The Impact of Job Design on Employee Motivation: A Goal-Oriented View

This essay explores the critical role of job design in motivating employees, focusing on the need for achievement and goal-setting theories. It argues that designing jobs with clear, SMART goals and aligning them with employees' needs significantly boosts motivation and performance. The essay references Atkinson & McClelland's theory of need for achievement and emphasizes how managers can identify and cater to these needs. It highlights the direct correlation between anxiety and motivation, suggesting that goal setting prevents deviation and enhances concentration. The discussion also addresses how achieving goals builds confidence and fosters a positive work culture, contributing to both individual and organizational success. Ultimately, the essay concludes that prioritizing employee needs and setting clear goals are essential for effective job design and sustained motivation, leading to improved performance and organizational outcomes. Desklib offers more solved assignments and resources for students.

We all have to mix concrete from time to time, but it helps to know we're building
a cathedral’ (Cole, 2013)
Meaningful work drives people to perform. Motivation that is intrinsically driven
results in higher performance.
Introduction
It has been proved that instead of pay, the designing of job is the most important motivator for an
employee. According to the theory of need for achievement which was given by Atkinson &
McClelland, the person who has high need of achievement, remains motivated for his or her
work and get better results (Pettinger, 2010). Keeping this theory in mind the managers can
identify the achievement needs of their employees and accordingly design the jobs. This will
keep the employees motivated and will yield better results. Need for achievement is considered
as one of the best theories given ever. Another theory which the manager should keep in mind is
the goal setting theory. If SMART goals are set for an organization or person, there are high
chances of reaching the intended destination. Thus, these two traits viz. identifying need for
achievement and setting goals will help motivate the employees. There are several theories on
designing of jobs but these two theories are considered the best for throwing a light on the topic
‘designing of jobs to motivate the employees’. Further arguments are provided in subsequent
paragraphs to prove that designing of jobs by the managers is very much necessary to motivate
the employees and thereby meet the objectives of the organization.

The person, who has high need to achieve something, has high anxiety rate and he or she is more
inclined towards the goal (Shanks, 2012). Thus increased anxiety rate works in favor of
individual and organization and helps the person emotionally. It motivates the person to achieve
intended goal. Whereas the person who has less need, are relatively less motivated and there are
chances that he or she will be defeated by other persons on the criteria of performance.
According to Stephen Ukem (2012), if the goals are clear in mind, the person remains
concentrated. It prevents the employee deviating from desired outcome. The employee will have
the direction which will keep him or her binding to the work. According to Jeong-han & Won
(2010), the persons who has certain goals in their life to fulfill, get successful whereas there are
less chances of success if the persons does not have any goal. The measurable goal keeps the
person motivated and also warns of consequences if anything wrong happens. There are many
people who became successful in their career because they had SMART goals in their mind.
According to Atkinson J. W. (1964), when different kinds of persons are subjected to the similar
task, the person who has high need for achievement has high anxiety levels as compared to other
persons belonging to the same group. This increases the motivation of the person or employee
and prevents him or her from getting distracted. According to von Rosenstiel (2011), there is
direct relation between anxiety and motivation. This direct relation helps person achieve the
goal. Some scholars argue that goal setting does not work in every kind of situation and for all
the persons. This may be a valid argument for people who get afraid of goals, but in most of the
conditions, the people work harder if they have certain targets to fulfill in the form of goals.
Interviews with many highly successful persons reveal that in most of the cases, goal setting will
help accomplish major achievements of life. So these two theories viz. need of achievement and
goal setting are mutually co-related.

Employees without goals are aimless and they have less intention to get success in their work.
Whereas the employees, having clear expectations of the organization in their minds, strive hard
to give the best results. When the employee reaches to a particular goal, he or she will gain
confidence which will further improve his or her performance. This will also help organization
believe in their employees. Goal setting makes rewards achievable, thus help in self measuring
the performance. In addition to this, the person who has high need for achievement, like the
married person having responsibility of a family, has high need for achievement. This helps him
in concentrating on his work and get better outcomes. Aimless life cannot bring results. The
person who does not have measurable goal, live meaningless life. There is no example of the
person who has achieved success in life without having desired goal.
According to Brethower (2004) goal setting brings efficiency in the work of the individual. The
person remains motivated and continuously works in desired direction. Goal setting also
motivates employees to get reward. Rewards cannot be given without sound performance
appraisal, which in turn cannot exist without setting the goals. Engaging persons in the
meaningful work brings desired results more often. When there are certain goals to achieve, for
an employee the work becomes meaningful automatically. According to a study conducted in
1988, when a talented employee of the organization leaves, it results in financial loss of millions
of dollars along with the loss of talent and knowledge the particular person has. This study is
older but still applicable (Andrew C. Hafenbrack, 2018). Goals keep the employees motivated.
Goals bind the employee to the commitment of the organization. In addition to this, they have
feeling that they will be praised for their work if the intended goal is reached on time. It brings
efficiency in working and improves the work culture of the organization (O’Neill, 2018).

