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The Definition Of Work Motivation

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Work Motivation

What is work motivation? Managers must first know the definition of motivation before they can answer this question. Motivation in our textbook is defined as, “the process of arousing and sustaining goal-directed behavior” (ORGB Chapter 5). Given this definition, we can apply it to the workplace environment and safely assume that work motivation is a factor that pushes employees to reach goals. It is a force within an employee that makes them want to complete work-related tasks and perform well. There are many types of motivation, but the two most common are intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is when an individual does something so they can feel accomplished inside like in the manner of, performing a task to feel satisfied. Extrinsic on the other hand comes from external things like getting a raise or being motivated to try hard so that your boss will give you a promotion. Now that we have some information about what work motivation is I will explain some of the theories of motivation and how managers can apply them to motivate employees. I will also talk about the most common factors that affect motivation, and lastly, the reasons why having motivated employees is beneficial. The three main types of motivation theories are need-based, cognitive process, and job-based. Maslow’s need hierarchy and McClelland’s need theory are both need-based theories. This means that before an employee is motivated to perform there are certain needs that must be

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