Ch 12: Understanding Employee Motivation
About This Chapter
Understanding Employee Motivation - Chapter Summary
As you go through these video lessons on employee motivation, you can reconcile any questions you might have about behavior-based and needs-based theories of motivation. Instructors explain what the acquired needs theory and the equity theory of motivation encompass. They also teach you about Herzberg's two-factor theory as it relates to motivation and hygiene factors. By the end of the chapter, you should be ready to:
- Provide an overview of the behavioral management theory
- Discuss use of Maslow's hierarchy of needs to motivate employees
- Explain what Alderfer's ERG theory suggests
- Outline Vroom's expectancy theory of employee motivation
- Recall how consequences are used to motivate employees
- Detail what Locke's goal setting theory says about advancing motivation
- Recount theories of cognitive evaluation and self-determination
- Give examples of intrinsic and extrinsic employee rewards
Mobile-friendly and interactive, the lessons in this chapter are taught by professional instructors to help you more thoroughly understand employee motivation. To make sure you comprehend the many concepts covered, there's a short quiz available for each lesson. You can also print the lesson quizzes and use them as study worksheets.

1. Behavioral Management Theory: Understanding Employee Behavior & Motivation
Behavioral management theory was developed in response to the need to account for employee behavior and motivation. The shift moved management from a production orientation (classical leadership theory) to a leadership style focused on the workers' human need for work-related satisfaction and good working conditions.

2. The Needs Theory: Motivating Employees with Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Hunger, thirst, security, friendship, respect and being all that you can be are just some of the things that motivate us to take action. This lesson helps us to further understand these needs and how they motivate behavior by showing where they fall in Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

3. Motivation Theory: Needs-Based & Behavior-Based
There are two schools of thought used to explain employee motivation in the workplace. Needs-based theory states that employees have certain needs that must be met in order to be motivated to perform. Behavior-based theory believes motivating factors influence behavior towards work.

4. Alderfer's ERG Theory & Employee Motivation in the Workplace
Alderfer's ERG theory is a simplified version of Maslow's hierarchy of needs that suggests that all human needs can be accessed and satisfied simultaneously, rather than from the bottom up. Either way, as needs are satisfied, employees are motivated to strive to satisfy a new need.

5. Acquired Needs Theory: Need for Achievement, Power & Affiliation
Do you act out of a need for achievement, power or affiliation? This lesson describes the acquired needs theory and how one of the three types of needs affect us more than the others.

6. Equity Theory of Motivation: Reward & Effort
Have you ever noticed that some employees seem to work harder than others for the same reward? Why does that happen? This lesson explains how equity theory is used by managers to motivate employees by providing a high reward for equivalent efforts on part of the employee.

7. Vroom's Expectancy Theory of Employee Motivation
Finding the right equation for motivating employees can be challenging. This lesson explains how expectancy theory is used to motivate employees by increasing the motivation to act based on a set of specific criteria.

8. Thorndike's Reinforcement Theory: Using Consequences to Motivate Employees
In the workplace, there are levels of acceptable behavior. As a manager, it is important to use appropriate techniques that reinforce acceptable behavior and deter inappropriate behavior. This lesson describes how reinforcement theory is used to influence employee behavior through consequences.

9. Locke's Goal-Setting Theory: Using Goals to Advance Motivation
Locke's Goal-Setting Theory uses clear and challenging goals to advance employee motivation in the workplace. Goals that are well defined and challenging to attain are more likely to be met because they hold intrinsic and extrinsic value to the employee.

10. Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory: Hygiene Factors & Motivation
This lesson describes Frederick Herzberg's two-factor theory, which is based on the idea of how hygiene factors and satisfiers or motivators are used to provide satisfaction to employees in work environments.

11. Self-determination & Cognitive Evaluation Theories: Employee Motivation
In this lesson, you will learn about the self-determination theory and Cognitive Evaluation Theory of motivation. Find out how the principles of these theories can explain employee motivation in the workplace.

12. Reward Systems & Employee Behavior: Intrinsic & Extrinsic Rewards
Have you ever wondered why some employees are more motivated than others to work at a higher level of productivity? This lesson explains how managers use intrinsic and extrinsic rewards to reinforce positive employee behavior.

13. How to Empower Employees & Improve Employee Performance
Empowered employees have the potential to reach high levels of productivity because they feel in control of their jobs. This lesson will describe how a manager can empower an employee to motivate employee performance.
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Other Chapters
Other chapters within the DSST Organizational Behavior: Study Guide & Test Prep course
- The History & Evolution of Organizational Behavior
- Research Methods in Organizational Psychology
- Management Roles & Functions
- Overview of Individual Behavior
- Personality & Social Behavior in Organizations
- Emotions & Moods in Organizations
- Overview of Attitudes & Values in the Workplace
- Managing Workplace Stress
- Ethics in the Workplace
- Perception & Attributional Bias in Organizational Behavior
- Learning in the Workplace
- Individual Decision Making
- Introduction to Workforce Diversity
- Organizational Communication in the Workplace
- Groups, Teams & Group Decision Making
- Managing Conflict in the Workplace
- The Nature of Leadership in Organizational Behavior
- Leadership Theories & Styles in Organizational Behavior
- How Organizations are Structured & Designed
- Introduction to Organizational Culture
- Overview of Organizational Change
- Global Implications of Organizational Behavior
- DSST Informational Resources
- DSST Organizational Behavior Flashcards