Organizational Behavior and Development

Motivational Methods and Program

Reporter: Tefanny F. Pesons

Subject: BM 216A
Professor: Dr. Marlon F. Montecillo, Ph.D, Ed.D
Date Submitted: July 21, 2018
 MOTIVATIONAL METHODS AND PROGRAMS

I. Motivation Through Job Design

A. Job Enrichment
This refers to making a job more motivational and satisfying by adding variety,
responsibility, and managerial decision making. It gives workers a sense of ownership,
responsibility, and accountability for their work.

B. Characteristics of an Enriched Job

1. Direct feedback – employees should receive immediate evaluation of their work.
2. Client relationship – a job is automatically enriched when a worker has a client or
customer to serve, whether that client is internal or external.
3. New learning – learning can stem from job experiences themselves or from
training programs associated with the job.
4. Control over method – when a worker has some control over which method to
choose to accomplish a task, his or her task motivation generally increases.
5. Control over scheduling – includes the authority to decide when to tackle which
assignments and having some say in setting working hours, such as flexible
working hours.
6. Unique experience – unique qualities and features.
7. Control over resources – ability to have some control over resources, such as
money, material, or people.
8. Direct communication authority – provides workers the opportunity to
communicate directly with other people who use their output.
9. Personal accountability – workers are responsible for their results.

C. Empowerment and Involvement as a Type of Job Enrichment

Empowerment is the process of sharing power with group members, thereby
enhancing their feelings of self-efficacy. Involving employees in decisions that affect them

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 is a form of empowerment and is also motivational. Involvement leads to greater
commitment.

D. The Job Characteristic Model

The concept of job enrichment has been expanded to the job characteristic model,
a method of job design that focuses on the task and interpersonal demands of a job. The
model is based on both needs theory and expectancy theory, with its emphasis on workers
looking to satisfy needs through the job.

Core Job
Critical Psychological States Personal and Work Outcomes
Characteristics

High internal work

Skill Variety
motivation

Task Experienced High general job satisfaction

Identity meaningfulness of work

Task
High growth satisfaction
Significance

Experienced responsibilty for Low turnover and

Autonomy
outcomes of work absenteeism

Feedback Knowledge of actual results of High-quality work performance

from job work activities

Strength of employee’s need for

growth

The job characteristic model combines the five characteristics into a single index
that reflects the overall potential of a job to trigger high internal work motivation called the
Motivational Potential Score (MPS), the index is computed as follows:
Skill Task Task
MPS = Variety + Identity + Significance x Autonomy x Feedback
3
E. Job Crafting
This refers to the physical and mental changes workers make in the task or
relationship aspects of their job. The following are the most common type:

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 1. Changing number, scope, and type of job task
2. Changing quantity and/or amount of interaction with others encountered in
the job
3. Changing the view of the job

II. Organizational Behavior Modification (OB Mod)

OB Mod is the application of reinforcement theory for motivating people in work settings. OB
Mod programs typically use positive reinforcement rather than punishment to modify behavior.

A. Steps in a Formal OB Mod Program

1. Identifying behaviors that require change.
2. Measure baseline performance.
3. Analyzing the functional consequences.
a. What are the antecedents of the performance-related behavior measured
in the first two steps?
b. What are the contingent consequences when workers make the desired
response?
4. Develop intervention strategy appropriate to the situation.
5. Apply an appropriate contingency strategy.
6. After intervening, measures the performance again to assess whether the desired
effect has been achieved.

B. Rules for the Application of OB Mod

Rule 1 Choose an appropriate reward or punishment.
Rule 2 Reinforce the behaviors you really want to encourage.
Rule 3 Supply ample feedback.
Rule 4 Rewards should be commensurate with good deed.
Rule 5 Schedule rewards intermittently.
Rule 6 Rewards and punishments should follow the observed behavior closely in time.
Rule 7 Make rewards visible to the recipient and to others.
Rule 8 Change the reward periodically.

