Motivation & Satisfaction: Content vs Process Theories

Motivation

• Motivation is a positive state of mind that drives individuals to achieve their objectives.

Content Theories of Motivation

• Maslow's hierarchy theory
• McGregor's theory X and Y
• Herzberg's 2-factor theory
• McClelland's achievement theory
• Aldefer's ERG theory

Process Theories of Motivation

• Cognitive Evaluation/social learning theory
• Goal setting theory → Management by objectives
• Vroom's expectancy theory
• Equity theory

Equity Theory

• Suggests that employee motivation at work is driven by their sense of fairness.

Job Attitude

• An employee's set of evaluations about their job, focusing on their work environment, colleagues, supervisors, and job satisfaction.

Types of Job Attitudes

• Job involvement: the degree to which an employee identifies with their work, actively participates in it, and derives a sense of self-worth from it.
• Organisational commitment: the level of engagement and dedication team members feel toward their individual jobs and the organisation.
• Perceived organisational support: belief that the organisation values their contribution and cares about their well-being.
• Employee engagement: describes the level of passion and dedication a worker feels toward their job.
• Job satisfaction: the degree of pleasure or happiness that an individual feels in their job.

Causes of Job Satisfaction

• Job security
• Working conditions
• Pay and benefits
• Appreciation
• Career development

Job Design

• Job Rotation: the periodic shifting of an employee from one task to another.
• Job Enlargement: increasing the number and variety of tasks.
• Job Enrichment: increasing the degree to which the worker controls the planning, execution, and evaluation of the work.

Consequences of Job Dissatisfaction

• Voice
• Loyalty
• Neglect
• Exit

Job Satisfaction Outcomes

• Better job and organisational performance
• Better organisational citizenship behaviors
• Greater levels of customer satisfaction
• Generally lower absenteeism and turnover
• Lower levels of workplace deviance

Learn about the different motivation theories, including Maslow's hierarchy and cognitive evaluation, to understand what drives human behavior and satisfaction.