Module No.

MOTIVATING
ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

ENG’R. ISAGANI C. FLORES

Department of Engineering and Architecture
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MODULE 7 MOTIVATING

Module Description
The module deals with giving employees reasons or incentives to work to achieve
organizational objectives.

Objectives of the module :

After completing the module, the student must be able to ;
1. Identify the factors contributing to motivation.
2. Explain the theories of motivation crucial to management.
3. Demonstrate the various techniques of motivation

Introduction

Productivity has always been a serious concern of the management of firms. If it

improves, it means greater chances for the company to grow and be more stable. One reason why
the Philippine economy cannot move steadily forward is our record of low productivity for so
many years.
Higher productivity, however, is not a result of chance. It happens because of harder,
more efficient, and more intelligent work made by the employees. To be willing partners,
however, the requirement is for them to be properly motivated. An example is the management
of a construction firm wanting its employees to finish projects on time, with the quality required
at the least cost. To achieve this, various methods of motivation may be applied.

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When the cost of the other factors of production is seriously affecting the viability of the
firm, the remaining factor (i.e., labor) may save the company from financial difficulties.
However, this will depend on whether or not labor will be motivated to perform their assigned
task.

1. WHAT IS MOTIVATION?

Motivating refers to the act of “giving employees reasons or incentives... to work to

achieve organizational objectives.” Motivation, on the other hand, refers to the “process of
activating behavior, sustaining it, and directing it toward a particular goal.” This definition is
useful because it specifies three stages: activating, sustaining, and directing actions towards the
achievement of objectives.

2. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO MOTIVATION

There are certain factors influencing a person's desire to do his job well. They are the
following:
1. Willingness to do a job. People who like what they are doing are highly motivated to
produce the expected output.
2. Self-confidence in carrying out a task. When employees feel that they have the
required skill and training to perform a task, the more motivated they become.
3. Needs satisfaction. People will do their jobs well if they feel that by doing so, their
needs will be satisfied.

3. THEORIES OF MOTIVATION

There are various theories of motivation, but only the four most influential ones will be
discussed. They consist of the following:
1. Maslow's Needs Hierarchy Theory
2. Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory
3. Expectancy Theory
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4. Goal Setting Theory

3.1 Maslow's Needs Hierarchy Theory

Abraham Maslow, a psychologist, theorized that human beings have five basic needs which
are as follows: physiological, security, social, esteem, and self-actualization. These needs are
hierarchical, which means, one need will have to be satisfied first before the other need.
a. Physiological Needs. Those that are concerned with biological needs like food, drink,
rest, and sex fall under the category of physiological needs. These needs take priority
over other needs.
b. Security Needs. After satisfying that physiological needs, people will seek to satisfy
their safety needs. These needs include freedom from harm coming from the elements
or from other people, financial security which may be affected by loss of job or the
breadwinner in the family, etc.

Fig. 7.1 The Process of Motivation

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Fig. 7.2 Maslow’s Hierarchy Theory

c. Social Needs. After satisfying his physiological and security needs, the employee will
no strive to secure love, affection and the need to be accepted by peers.
d. Esteem Needs, The fourth level of needs is called esteem needs and they refer to the
need for a positive self-image and self-respect and the need to be respected by others.
e. Self-Actualization Needs. The fifth and topmost level needs in the hierarchy are called
self-actualization needs and involve realizing our full potential as human beings and
becoming all that we are able to be.

The Relevance of Maslow’s Theory to Engineering Management.Even if Maslow’s

theory has been largely questioned, one basic premise cannot be discarded: a fulfilled need no
longer motivates an individual. If this is the situation the subordinate is in, the engineer manager
must identify an unfulfilled need and work out a scheme so that the subordinate will be
motivated to work in order to satisfy the unfulfilled need.

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3.2 Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory

The two-factor theory is on developed by Frederick Herzberg indicating that a satisfied

employee is motivated from within to work harder and that a dissatisfied employee is not self-
motivated.

Herzberg identified two classes of factors associated with employee satisfaction and
dissatisfaction. In his research, Herzberg found out that satisfied employees mention the
following factors (called satisfiers or motivation factors) responsible for job satisfaction:
achievement, recognition, work itself, responsibility, advancement and growth. Dissatisfied
employees mentioned the following factors (called dissatisfiers or hygiene factors) as responsible
for job dissatisfaction: company policy and administration, supervision, relationship with peers,
personal life, and relationship with subordinates, status, and security.

If Herzberg’s theory will be considered by the engineer manager in motivating

employees, he must do something to eliminate dissatisfiers and install satisfiers. As shown in
Figure 7.3, even if the dissatisfiers are eliminated (at point zero), the employee is still not
motivated to work hard.