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 OB Mod Application Model
Observable
Idenify must be Measurable
behavior changes Task-related
Critical to the
task

Direct observation
Measure %
use Time sampling
baseline frequency
Archival data
of response Time
Historical Data

Analyze Behavioral contingencies

functional A ---------> B ------------> C
consequences

Note: A = antecedent, B = behavior C = consequence

Intervene

Industry
Consider organizational context Structure
Develop Intervention Size
Process
Techonology

Positive reinforcement
use Financiall
Apply intervention Nonfinancial
Social
Combination

Measure post-test frequency

No
Behavior
modified?

Yes
Continuous
use
Maintain the Schedules of Intermittent
modification reinforcement Ratio
Interval

Evaluate
for perfmance improvement
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III. Motivation Through Recognition and Pride

A. Recognition as a Motivator
Recognition is a strong motivator because it is normal human need to crave
recognition. An outstanding advantage of using recognition, including praise, as a
motivator is that a person can give it with little or no cost, yet it can still be powerful. The
following are several more points to consider better understanding and implementing
reward and recognition programs:
1. Feedback is an essential part of recognition.
2. Praise is one of the most powerful forms of recognition.
3. Reward and recognition programs should be linked to organizational
goals.
4. Employee input into what type of rewards and recognition are valued is
useful.
5. It is important to evaluate the effectiveness of the reward and recognition
program.

B. Pride as a Motivator
Wanting to feel proud motivates many workers even if pride is not exactly a
psychological need. Being proud of what you accomplish is more of an intrinsic motivator
than an extrinsic motivator.

IV. Motivation Through Financial Incentives

A. Linking Pay to Performance

This generally motivates people to work harder because the link acts as a
reinforcer. The recommended approach is to tie employee pay to specific performance
criteria and link it directly to value-enhancing business results. The variable pay must be
earned again each year and does not permanently increase base salary.

B. Employees Stock Ownership and Stock Options

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 1. Employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) – employees at all levels in the
organization are given stock. The employer either contributes shares of its stock or
the money to purchase stock in the open market.
2. Employee stock options – give the employees the right to purchase a certain
number of company shares in the future at a specified price, generally the market
price on the day the option is granted.

C. Gainsharing
A formal program of allowing employees to participate financially in the productivity
gains they achieved. This is based on principles of positive reinforcement and the
motivational impact of money.

D. Problems Associated with Financial Incentives

1. Workers may not agree with managers about the value of their contributions.
2. Financial incentives can also pit individuals and groups against each other.
3. Pay for performance:
a. This method typically rewards immediate, short-term actions.
b. The ratings assigned to people are too subjective.
c. Individual accomplishment is difficult to measure.
4. Financial rewards focus on the attention of workers too much on rewards such as
money or stock and in the process; the workers lose out on intrinsic rewards such
as joy in accomplishment.
5. External rewards do not create lasting commitment.
6. In a merit pay system, a person who does not receive a merit increase one pay
period often feels that he or she has been punished.
7. Rewards manipulate people in the same manner as bribes.

V. Choosing an Appropriate Motivational Model

A fruitful approach to choosing an effective motivation theory or program for given situation
is for the manager (or other would-be motivator) to carefully diagnose the situation. They should
choose a motivational approach that best fits the deficiency or neglected opportunity in a given

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 situation. Observe the people that need motivation, and also interview them about their interests,
concerns, deficits, or missed opportunity.

VI. Implications For Managerial Practice

1. Although motivation through job design is complex, time consuming, and
expensive, it must be given careful consideration in any strategic attempt to
enhance motivation and productivity.
2. A helpful starting point in motivating workers is to ask them to describe in writing
what they think would be effective motivators for them, including rewards and type
of work.
3. In situation in which it takes a long time to complete a task or assignment, the
worker or team might therefore go without recognition for a long time. A solution is
to recognize these workers for progress toward the larger goal.
4. No motivational program is a substitute for adequate compensation, including pay
and benefits.

“Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work. – Aristotle”

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