Theories of Motivation and How to Apply Them in the Modern Workplace

The essay provides a brief overview of several motivational theories and models like Herzberg's Dual Factor theory, Maslow's Need Hierarchy theory, Expectancy/Valence Theory, and Reinforcement Theory. Some general tips for inspiring employees are made based on the research. Recognizing which has none single motivational theory contains every solutions, an action is done to incorporate the most effective motivational elements from each of the theories.

ESSAY
Theories of Motivation and How
to Apply Them in the Modern
Workplace
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Incentive Theory..............................................................................................................................2
McClelland's Human Motivation Theory........................................................................................3
Competence Theory.........................................................................................................................5
Maslow's Hierarchy of Wants Theory.............................................................................................6

Expectancy Theory..........................................................................................................................7
References .......................................................................................................................................9
Introduction
The essay provides a brief overview of several motivational theories and models like Herzberg's
Dual Factor theory, Maslow's Need Hierarchy theory, Expectancy/Valence Theory, and
Reinforcement Theory. Some general tips for inspiring employees are made based on the
research. Recognizing which has none single motivational theory contains every solutions, an
action is done to incorporate the most effective motivational elements from each of the theories.
By drawing on a variety of sources, a more thorough understanding of the process and
difficulties associated with inspiring individuals can be attained.
Incentive Theory
The incentive psychological feature hypothesis says that people are motivated by recognition,
rewards, incentives, and other forms of reinforcement. People can exhibit certain behaviours to
achieve the desired outcome, inspire action or get an item of memorabilia according to the
motivational theory. Some of the illustrations of workplace offers are :
Bonus:
It could be an award for you which is offered for associating the worker supported their
performance
Opportunity:

There are opportunities such as paid or free coaching or continued study could offer the group
associate incentive for expanding the data for a particular field as well as enhance the skills and
talent.
Promotion:
An associate worker's sense of importance and growth will be enhanced by a promotion, which
is the biggest powerful bonuses that can be provided by the manager.
From the 1940s to the 1950s there was a psychologists named Clark Hull who introduced earlier
theories of drive which were to enhance incentive theory . The motivation hypothesis says that
people are pushed away from actions that may have bad effects and forced toward behaviors that
produce rewards rather than focusing on additional intrinsic causes behind motivation.
McClelland's Human Motivation Theory
Probably safe to say that the scientist's desire of hierarchy theory which is so commonly used
for the purpose of bringing motivation. The person's desires is defined in this theory. The series
classifying a person's desires, he relied on his clinical training to make this determination
(McClelland, 1987).
Understanding McClelland's would like the theory can help managers determine what their
employees desire, makes them for positioning their workers so as to achieve goals and grow in
their work.
This type of motivation can be explained by McClelland's theory of wants, which breaks down
what and how wants are formed and how they need to be approached. A theory of motivation

created by David McClelland, a United Nations agency associate scientist from the United
States, centres around three key elements: action; power; and affiliation.
According to McClelland's theories, which date back to the 1960s, we are all driven by one of
four basic desires regardless of our age, gender, ethnicity, or culture. As McClelland stated,
McClelland's theory of noninheritable wants states that a person's desires are generated over time
by his or her life experiences.
In the context of this theory, this hypothesis being in regard to be the extension for it. According
to McClelland, no matter what their background, culture, or economic status, everyone has these
three types of psychological feature desires. These types of motivation are based on personal
experiences and, as a result, reflect the opinions of the people who possess them.
Need for affiliation
According to the affiliate theory, people yearn for a sense of belonging and approval from others.
Managers can determine whether or not their associates are capable of working together and
learning from one another by employing this strategy.
Need for action
Some employees are compelled to make themselves successful as well as indispensable. The
persons have to follow the big terms of conduct or ethics in the business.
Need for power
The people are keen to influence the other people at work, creating the effect for them in each
other and touching work. The varieties in staff sometimes relish powerful teams of the persons,

allotting the work and having a coordination for the programs, there is a need to inspire them
altogether so that they can achieve their outcomes for short as well as long term aims.
Competence Theory
Understanding ability motivation theory will assist you in inspiring your team to exert greater
effort, be more persistent, and take on more difficult projects. By comprehending this theory of
learning motivation, team leaders or managers can utilise appropriate praise and feedback to aid
personnel in becoming more motivated to master new abilities.
As per this theory, individuals desire interaction in the particular tasks for understanding the
capabilities, knowledge as well as skills. If associate worker succeeds in demonstrating the level
of their knowledge in front of the others, it motivates the individuals to be competitive for the
valued work (White, 1959). While being competitive will rise, confidence enables individuals to
execute tasks, which may enhance productivity, and ability theory posits that individuals
typically seek participation in the particular tasks to demonstrate the abilities, knowledge as well
as talents. Whether the associate worker succeeds in demonstrating the own knowledge in front
of the others, it inspires for being competitive for a highly visible area. This sense of thought can
rise as individuals gain confidence in their ability to do tasks, which may result in increased
productivity and effectiveness.
Benefits of competence theory
Employees who succeed after attempting new abilities or jobs and receiving positive
reinforcement might assign a self-reward system as well as a collection of mastery goals. This
may have a long-lasting favorable effect on their confidence. Because employees have
internalized their own set of standards, they can no longer rely on others to judge their