Fig. 7.3 Herzberg’s Two-Factor

Theory

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3.3 Expectancy Theory

Expectancy Theory is a motivation model based on the assumption that an individual will
work depending on his perception of the probability of his expectations to happen.
The theory poses the idea that motivation is determined by expectancies and valences.An
expectancy is a belief about the likelihood or probability that a particular behavioral act (like
attending training sessions) will lead to a particular outcome (like a promotion). Valence is the
value an individual places on the expected outcomes or rewards.
Expectancy theory is based on the following assumptions:
1. A combination of forces within the individual and in the environment determines
behavior.
2. People make decisions about their own behavior and that of organizations.
3. People have different types of needs, goals and desires.
4. People make choices among alternative behavior based on the extent to which they think
a certain behavior will lead to a desired outcome.
Shown in Figure 7.4 is a model of the expectancy theory.

Fig. 7.4 An Expectancy Model

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3.4 Goal Setting Theory

Goal Setting Theory refers to the process of “improving performance with objectives,
deadlines or quality standard.” When individuals or groups are assigned specific goals, a
clear direction is provided and which later motivates them to achieve these goals.

The goal setting model drawn by Edwin A. Locke and his associates consists of the
following components:

1. Goal Content
2. Goal Commitment
3. Work Behavior
4. Feedback Aspects
3.4.1 Goal Content.
To be sufficient in the content, goals must be challenging, attainable, specific and
measurable, time-limited and relevant.

When goals are challenging, higher performance may be expected. The sales quotas imposed
by companies to individual members of their sales force indicate reliance of these companies to
the use of challenging goals.

Goals must be attainable if they are to be best. If they are not, then workers will only be
discouraged to perform, if at all.

Goals must be stated in quantitative terms whenever possible. When exact figures to be met
are set, understanding is facilitates and workers are motivated to perform.

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There must be a time-limit set for goals to be accomplished.The more relevant the goals are
to the company’s mission, the more support it can generate from various levels of employment in
the organization.
3.4.2 Goal Commitment.
When individuals or groups are committed to the goals they are supposed to achieve,
there is a chance they will be able to achieve them.

3.4.3 Work Behavior.

Goals influence behavior in terms of direction, effort, persistence, and planning. When an
individual is provided with direction, performance is facilitated. In trying to attain goals that are
already indicated, the individual is provided with a direction to exert more effort. The
identification of goals provide a reason for an individual to persist in his efforts until the goal is
attained.
Once goals are set, the first important input to planning is already in place.

3.4.4 Feedback Aspects. Feedbacks provide the individuals with a way of knowing how far
they have gone in achieving objectives. Feedbacks also facilitate the introduction of corrective
measures whenever they are found to be necessary.

Fig. 7.5 How Goals Motivate and facilitate Performance

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4. TECHNIQUES OF MOTIVATION

Individual or groups of individuals may be motivated to perform through the use of

various techniques. These techniques may be classified as follows:

1. Motivation through Job Design

2. Motivation through Rewards
3. Motivation through Employee Participation
4. Other Motivation Techniques for the Diverse Work Force

4.1 Motivation through Job Design

A person will be highly motivated to perform if he is assigned a job he likes. The first
requisite, however, is to design jobs that will meet the requirement of the organization and the
persons who will occupy them. Job design may be defined as “specifying the tasks that constitute
a job for an individual or a group.”

In motivating through the use of job design, two approaches may be used: fitting people
to jobs or fitting jobs to people.

Fitting People to Jobs.Routine and repetitive tasks make workers suffer from chronic
dissatisfaction. To avoid this, the following remedies may be adapted:

1. Realistic Job Previews- where management provides honest explanations of what a job
actually needs.
2. Job Rotation- where people are moved periodically from onre specialized job to another,
3. Limited Exposure- where worker’s exposure to a highly fragmented and tedious job is
limited.

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Fig. 7.6 Techniques of Motivation

Fig. 7.6 Techniques of Motivation

Fitting Jobs to
People.Instead of changing the person, management may consider changing the job. This may be
achieved with the use of the following:

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1. Job Enlargement- where two or more specialized tasks in a work flow sequence is
combined into a single job.
2. Job Enrichment-where efforts are made to make jobs more interesting, challenging, and
rewarding.

4.2 Motivating through Rewards

Rewards consist of material and psychological benefits to employees for performing

tasks in the workplace. Properly administered reward systems can be improve job performance
and satisfaction.

Rewards may be classified into two categories:

1. Extrinsic- those which refer to payoffs granted to the individual by another party.
Examples are money, employee benefits, promotions, recognition, status symbols, praise,
etc.
2. Intrinsic Rewards- This which are internally experienced payoffs which are self-granted.
Examples are a sense of accomplishment, self-esteem and self-actualization.

Extrinsic and intrinsic rewards coincide with needs spelled out at the beginning of the chapter.

