Motivating Millennial Employees

This assignment examines the factors influencing job satisfaction and motivation among millennial employees. It delves into Vroom's expectancy theory, highlighting the role of expectancy, instrumentality, and valence in driving employee performance. Additionally, it explores Herzberg's two-factor theory, differentiating between hygiene factors (extrinsic) and motivational factors (intrinsic). The assignment concludes with recommendations for managers on how to effectively motivate millennial employees by addressing both their extrinsic and intrinsic needs.

Running head: ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
Organizational behavior
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Discussion..................................................................................................................................2
Recommendation and conclusion..............................................................................................4
References..................................................................................................................................5

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Introduction
Job satisfaction is the employee’s attitude regarding their job or work context. Thus,
this implies that an employee’s attitude to his job can influence their behavior at the work
place, which in turn will affect the employees’ performance. However, Millennial generation
are comprising of 75% of the labor force these days and in comparison to the younger
generations they are found less prone to changing jobs and they are found measuring their
career satisfaction in a different way (Solnet, Kralj & Kandampully, 2012).
Discussion
Vroom’s expectancy theory of motivation says that behavior is the outcome of the
conscious selection among the alternatives whose motive is to enhance pleasure and to lessen
pain. According to vroom, an employee’s performance depends on independent key
characteristics of the employees, which are their personalities, skills, knowledge, experiences
and their abilities. The model further uses three variables, which are considered important
here, are Expectancy, Instrumentality and Valance. Expectancy means that as the effort
increases the performance increase as well. Instrumentality proposes that if the employees
perform well then there will be a valued result that could be received. Lastly, valance is the
significance that is placed on the expected result by an employee (Parijat & Bagga, 2014).
Millennial employees will highly placed their attention on extrinsic rewards and so
here the Vroom’s expectancy model comes into the picture as the variables are intervening in
their work and so employees are found that in expectation of the outcomes or rewards the
millennial workers will enhance their productivity. If they know that, their performance will
get them the desired outcome this will definitely motivate them to work harder. The age and
career success of the millennial employees conveys that they are motivated by the rewards

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they are getting as an outcome of their performance and thus this is encouraging them to
work harder.
On the other hand, Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory displays that certain
features of a job are invariably related to the job satisfaction, however various factors are
related with job satisfaction and there are factors that cause job dissatisfaction. Herzberg
defines two types of factors one is hygiene factors/ extrinsic motivation and the other is
Motivational factors or Extrinsic Motivators. Hygiene factors are those that are the basic
needs of an employee like status, job security, salary and benefits. Employees those are
provided with this type of motivations are found to be satisfied as well as motivated.
However, motivational factors or intrinsic motivators are lacking tangibility and tends to
satisfy more of their emotional needs like facing challenging works, recognitions for
themselves, and relationships with other employees and potential growth. This type of need is
very essential in authorizing strong independent and team performances (Yusoff, Kian &
Idris, 2013).
In case of millennial workforce, it is seen that their job satisfaction depends on both
extrinsic and intrinsic motivating factors. Both extrinsic and intrinsic motivators act crucial
factors for this group of people in the workforce. Hygiene factors are the basic need that act
as a satisfactory drives for the millennial employees once it is fulfilled they start following
the greater needs that comprises of the motivational factors. Looking through an
organizations structure it can be seen that the millennial employees are seeking for
challenging tasks, recognition for themselves in the organization as well as for potential
growth in the department. This generation employees are considered more confident and
motivated.

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Moreover, the psychological contract defines the relationship and the assumption
between the employees and the organization. Millennial employees are found to be very
much adoptable with the changes that they collides in their workplace, they are devoted to
personal growth and loves challenging tasks and organizations always prefers employees who
are this focus and can enhance their productivity through performing the challenging tasks
and are flexible with the changes in the workplace (Festing & Schäfer, 2014).
Recommendation and conclusion
The recommendation that the managers can apply to enhance the motivation of the
millennial employees are as follows-
 Millennial employees should be given regular feedbacks along with
encouragements. They must be getting the feedback of how they are doing and
their good works will be rewarded.
 Millennial employees should be provided with flexible scheduling of work
hours, intermittent telecommuting and boundless vacation time keeping in
mind that their performance is not hampered.
 These employees must also be supplied with education and professional
expansion for those who are interested in learning and developing their skills.
Thus, millennial employees are more socially responsible and if their extrinsic and
intrinsic motivations are met then they can be well satisfied with their job.

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References
Festing, M., & Schäfer, L. (2014). Generational challenges to talent management: A
framework for talent retention based on the psychological-contract
perspective. Journal of World Business, 49(2), 262-271.
Parijat, P., & Bagga, S. (2014). Victor Vroom’s expectancy theory of motivation–An
evaluation. International Research Journal of Business and Management
(IRJBM), 7(9), 1-8.
Solnet, D., Kralj, A., & Kandampully, J. (2012). Generation Y employees: An examination of
work attitude differences. Journal of Applied Management and
Entrepreneurship, 17(3), 36.
Yusoff, W. F. W., Kian, T. S., & Idris, M. T. M. (2013). Herzberg’s Two Factors Theory On
Work Motivation: Does Its Work For Todays Environment. Global journal of
commerce and Management, 2(5), 18-22.