MOTIVATION AND MODELS OF

MOTIVATION
The main objective of the function of
motivation is to increase the job
performance of the people working in
an organization.

Motivation is a basic psychological

process and almost all conscious
behaviour is motivated or caused.
According to Glueck, “motivation is the
inner state that energizes, channels and
sustains human behavior”.

According to S.P. Robins, motivation is a

‘need satisfying process’ and can be
defined as “the willingness to exert high
levels of effort toward organizational
goals, conditioned by the efforts ability
to satisfy some individual need”.
Robins in his definition clues three
important key elements such as effort,
organizational goals, and needs.
If personal goals such as pay raise,
promotion, etc. are successfully linked
to the organizational goals, the
individuals are likely to exert high levels
of effort leading to favourable job-
performance outcomes, which in turn
contribute to the accomplishment of
organizational goals.
Effect of motivation :
A research on motivation reports that
employees working on hourly basis could
maintain their jobs by working at
approximately 20% to 30% of their
ability, that is, by giving minimum
performance to keep their jobs. The
research suggests that the same
employees will work at close to 80% to
90% of their ability if they are highly
motivated.
Both the minimum level at which
employees might work and yet keep
their jobs and the level at which they
could be expected to perform with
proper motivation are shown in the
figure below.
Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
theory
Abraham Maslow defined need as a
physiological or psychological deficiency
that a person feels the compulsion to
satisfy. This need can create tensions
that can influence a person’s work
attitudes and behaviours.
Maslow’s theory is based on the
following two principles:
Deficit principle: A satisfied need no
longer motivates behaviour because
people act to satisfy deprived needs.
Progression principle: The five needs he
identified exist in a hierarchy, which
means that a need at any level only
comes into play after a lower-level need
has been satisfied.
In his theory, Maslow identified five
levels of human needs. The following
Table illustrates these five levels and
provides suggestions for satisfying each
need.
In organization, physiological needs
include adequate wages and working
conditions or environment making up of
adequate lighting, comfortable
temperatures, ventilation, and
restrooms, etc.
The security needs include the needs to
be free from worry about money and Job
security.
The belongingness needs include social
interactions within the organization and
the need of making employees feel like
an important member of the
organization.
The esteem needs include two types of
needs – the need for a positive self-
image and self-respect, and the need for
recognition and respect from others.
The self actualization needs include
needs, which can be fulfilled through
assigning challenging jobs and making
people feel a sense of accomplishment.