Select 3 theories and explain how they have increased our understanding of motivation.

Compare and
contrast their influences on human motivation in the contemporary work setting, Then, choose one
theory that best applies to your own personal and developmental journey. 

Motivation is defined as the energy or the force that stimulates a person to act towards the fulfillment of

one's desired goal. Before one can achieve a deeper understanding of motivation, one must be able to

gain knowledge of its basic process and the elements involved in it. (Sarah Mae Sincero (Jan 1, 2012).

The four major employee components are the job, the typical pay-benefits package, the culture, and the

brand. (Julia Gometz, Nov 15, 2013). These components are what can motivate or demotivate workers

in an organization. The three theories explained in this paper are;

1. McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y

This theory deals with understanding what motivates people. Social psychologist Douglas McGregor

founded two contrasting theories in 1960. This theory, which is the X and Y theory, described how

management style is affected by what managers perceive motivates their workers.

Theory X which is also known as the authoritarian theory is used for workers who dislike their work and

have little motivation for their jobs. When employees are not motivated by any of the 4 employee

components listed above, according to McGregor, an authoritarian approach can be used. This approach

involves strict supervision by managers (micromanagement) in other to get the work done appropriately.

Theory Y which is also known as the participative theory is used for workers who enjoy their work, see

it as a challenge and are motivated by either 1 or all of the 4 employee components. A participative

approach will be used for workers in this category as they are trusted in their respective fields to deliver

without supervision.

Before any of the approaches are used, the manager must be able to determine the category his workers

fall under.
 2. Vroom’s Expectancy Theory

This theory was developed by a Canadian professor of psychology, Victor Vroom, in 1964. He
determined that an individual’s motivation is based on 3 factors; Expectancy, Instrumentality, and
Valence. According to Victor Vroom, if workers are allowed to make choices in the workplace, they
will likely choose that which motivates them the most.

Victor Vroom formula on Motivational force= Expectance x Valence

Expectance: this relates to what an employee expects to get for his input/effort. When an employee puts
in an effort, he has an expectation to get either rewarded, recommended, promoted or appreciated. It can
be in the form of having a good work station or being equipped with an effective PPE for his job or even
in-house/external trainings on necessary skills for the job. This will motivate him to put in more effort
subsequently.

Instrumentality: every employee is an instrument necessary for the smooth operation of a business. This
is in the form of an employee’s performance being rewarded appropriately. If the employee perceives
that the organization’s reward process is as good as promised, this will motivate him to put in more
efforts in order to get his reward as at when due.

Valence: this is using individual employee’s value to determine what will be given to him. Values differ
amongst individuals as one employee in an organization may place more value on field allowances
while another employee in the same organization may place his on health schemes.

3. Herzberg’s Motivator-Hygiene Theory or Two Factor Theory

This theory, developed in 1959, argues that there are two factors that can be used to influence
motivation amongst workers in an organization. These are motivators and hygiene factors. Motivators
are found during the course of a job while hygiene factors are found around the surroundings in the
workplace.

Motivators in itself are tools that encourage workers to put in more efforts while with the presence of
hygiene factors, workers will be encouraged to put in more efforts.

Examples of motivators are; passion for the job, career advancement, recognition, and achievements.

Examples of hygiene factors are, PPEs, security, bonuses, salaries, company policies, and processes.
There are 4 states involved in the Herzberg’s Motivator-Hygiene Theory;

i. High hygiene and high motivation- this is the state of high hygiene where all employees are
highly motivated and organizations in this state are highly successful.
ii. High hygiene and low motivation: in this state, workers are comfortable either with their
salaries or with the general conditions in the organization but there is no competition and no
challenges.
iii. Low hygiene and high motivation: in this case employees are highly motivated but with a lot
of grievances. They may have very good promotional structures but with low salary structure
as befitting their positions and efforts.
iv. Low Hygiene and Low Motivation: this is the worst state an organization can be in as
employees are neither motivated to do the job nor is there any presence of a hygiene factor.

Compare and contrast their influences on human motivation in the contemporary work setting.

Herzberg’s Motivator-Hygiene Theory or Two Factor Theory deals with the factors that can influence
employee motivations. Vroom’s Expectancy Theory deals with his values, what he expects to receive
based on the effort he put into his job. McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y focuses on what motivates
an employee, what he responds well to.

McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y and McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y can be used
simultaneously by managers inorder to know the issues of their employees, solve it to achieve better
results. Employers can observe workers to determine their work state; either satisfied or dissatisfied. A
questionnaire can then be used where workers state the reasons for their dissatisfaction (hygiene/
motivator factor). This will help managers solve the issues of dissatisfaction amongst workers.

In conclusion, the theory that best applies to your own personal and developmental journey my journey
as an employee is the Herzberg’s Motivator-Hygiene Theory or Two Factor Theory, specifically the
Low hygiene and high motivation. I have always worked in an organization where this theory has
always been employed in that responsibilities are enormous but the rewards and salary structures are not
equivalent to the efforts.
Reference

Herzberg’s Motivation Theory – Two Factor Theory. Retrieved from

https://expertprogrammanagement.com/2018/04/herzbergs-two-factor-theory/

Mulder, P. (2018). Vroom’s Expectancy Theory. Retrieved from ToolsHero:

https://www.toolshero.com/psychology/theories-of-motivation/vrooms-expectancy-theory/

JULIA GOMETZ (NOVEMBER 15, 2013).The 4 Components of an Employee Promise. Retrieved

from https://www.ere.net/the-4-components-of-an-employee-promise/

Sarah Mae Sincero (Jan 1, 2012). Process of Motivation. Retrieved from Explorable.com:

https://explorable.com/process-of-motivation