Occupational Psychology

Theories of motivation raise those that atomic number 18 in managerial positions with greater understanding of what makes employees perform to their peak performance. The practice of comprehending motivation loafer result in influencing and managing the behaviour of a workforce effectively. Motivation is intrinsic or extrinsic and is seen as a desire or need that gives an respective(prenominal) focus and drive in their role, tasks they atomic number 18 employed to do and controls an man-to-mans behavior. We are all motivated by different things and in different charges. Some sight are motivated by doing a good job and look for personal recognition and personal growth, whereas others are motivated by money and promotion. When employ to the workplace it is ab come to the fore getting the around from an employee through encouragement in order for them to give the best performance in their role.Two theories that have influenced organizations and are used to date are Maslows th eory hierarchy of needfully and Lockes theory on goal place setting. Maslows theory is referred to as a content theory of motivation and suggests how an individual behaves in a workplace is dependent on the need or requirement to fulfill certain call for. If an individual does not accomplish these inescapably they impinge on an imbalance which they will try to rectify. The theory suggests we are motivated by basic needs and as these needs are met we move to another take of the hierarchy of needs until we reach the pinnacle of the pyramid. The levels that Maslow proposes we all go through are, basic needs, safety needs, social needs, esteem needs and self-actualization. Once individuals reach the self actualization level, the need continues to act as a motivator, the more they experience the need, the more they want to experience further growth and satisfaction.A study by Parker et al (1991) looked into motivation needs and their relationship to life success. The study looked a t the responses of managerial and non-managerial industry workers. It showed that the need to achieve was positively related to success. This included status-wealth, share to society and professional fulfillment, tho was negatively related to security and when carried out the type of role i.e. managerial and non managerial was an essential predictor of power needs and accomplishment.C.L. Cooper (2001) besides supported Maslows theory of needs believing that they are extremely important because the nature of work is changing, as employment is now unsafe or short term contracts. British employment structure is becoming more Americanized, having longer hours, intrinsic job insecurity and employing a bottom marge management approach. Cooper proposed that Maslows theory is far more important today with the British workforce than it was in the last century. P.E. Ajang (2012) also supports the theory that Maslows hierarchy of needs have been useful in organisations in motivation, belie ving that in order for them to be effective and efficient, managers and the organisation must be willing to understand and provide factors that motivate employees within their roles and duties.Greenberg & Baron (2003) support the distinction between the growth needs and deficiencies in Maslows theory solely proposed that not all individuals are suitable to satisfy their higher order needs in employment. Their research found that managers from higher ranks in organisations were able to satisfy both their growth and deficiency needs whereas managers at a lower level were only able to satisfy their deficiency needs at work. Nadler & Lawler (1979) cited in Graham & Messner (1998) believed there were three study criticisms of Maslows theory arguing that the theory makes assumptions about employees in general. These are that employees are similar, all situations are similar and that there is only one best way to meet their needs.Lockes theory is referred to as a process theory of motiva tion and proposes that employees are motivated by having specific goals set them and being given the requisite feedback. He suggests that if we are given goals it motivates an individual to achieve a goal which improves general performance. Goal setting employs key points, referred to as SMART. These are specific, measurable, agreed upon, veridical and time bound. Goals should be specific (so an individual knows what to do), measurable (so an individual knows when they have to be completed), agreed upon (this way an individual has a joint/vested interest in their success), realistic (difficult but realistic to accomplish in period allotted, making sure they are not impractical objectives as this will demotivate them) and time trammel (having a time limit ensures individuals complete the task).Morisano et al (2010) investigated whether goal setting would enhance academic performance for struggle students, following the conclusion that in universities 20 five percent never compl ete their course. The study found that the students who followed the goal setting intervention showed extensive improvements in their performance compared to those that had not had goals set. They propose that if they are standardized, easily administered and time limited that enhancement in academic performance can be attained in struggling students.Steele-Johnson et al (2000) found in their analysis of goal orientation and task demand effects on motivation, affect and performance that participants with performance goal orientation were more satisfied with their overall performance on an simple task as this offered a better possibility for them to demonstrate their capability. Their results showed that advantages of goal direction were dependent on the type or intricacy of task given. Job complexity affected goal orientation on affect and performance and task consistency moderated goal orientation on intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy.In Latham & Steeles (1983) study on college students performing toy assembly, and whether work strategies or goal setting would boost performance, the results showed that specific goals set by a supervisor led to elevated performance rather than generalized do best objectives. The study found and supported Lockes theory of goal setting as did other studies by Mento et al (1987), Locke & Latham (1990) and Locke & Latham (2002).Grants (2012) study on goal setting in teaching and practice saw goal setting as an lofty structure in order for individuals to explore, recognize and modify unhelpful implicit goals. This would promote positive change and a motivational effect on behaviour, but he also felt that it could hinder performance, especially if the task allotted was too complicated, was too exigent or the individual was inexperienced, had low self-efficacy and resources were limited. He also proposed that individuals were more believably to cheat and be unhelpful with peers if there were highly competitive situations or hig h performance goals. He felt that SMART goals eradicate the development of sophisticated comprehension and knowledge. He stated that unclear managerial perception or knowledge of Lockes theory could result in ill certain decision making and incorrect practice.In conclusion the level of influence on performance and motivation is dependent on how a theory is utilize and by whom and whether they are skilled at applying the theory. When using Maslows theory if an individual is inexperienced in teaching or training methods (i.e., supervisors, managers, etc) the theory is absolutely ineffective, although if they are a trained teacher or academic they may have some success in its application. Employers need to be able to work out which level of the hierarchy of needs an individual is at in order to motivate them i.e. if someone is on a low salary and are struggling to get by they are unlikely to be motivated be receiving a credential for a job well done, they are more likely to be moti vated with the offer of a salary increase. Problems exist with the theory as individuals arent al shipway predictable, they can also sometimes be driven to do well by what they feel strongly about and not necessarily by what they require.In contrast Lockes theory seems to have more success and is an realized method used in organisations today. It has been shown to be a reliable and effective way of motivating employees. Studies have shown that performance improvements that are related to goal setting can be between ten and twenty percent. Goal setting works because it gives individuals objectives, energizes individuals, provides a challenge and encourages creativeness in an individual in their workplace. To managers and supervisors it is well-to-do enough to employ and can be very useful as the results can be easily understood and supervised. In academics and teachers who are highly proficient it can be very useful as can show levels of attainment and can be a good indicator on ho w to cash advance and improve an individuals overall performance and if applied correctly will have great advantages.In summary we all require motivation to work hard, but individual differences in motivation are due to factors such as locus of control and personality. We are all motivated in different ways and by different things, such as personal gain, money, reward or by achievement and personal success. These motivations can alter depending on our circumstances. Lockes theory seems the most useful in addressing human problems in motivation but ultimately it is down to the organisation and which method they employ, that determines whether a theory has been helpful or unhelpful. The efficacy on the individual using the theory will evidently determine whether motivation of an individual is successful or not in the workplace.