The 9 main theories of work motivation

Our life is made up of a large number of areas, all of them of great importance for our development and adjustment to society. One of them is labor, through which we develop an occupation and a set of activities that help us organize our lives and generate or carry out some kind of service for the society.

Work, when it is exercised in what it is desired, is not only a mere means to be able to survive rather, it can become a source of satisfaction (or dissatisfaction). But for this it is necessary that our occupation supposes a source of motivation, thanks to which we can get to get involved with our tasks, increase our performance and feel satisfied with what we make.

Throughout history, there have been many authors who have investigated this topic and the needs and elements that are associated with worker motivation. These investigations have resulted in a large number of theories of work motivation, of which we are going to cite some of the main ones throughout this article.

• Related article: "8 keys to stay motivated and achieve your goals"

Work motivation: what is it?

Before going to assess the different existing theories regarding work motivation, it is worth first commenting on the very concept on which they are based. Work motivation is understood as the internal force or impulse that moves us to carry out and / or maintain a certain task, voluntarily and willingly occupying our physical or mental resources to undertake it.

This impulse has a specific direction, that of applying our resources to achieve the desired goal, and implies the fact that we will persist and persevere in carrying out a concrete effort with a certain intensity. The greater the motivation to do it, the greater the intensity and perseverance that we are willing to maintain.

And the consequences of work motivation are very positive: facilitates satisfaction with one's own task and abilities, fosters performance, productivity and competitiveness, improves the work environment and enhances autonomy and personal self-realization. It is therefore something very flattering for both the worker and his employer.

However, this motivation does not come from nowhere: the task, its results or the effort made must be appetizing as long as it is born. And it is the search for how and what makes work motivation increase, which has generated a great diversity of theories, which have traditionally been divided into theories related to what makes us motivated (or theories focused on content) and on the process we follow until we achieve motivation (or theories focused on the process).

Main theories of work motivation according to content

Next we are going to cite some of the main theories that work based on exploring what generates motivation, that is, what elements of work allow us the appearance of the impulse or desire to performance. This is mainly considered because it allows us to satisfy a series of needs, which have been worked on by different authors.

1. McClelland's Theory of Learned Needs

One of the first and most relevant theories regarding work motivation was that carried out by McClelland, who based on previous studies on needs carried out by other authors (especially Murray) and by comparing different executives of various types of companies, he concluded that exist three major needs that stand out when it comes to motivating ourselves at work.

He specifically exposed as main sources of work motivation the need for achievement, which is understood as the desire to improve one's performance and be efficient in it as an element of satisfaction So what relies on a good balance between probability of success and challenge, the need for power or desire for influence and recognition, and the need for affiliation or belonging, association and close contact with others.

All these needs have a balance that can vary depending on the personality and the work environment, something that can generate different profiles, behaviors and levels of motivation in the job.

• You may be interested: "David McClelland's theory of motivations"

2. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Theory

Probably one of the best known psychological theories in terms of needs, the hierarchy theory Maslow's needs proposes that human behavior (initially his theory was not focused on the realm of labor) It is explained by the presence of basic needs born of deprivation, and that are organized in a hierarchy (in the form of a pyramid) in which once the most basic we began to focus on the most superior, moving from biological to social needs and from self realisation.

In this sense, the author proposes the existence, from the most basic to the most complex, of the following: physiological needs (food, water, shelter), security needs, social needs, estimation need and finally need for self realisation.

• Related article: "Maslow's pyramid: the hierarchy of human needs"

3. Herzberg's theory of motivation and hygiene

In part similar to the previous one but much more focused on the purely work, Herzberg made the theory of the two factors or the theory of the factors of hygiene and motivation. This author considered it relevant to assess what people want or consider satisfactory of his work, reaching the conclusion that the fact of eliminating elements that generate dissatisfaction it is not enough for the work to be considered satisfactory.

Based on this, the author generated two main types of factors, which give his theory its name: hygiene and motivational factors. Hygiene factors are all those whose existence prevent the work from being unsatisfactory (but that do not that the work is motivating) and that include elements such as personal relationships, supervision, stability or salary.

