Critical Analysis of Motivational Theories for Employee Engagement

This essay provides a critical analysis of motivational theories and their application in enhancing employee engagement within organizations. It begins by highlighting the significance of employee engagement and motivation in modern business operations, emphasizing the role of HR professionals. The essay explores the interplay between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, examining how different motivational theories, such as Maslow's hierarchy of needs and Herzberg's two-factor theory, can be used to improve engagement. It includes real-world examples from companies like Starbucks, Woolworths, and Google, illustrating how these theories are applied to foster a positive work environment, increase productivity, and retain employees. The essay also discusses the importance of aligning employee needs with organizational goals to create a win-win situation that boosts overall performance and success. The assignment fulfills the requirements of a critical evaluation, using examples to support arguments and considering the practical application of the theories to improve employee engagement within the organization.

Running head: ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR
ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Introduction
Employee engagement and motivation are considered to be important parts of the
organizational operations in the modern business environment. The HR based professionals
are mainly responsible for the ways by which the organizations are able to motivate the
employees with the aim of increasing the levels of productivity. The concept of motivation
and engagement go hand in hand in many different organizations. However, some major
types of motivation are considered to be against the levels of employee engagement
(Alagaraja and Shuck 2015). The success of an organization is based on the methods that are
used in order to keep the employees engaged and motivated. The organizations in different
industries however do not have any particular science or method in order to motivate the
employees. The levels of motivation which are provided to the employees may not sustain for
a long time within the organization. The motivational theories can be used in order to
maintain the levels of motivation and employee engagement within the organizations
(Albrecht et al. 2015).
The essay will be based on the critical analysis of different motivational theories
which can be used effectively in order to engage the employees in the work process. The
levels of engagement within the organizations are thereby affected in a huge manner with the
motivation based factors. The organizations thereby need to analyse the motivation based
activities in order to engage the employees within the organizational processes.
Analysis based on use of motivational theories for increasing employee engagement
The employee who is engaged in different organizational processes is able to show
high levels of willingness and commitment towards the normal job that leads to the higher
levels of business based performance. The interest of employers is also high about the
employees who are able to provide their best levels of performance within the organizational
processes. The combination of different factors in this case is helpful in the development of a
win-win solution which is based on the ways by which different needs can be met. The
engagement of employees is related to effective fulfilment of needs of the employees and
employers. The high levels of engagement are not only based on motivation and is much
more than normal job satisfaction (Bal and De Lange 2015).
As discussed by Barrick et al. (2015), two different types of motivation are able to
affect the operations of different organizations which are a part of the industry which are

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extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic employee motivation is based on
different outside factors that are able to affect the organizational operations and motivation
levels of the employees as well. The employees who are motivated externally can accomplish
the tasks in an effective manner than the others. The motivation levels are thereby based on
the rewards and promotions which are received by the employees. The process of extrinsic
motivation is not able to foster the levels of employee engagement.
Levels of competition are increased with the help of extrinsic motivation which
further leads to the lack of proper engagement. The employees within the organization are
motivated in a selfish manner. The employees start thinking about themselves rather than the
others or the organization as a whole. The levels of jealousy within an organization are also
increased due to intrinsic motivation. The expectations of employees increase and they start
expecting rewards for different tasks which are performed by them (Bhuvanaiah and Raya
2015).
According to Bin (2015), intrinsic motivation on the other hand is considered to be
important and effective for the engagement of employees in different organizational
operations. The motivation which is provided to the employees within the organization is
considered to be intrinsic in nature. The engaged employees are motivated within the
organization with the help of different activities of the organizations. The clear definition of
the goals is considered to be effective for the increasing employee engagement and
motivation. The management of employees in an effective manner is a major factor that is
able to help the organizations to engage them in different work processes. The recognition
which is provided to the employees is also an important factor that is able to motivate them
and engage them in the organizational activities (Temminck, Mearns and Fruhen 2015).
The relationship of employee engagement and motivation is considered to be an
important part of the effective operations of different organizations within the industry.
Employee engagement is considered to be important for improving the organizational
operations and levels of revenues as well. Employee engagement is important for the
productivity which is provided by them with respect to different organizational operations
(Breevaart et al. 2014).
As discussed by Carasco-Saul, Kim and Kim (2015), Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
based model is considered to be an important part of increasing the employee engagement
related activities that are performed by the modern organizations. The theory is able to