People are motivated to fulfill their own needs. If there is high need for achievement, they are
more enthusiastic and try harder to meet that need. Needs determines the efficacy of the work
done by the employees. Obviously, this is a proved fact that, a person who has higher need of the
particular job, will try his best to keep himself in working position. He will be more motivated to
complete the work assigned to him. There is no organization which can work without goal
setting and there is no individual who works without having any need to do that work. There can
be different kind of needs according to Maslow’s theory of Hierarchy; like need of food, shelter,
clothing. Each person works to fulfill his needs; these needs determine the level of engagement
of the person in his work. Thus, need for achievement and motivation has direct relation. Both
influence each other in one or more ways (Pettinger, 2010).
It has been proved through many researches that money is not everything; many employees get
influenced by non- financial achievement needs. Thus managers should focus on identifying the
needs of the person. It will bring win-win situation for organization as well as the employees.
The need to reach to an intended goal never let the person deviate from his intended path. Money
or financial incentives cannot replace the position which some basic needs take place in the daily
life of an individual. Money can be one of the incentives but basic motive is to fulfill the needs.
Like financial rewards after the retirement is more a necessity than the mere purpose of getting
money. The person likes to choose the jobs which secure their future along with their present,
though at some stages salary or financial incentives can be less. According to Huning (2015)
security is the better motivator in comparison to money. Need of security compels the people to
concentrate on their work; which enhances the performance of the individual.
Similarly several other needs motivate the employees to get rewarded and achieve the intended
goal. The person goes through many stages of life. So his or her needs are different at the

different ages like older has more need of security. Thus, the types of needs may differ but the
outcome remains the same for each need. The managers should identify the unique need of an
individual. There can be different needs of the person on the basis of then gender or sexuality.
These needs keep the person in organization for long term and it also builds effective
relationship. Ice on cake occurs when along with needs, the individuals are provided goals.
(Mangi, Pardesi, & Kanasro, 2013) The necessity and desire to work brings the best positive
outcome. There can be no better combination other than the combination of necessity and desire.
If the person feels that his life is secured by working in the particular organization, he or she will
be satisfied from his work and will try the best to fulfill the objectives and goals of the
organization (Ferdousipour, 2016).
The intended outcomes will be beneficial for the organization. Good work culture will bring
good results. Needs cannot be replaced by any other attribute. Needs for achievement makes the
person emotionally strong; thus helps in regularity or continuity in the desired performance. The
persons tend to become relaxed if there is no need to earn money. Need brings motivation,
which, in turn, brings efficiency in the working of an individual. The people tend to work on the
basis of their needs which change according to the unique situation in which an individual
survives (Shukla, 2017).This positive co-relation between needs and motivation gives the most
appropriate results. There cannot be any substitution of need. Thus, the managers while
designing job, must concentrate on the needs of particular individual. In addition to this, the
persons who are not goal-oriented, tend to have relaxed attitude. They are not motivated, thus
they are not equivalent to motivated person in the working. It is the fact that manager cannot
create the need; but he or she can definitely recognize the need of the particular person or group.
The jobs should be designed in accordance to this criterion (Robertson & Tang, 2017).

Job rotation, job enlargement and certain other job designing features are actually the adjustment
of the intended work in the hands of employees. The work is assigned according to the need of
an individual (Ljungholm, 2014). The person cannot bring the intended outcome without the
desired level of motivation. There can be few contrasting examples to this fact, but this is the
most valid fact. Theory of need of achievement has been proved efficient several times whenever
there is conflict with the other ideological attributes. Similarly theory of goal setting has proved
itself at many points. Without goal, the person will work in a state of anarchy where he or she
does not know the direction of progress. The aimless life cannot bring motivation in individuals.
The goal setting gives targets to the employees which they try to achieve in specific period of
time. Without goal, the same work may take lots of time as there is no one to account for (Daily,
2013).
It can be concluded from above discussion that there are substantial facts to prove that the person
works to fulfill his or her basic needs in life. The need of achievement brings motivation in the
individual which is reflected in his or her performance. Therefore, the managers should
emphasize on these two theories while allocating the work or designing the jobs. Money is an
important factor but it is not the most important criterion to identify the motivation level of the
individual. The manager has to follow conventional as well as new approaches to keep the
employees satisfied and bring efficiency in the working of the particular organization (Martin,
2004). There is need to pay attention towards the necessities of the employees. If such an
approach is followed, the outcomes will definitely be better. The goals bring motivation in the
employees. They provide the commitment to the employees. The employees work according to
that commitment. They chose the path which will take them to the intended goal.

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