see a clear path from her hard work to receiving a promotion,
she would exhibit reduced effort and engagement. Lastly, Equity Theory (another process
theory) illustrates the perceived unfairness of the distribution of rewards. Ms Betty’s feeling
that the staff medical directors are “always bypassing me” in favour of “junior people who do
not perform as consistently as I do” activates content and process theories and illustrates
how the two categories of theories interface to create the rich and textured fabric of
workplace motivation.

Content theories, such as Maslow’s hierarchy, depict the foundation of individual needs,
while process theories (such as Vroom’s Expectancy Model and the Equity principle) unveil
the cognitive elements that inform our motivational experiences (Ryan et al., 2019). In the
case of Ms. Betty, her unmet needs (Maslow), sense of inequity (Equity Theory) and defeat
in the face of the effort-to-reward relationship (Expectancy Theory) converge to collapse the
motivational powers that could have animated her tenure. Indeed, real-life narratives taken
from parallel tales of workday life testify to the use of these motivational reviews. For
example, Li & Chen's (2023) research found that employees who experienced fair treatment
and associated performance outcomes witnessed higher motivation and job satisfaction.

Similarly, Sonnentag et al. (2021) reported that meeting their higher-order needs, such as
recognition and personal development, was critical, as they showed that employees’
motivation and productivity are improved when these needs are met. Managers who are
trying to boost employee motivation should thereby ensure a fair and transparent distribution
of rewards (addressing Equity Theory), clarity between the relationship of effort and reward
(addressing Expectancy Theory) and recognition and support for employees' growth and
achievement needs (addressing the Hierarchy of Needs of Maslow). Additionally, by
integrating these approaches, organisations can create a more motivating and fair work
environment (SodexoEngage, 2021).

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Recommendations
In short, to enhance Ms. Betty's work motivation, this manager should bash insecurity,
embarrassment, and bias by adopting a combination of (a) needs, (b) expectancy, and (c)
equity theory. For instance, aligning with Maslow's hierarchy and acknowledging her
contributions via awards or public acknowledgement should be a way to satisfy her esteem
needs.

Providing her with professional development opportunities would fulfil her self-actualization
needs, making her feel valued and part of the organisation's future. Betty’s effort will
motivate her to work harder only if she believes her exertion will yield the desired outcomes.
Her awareness of the precise skills and experiences required for promotion and how regular
assessments are conducted for everyone may result in more extraordinary efforts — if she
believes her improved performance can earn her that next job.

Betty must believe that she is treated fairly when hiring for a promotion. A lack of
transparency around promotion practices — including, seemingly, at legal firms — creates
cross-gender suspicions. Review processes must be frequently reviewed, and any
inconsistencies must be addressed. A mentorship program would allow more women to
compare their experiences — reducing the unusualness and allowing them to feel more
willing to take advantage of professional development opportunities.

Adopting this response would increase Ms. Betty’s work motivation and job satisfaction and
probably result in her being more productive and engaged. Moreover, such a shift in
approach would probably yield a more healthful organisational environment, inducing a
culture of recognition and transparency. Ultimately, such a climate would probably further
enhance employee morale and retention.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the application of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, Expectancy Theory, and
Equity Theory thoroughly explains Ms. Betty's diminishing motivation. Each theory highlights
factors restricting Ms. Betty's potential to be energised and engaged in her work. Addressing
her unfulfilled esteem and self-actualisation needs, clarifying the relationship between effort
and rewards, and ensuring that recognition and promotions are distributed equitably will
result in a much more energised, engaged Ms. Betty. Moreover, introducing these changes
benefits not only Ms Betty but also a positive outgrowth of her higher motivation to the
overall organisational environment, resulting in greater productivity, increased morale, and
improved retention. Understanding the nature of employee motivation and taking a multi-

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faceted approach to increase motivation is critical to a surge in an energised and productive
work environment.

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