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suggest that the basic needs of the employees have to be fulfilled in order to fulfil the
advance needs. The needs in the model are displayed with the help of a pyramid. The needs
that are located at the bottom of the pyramid are considered to be basic and on the other hand
those which are a part of the upper part of the pyramid are considered to be complex needs.
The different types of needs which are a part of the pyramid mainly include, physiological
needs, safety based needs, belonging related needs, self-esteem needs and self-actualization
needs.
The management of an organization thereby needs to fulfil the lower level based
needs in order to reach the higher levels. The different level based needs are always present
within the modern organizations. The needs can be fulfilled by the organization in order to
increase the levels of engagement in an effective manner. The increase in levels of
engagement are considered to be a major part of the ways by which different needs of an
organization can be fulfilled. According to the needs which have been suggested in Maslow’s
hierarchy of needs, the levels of engagement can be increased effectively by fulfilling them in
all parts of the organizational operations (Eisenberger, Malone and Presson 2016).
According to Eldor and Harpaz (2016), Herzberg’s motivation and hygiene based
factors are a part of another major motivation related model. The levels of satisfaction and
that of dissatisfaction in organizational operations arise from different factors. Some major
factors are able to affect the levels of motivation within the organizations. The hygiene based
factors need to be addressed in order to maintain the levels of profitability in an effective
manner. The employees always strive to achieve the hygiene needs as they tend to be
dissatisfied or unhappy if these needs are not satisfied.
The different examples based on hygiene needs include, policy, work conditions,
company car, status, security, salary, personal life. The true motivators are also based on
different factors that include, recognition, achievement, responsibility, work process, personal
growth and advancement. The hygiene based factors are not able to provide high levels of
motivation, they are a considered to be a platform based on which employees can be
motivated. The motivators are able to increase the levels of employee engagement within the
organizations and further improve the organizational operations as well (Kontoghiorghes
2016).
The motivation based theories and their analysis have been able to depict that
employee engagement is based on the ways by which they are motivated in the work process.

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The levels of employee engagement are thereby totally based on the motivation which is
provided by the management of modern organizations in the environment. Employee
engagement is considered to be highly important for the effective operations and productivity
of the employees who are a part of modern organizations (Mone and London 2018).
Examples based on increasing employee engagement
Example 1 - The use motivational theories for the purpose of increasing employee
engagement can be demonstrated with the help of some real life examples of modern and
successful organizations. Workplace culture has been able to play a key role in the
development of an effective culture in Starbucks. The management of Starbucks has aimed at
developing a workplace culture which is leads to high levels of motivation and fosters
employee engagement as well. The organization has always believed in creating and
providing opportunities to the young people in order to increase their engagement in the
operations. The most important part of employee engagement based activities which are
performed by Starbucks is mainly based on the growth which the organization is able to
provide to the employees to grow in their career (Petrou, Demerouti and Schaufeli 2018).
The recognition and rewards which are offered to the employees are also considered
to be a major part of the organizational operations and employee engagement activities as
well. The rating and performance development based approach of Starbucks has been
changed recently and the organization has stopped using rating system. Engaging
conversations which are able to cultivate high levels of growth, facilitate the insights and
foster trust are used as a new approach in the organizations. The development and training
based programs that have been implemented by Starbucks are considered to be important for
the ways by which the organization is able to increase the levels of revenues. The personal
growth of employees has been provided with high levels of importance which has been able
to affect the levels of engagement in different operations of the company (Saks and Gruman
2014).
Example 2 - The success of Woolworths is based on the levels of employee
engagement which has been developed by the management in an effective manner. The
organization has started providing new types of training based programs for the support staff.
The incentives are implemented within the organization in such a manner which is able to
affect the engagement of employees. The loyal base of customers of Woolworths are also
able to play a key role in the ways by which employee engagement can be increased. The