performance or motivate them to continue. Rather than that, they will be expected to proceed on
their own as a result of their recognition of their competence in space.
Individuals who regard themselves as exceptionally good in one area will also display increased
effort and tenacity, as well as a predilection for more difficult jobs. Individuals with great
abilities are more likely to have a strong sense of self-worth and shallowness, which can affect
all aspects of their lives, from relationships to jobs.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Wants Theory
It could be a type of psychological theory which mentions the categories for the wants someone
should meet to achieve additional complicated wants (Singh & Behera, 2016). There are five
serials in the hierarchy that are as follows:
Physiological:
For the requirement of this want, or a simple surviving needs, the individual should ensure of
sufficient quantity of water, consumer goods as well as nutritional food in the very tasks given,
associate employees' wages could enable their satisfaction in the basic needs.
Safety:
This term in relevance o the human's need explains the necessity for being secured in the
working environment, that would like could make their staff to be safe while doing their work as
well as feel safe for their job security.
Socialization:
For meeting this want, staff could attempt for the coworkers so that they accept the individual
and being friendly at work and also during the job teams which will bring happiness in them. The

work could fulfill and offer them an opportunity as they be with each other. The workers have to
help them in the team tasks as well as during the interval time.
Esteem:
Workers usually are up for this level as they are concerned for being recognized that might
facilitate their thoughts assured for the work as well as develop their shallowness. They should
be valued through the high performance and achievements associated with giving feedback area
unit 2 ways you'll be able to make use in development for the worker's shallowness.
Self-actualization:
For stepping up on this want, staff could look for realizing complicated, big as well as personal
aim. The staff might think intended for finishing work aim in an effective manner.
Expectancy Theory
The expectancy theory about motivation or in other words expectation theory defines that a
private can opt for their behaviours supported by what they believe can cause the foremost
helpful outcome. This theory relies on what proportion of price someone puts on completely
various motivations, leading to the choice which is thought by them can offer a best outcome by
his or her efforts (Lawler & Suttle, 1973).
According to Lawler & Suttle, they produce a relation among the performance and the efforts
given compose this theory (1973), explore a subsequent 3 main factors:
Expectancy
o Resources as well as raw things
o Skills used in task
o Help as well as data from seniors

There are some foremost variables related to the extent of the expectancy that are such as:
Self-efficacy: An assumption for the capability to with success given will effect upon the your
motivations.
Goal issue: The level of issue in your aim could effect the result that you can judge for your own
work.
Control: An amount for management that is felt got by you in the work provided will effect the
efforts which are created.
Instrumentality
It is the belief in you to get the return like a bonus and that can be depended upon the qaulity and
quantity of work within the work(Wabba & House, 1974). In the souvenir for possessing a
positive effect for the upcoming contributions in the work of a person, it must be followed by
some certain guidelines:
 A award provided to the member of a group will be though to get, ought to just conveyed.
 A person ought to belief in their senior can offer for an associate applicable rewards in
their work.
 Worker ought to keep some expectations to get his or her reward.
A worker's performance in the workplace will cause several various varieties in awards. a
number for the foremost given rewards are mentioned below:
 Increase in salary
 Promotion in their post
 Valued and recognized

 A thought for completion
Basically, it will increase whenever you are feeling that just have additional management is done
by you in work, somehow, once the reward is received.
Valance:
It is the value you place for the thought outcome in the work. That usually relies on your wants,
goals, recognition and sources of inspirational area unit.
Keep guarantees once giving rewards:
As a senior the team's belief and trust is very important in work motivation. For an instance, if
you give your word to your team cookies like the souvenir as exceptional the regular work,
following the promises will enhance worker's belief. This should conjointly inspire the group in
reply absolutely for the upcoming rewards as well as incentives that can grow all of their
working efficiency.
References
Lawler, E. E., & Suttle, J. (1973). Expectancy theory and job behavior. Organizational
Behavior and Human Performance, 9(3), 482–503. https://doi.org/10.1016/0030-
5073(73)90066-4
Singh, T., & Behera, M. P. (2016). Application of the Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need
Theory: Impacts and Implications on Employee’s Career Stages. Training &
Development Journal, 7(2), 43. https://doi.org/10.5958/2231-069x.2016.00007.x
Wabba, M. A., & House, R. J. (1974). Expectancy Theory in Work and Motivation:
Some Logical and Methodological Issues. Human Relations, 27(2), 121–147.
https://doi.org/10.1177/001872677402700202
White, R. W. (1959). Motivation reconsidered: The concept of competence.
Psychological Review, 66(5), 297–333. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0040934
Zhang, R., & Lang, C. (2018). Application of Motivation-Opportunity-Ability Theory in
the Consumption of Eco-fashion Products: Were Chinese Consumers Underestimated?
Chinese Consumers and the Fashion Market, 119–141. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-
10-8429-4_6
McClelland, D. C. (1987). Human motivation. CUP Archive.