On the other hand, the motivating factors would include among others responsibility, career progression, position and recognition, development or completion and they would refer to the elements that do imply the appearance of motivation and job satisfaction.

4. McGregor's Theories X and Y

Partly based on Maslow's theory and analyzing the characteristics of the theories and models of the psychology of the organizations existing until then, McGregor realized a contrast between classical models and a more humanistic vision: theories X and Y.

Theory X supposes a mechanistic approach to work, seeing the worker as a passive element and tending to avoid his responsibilities that need to be spurred on with punishments or rewarding his productivity with money in order to force him to to work. This implies that management must show great control and assume all responsibilities, the worker not being capable of managing changes or conflicts if he is not told how.

By contrast, theory Y is a more novel vision (it must be taken into account that this theory was proposed in the sixties, with what at that time and even did few years, the typical consideration of theory X) prevailed and of a humanistic nature in which the worker is an active being and with not only physiological needs otherwise also social and self-realization.

The employee is considered as someone with his own objectives and with the capacity to take responsibility, being necessary to help him stimulate his own potential, face challenges and allow him commitment. Motivation and recognition of his achievements and his role is essential.

5. Alderfer ERC hierarchical model

Another relevant model based on Maslow's is Alderfer's hierarchical model, which generates a total of three types of needs, in which the less satisfaction there is, the greater the desire to supply it. Specifically assesses the existence of existence needs (the basic ones), interpersonal relationship needs and needs for personal growth or development which generate motivation in order to achieve their satisfaction.

According to the process

Another type of theories is the one that has to do not so much with the what but with the how we motivate ourselves. That is, with the way or the process that we follow so that work motivation arises. In this sense, there are several relevant theories, among which the following stand out.

1. Vroom's theory of valences and expectations (and contribution of Porter and Lawler)

This theory starts from the assessment that the level of effort of the employee depends on two main elements, which may be mediated by the presence of needs.

The first one is the valence of the results, that is, the consideration that the results obtained with the task to be performed have a specific value for the subject (It can be positive if it is considered valuable or negative if it is considered harmful, or even neutral when it is indifferent). The second is the expectation that the effort made will generate these results, and it is mediated by different factors such as the belief in one's own self-efficacy.

Later this model would be taken up by other authors such as Porter and Lawler, who introduced the concept of instrumentality or degree to which the effort or performance will generate a certain award or recognition as a variable, in addition to the two previous ones proposed by Vroom, as the main elements that predict motivation and making an effort.

2. Locke's goal setting theory

A second process-centered theory is found in Locke's goal-setting theory, for whom motivation depends on the intention to strive to achieve a specific objective sought by this. This objective will mark the type of effort and the implication of the subject, as well as the satisfaction that he obtains from his work depending on how close it is to his objectives.

3. Adams Equity Theory

Another highly relevant theory is the so-called Adams equity theory, which starts from the idea that Work motivation starts from how the employee values ​​his task and the compensation he receives in return, the which will be compared with that received by other workers.

Depending on the result of said comparison, the subject will carry out different actions and will be more or less motivated: if he considers himself less valued or compensated and treated unequally will reduce his motivation and he may choose to reduce his own effort, leave or change the involvement and perception of his task or compensation. If the perception is that he is being compensated more than he should, on the contrary, will tend to increase your involvement.

Thus, it is the fact of feeling fairly treated that generates satisfaction and can therefore influence work motivation.

4. Skinner's reinforcement theory

Based on behaviorism and operant conditioning, there are also theories that argue that motivation can be increased from the use of positive reinforcement, granting rewards in order to promote an increase in performance and reinforcement being the source of motivation.

This theory has been criticized because it is said to neglect the importance of intrinsic motivation within work, focusing solely on the pursuit of rewards. However, it should not be forgotten that the distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation does not negate that in the first category it is not possible to find "rewards" that feed the motivation of the person; what happens is that in that case, they are self-administered.

Bibliographic references

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