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staff referral based programs are implemented by Woolworths in order to increase the
engagement levels of employees within the organization. The gaps which can occur in the
skills that have been gained by the employees are affected in a huge manner by the different
employee engagement initiatives (Shields et al. 2015). The organization has been able to
maintain its successful operations in the retail industry of Australia with the help of the
implementation of proper employee engagement initiatives. The employees of Woolworths
have been considered to be effective resources who are used by the organization in order to
provide its services and products to the customers.
Example 3 - Google has been able to be highly successful in the technology based
industry with the help of high levels of employee engagement and effective levels of
motivation as well. The organization has developed an algorithm in order to sniff out the
dissatisfied employees. The organization aims at managing the employees and their
engagement levels with the help of different approaches which have been able to affect the
levels of revenues. Google has provided high value to the employees and managed them as an
effective resource. The employees have been given the name of Googlers. The organization
has thereby intended use the employees as an effective resource in order to provide effective
services and products to the customers. The amenities and benefit based programs have been
able to provide effective assistance to employees of Google (Singh 2016).
The organization has thereby been able to motivate the employees in such a manner
so that they become more engaged in different organizational operations. The human capital
is considered to be highly important for the success of the organization in the highly
competitive technology based industry. The human resources in Google are managed
effectively with the help of different employee engagement based activities that have been
performed by the organization. Employee happiness and positive work based cultured has
been considered to be the most important part of the effective operations of the organization.
The hiring based process which has been implemented by Google is also considered to be
quite unique in nature (Slack, Corlett and Morris 2015).
The organization has introduced Google Analytics in order to analyse the data based
on employees and to implement effective employee engagement based initiatives as well.
Google has empowered the employees in order to increase the levels of their engagement
within the organization. The empowered employees are considered to be highly motivated
and engaged in nature. The business leaders need to the empower the workers and analyse the

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issues which are faced by them within the organization. The bottom line business based
operations of the organization are affected in a huge manner by the levels of productivity of
employees and the turnover based rates as well. The leaders and managers of Google have
been able to communicate the mission and the vision of the organization so that they can
work towards achieving the goals (Taneja, Sewell and Odom 2015).
Example 4 - The human resource management related activities of Qantas Airways
have been managed effectively by the employee engagement based initiatives which have
been implemented by the organization. The transformation of the organization has been based
on the ways by which employee engagement has been implemented. The culture, long term
based strategies and communication process are considered to be a major part of effective and
profitable operations of Google. The technology, training and recognition have been
implemented by Qantas Airways in order to increase levels of employee engagement.
Different facets of employee based training have been managed by the organization in such a
way which is able to increase the motivation levels in Qantas Airways (Temminck, Mearns
and Fruhen 2015). Employees have started becoming the most important part of the success
which has been gained by Qantas Airways in the airlines industry. The organization has
provided high levels of focus on the leadership and the employees. Qantas Airways has
implemented large pilot training based program in order to train the employees. More than
1000 leaders of the organization have been provided with effective training in order to
enhance the operations (Van den Broeck et al. 2016).
Conclusion
The essay can be concluded by stating that employee motivation is considered to be
an important factor which is able to affect the levels of employee engagement in the modern
organizations. The motivational theories have been implemented within the organizations
with the aim to increase the profitability levels. The organizations which have been taken into
consideration for analysing the levels of employee engagement have been able to depict that
employee engagement is an important part of the operations. The employees of all the
modern organizations are considered to be highly important for their success in the respective
industries. The engagement of employees of the organizations need to be maintained in order
to increase the levels of productivity and revenues in an effective manner. The employees
thereby need to be provided with utmost levels of importance by the modern organizations in
order to increase the profitability and enhancing the operations as well.

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