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Fig. 7.7 An Array of Monetary and other Incentives for Employees

Management of
Extrinsic
Rewards.To motivate job performance effectively, extrinsic rewards must be properly managed
in line with the following:
1. It must satisfy individual needs;
2. The employees must believe effort will lead to reward;
3. Rewards must be equitable; and
4. Rewards must be linked to performance
No single type of reward is generally applicable to all employees. This is so because
individual persons have needs different from other persons. As much as possible the
particularneeds of an individual must be matched with the corresponding reward if motivation is

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the objective. The administrative constraints inherent to such systems, however, will be a
hindrance to its adoption. Whenever feasible, however, it must be used.
Employee must believe that efforts will lead to reward. Otherwise, they will not strive, to
turn in more efforts in their particular job assignments.
Rewards that are not equitable will not produce the desired motivation.

4.3 Motivated through Employee Participation

When employees participate in deciding various aspects of their jobs, the personal
involvement, oftentimes, is carried up to the point where the tasks is completed.
The specific activities identifies where employees may participate are as follows:

1. Setting Goals
2. Making Decisions
3. Solving Problem; and
4. Designing and Implementing Organizational Changes

The more popular approaches to participation includes the following:

1. Quality Control Circles
2. Self-managed Teams

Quality Control Circles.A method of direct employee participation is the quality circle
control (QCC). The objective of the QCC is to increase productivity and quality of output.

The circle consists of “a group of three to ten employees, usually doing related work,
who meet at regular intervals (once a week for an hour, for example) to identify problems and
discuss their solutions.” The circle includes “a leader such as foreman, but rely on democratic
processes.” The members are trained in various analysis techniques by a coordinator.

The circle forwards its recommendations to management, which in turn, makes decisions
on its adaption.

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Self-managed Teams.When workers have reached a certain degree of discipline, they may be ripe
for forming self-managed teams. Also known as autonomous work group or high performance
teams, self-managed teams “take on traditional managerial tasks as part of their normal work
routine.”

Fig. 7.8 The Quality Control Circle Process

T h e s e l f - m a n a g

receiving minimal supervision from managers who act more as facilitators than supervisors.

When a product or service is produced by group of professionals or specialists, they

might as well be formed as a self-managed team to save on supervisory costs.

Requisites to Successful Employee Participation Program

To succeed, an employee participation program will require the following:
1. A profit-sharing or gain-sharing plan
2. A long-term employment relationship with good job security
3. A concerted effort to build and maintain group cohesiveness
4. Protection of the individual employee’s rights

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4.4 Other Motivation Techniques

The advent of theories on individual differences and the biological clock of human beings
put pressure on the engineer manager to adapt other motivation techniques whenever applicable.
These refer to the following:

1. Flexible Work Schedules

2. Family Support Services
3. Sabbaticals

Flexible Work Schedules.There is an arrangement, called flextime, which allows

employees to determine their own arrival and departure times within specified limits. For
example, an engineering firm may allow one group of employees to take the 8:00 AM to 5:00
PM schedule, another group takes the 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM schedule, and another takes the 10:00
AM to 7:00 PM schedule.

An alternative to this arrangement is the adaption of the forty-hour work in four days
allowing employee to choose a “day-off”.

An innovation of a popular bank in Makati is the hiring of part-time tellers to work four
hours a day from Monday to Friday,

There are certain benefits that are offered by flexible work schedules, although it is not
appropriate for all situations. Nevertheless, the engineer manager must decide when it is
applicable.

Family Support Services.Employees are oftentimes burdened by family obligations like

caring for children. Progressive companies provide day care facilities for children of employees.
A multinational company in a far flung Davao province has even opened an elementary and a
high school within plantation site.

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Sabbaticals.A sabbatical leave is one given to an employee after a certain number of

years of service. The employee is allowed to go on leave for two months to one year with pay to
give him time for family, recreations and travel.

It is expected that when the employee returns for work, his motivation is improved.

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. When Maslow insinuated that needs are hierarchical, what does he mean?
2. How may an individual be motivated through job design?
3. Why are rewards given to workers of an organization ?

ASSESSMENT

1. Why is motivating relevant to the job of the engineer manager ?

2. What factors are associated with employee satisfaction and dissatisfaction?
3. What is meant by goal setting? What are the components of the goal setting model?

Reference :

1. Engineering Management by Roberto G. Medina

ANAWERS TO REVIEW QUESTIONS

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1. Abraham Maslow, a psychologist, theorized that human beings have five basic needs
which are as follows ; physiological, security, social, esteem, and self actualization.
These needs are hierarchical, which means , one need will have to be satisfied fisrt before
the other need.

2. Motivation through job design fits people for the right jobs and the right jobs for the right
people and anyone will be highly motivated to perform if he is assigned a job he likes.

3. Rewards is one way of motivating your employees, it consists of material and

psychological benefits to employees who performs well in the workplace. Reward
systems can improve job performance and satisfaction especially when properly
administered.

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