Work Motivation Is Merely About Providing Employees with Enough Money.” Discuss.
“Work motivation is merely about providing employees with enough money.”
Discuss.
Motivation relates to the drive that influences what people do, how much effort they contribute and the length of time they keep trying. Motivation influences performance in the workplace and organisations strive to motivate workers in order to encourage the highest level of performance and productivity. A number of theorists have investigated motivation in the workplace and proposed contrasting theories. The following essay examines whether money is the greatest motivator for workers or whether there are other factors, which can be more influential.
Performance at work can be affected by equipment, ability, training and relationships, but motivation is a key factor which can be the most difficult to manage. This is mainly due to variance of different motivators for different people.
McGregor and Cutcher-Gershenfeld (2005) describe Theory X and Theory Y and Schein (1988) designed the Social approach. Theory X takes the view that the worker is unreliable, and wants to do as little as possible, therefore needing close supervision, incentives and discipline. For example, Taylor’s Theory of Scientific Management proposed that workers are motivated by their desire for money. Taylor argued that workers need close supervision but if jobs are broken down into a number of smaller tasks and given sufficient tools, they will work harder. Taylor’s theory was hugely influential and was adopted by Henry Ford who instigated an era of mass production when he began to make Ford cars.
Theory Y is the view that workers want to do the job. They will respond easily to change and aim to do their best for the good of the organisation. This suggests that workers have a personal interest in their work and care about more than money. The social theory (Schein, 1988) is that people develop meaningful relationships in the workplace. It proposed that workers respond to the wants of
Discuss.
Motivation relates to the drive that influences what people do, how much effort they contribute and the length of time they keep trying. Motivation influences performance in the workplace and organisations strive to motivate workers in order to encourage the highest level of performance and productivity. A number of theorists have investigated motivation in the workplace and proposed contrasting theories. The following essay examines whether money is the greatest motivator for workers or whether there are other factors, which can be more influential.
Performance at work can be affected by equipment, ability, training and relationships, but motivation is a key factor which can be the most difficult to manage. This is mainly due to variance of different motivators for different people.
McGregor and Cutcher-Gershenfeld (2005) describe Theory X and Theory Y and Schein (1988) designed the Social approach. Theory X takes the view that the worker is unreliable, and wants to do as little as possible, therefore needing close supervision, incentives and discipline. For example, Taylor’s Theory of Scientific Management proposed that workers are motivated by their desire for money. Taylor argued that workers need close supervision but if jobs are broken down into a number of smaller tasks and given sufficient tools, they will work harder. Taylor’s theory was hugely influential and was adopted by Henry Ford who instigated an era of mass production when he began to make Ford cars.
Theory Y is the view that workers want to do the job. They will respond easily to change and aim to do their best for the good of the organisation. This suggests that workers have a personal interest in their work and care about more than money. The social theory (Schein, 1988) is that people develop meaningful relationships in the workplace. It proposed that workers respond to the wants of
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