Motivating People at Work

Introduction:

In managing people and organization behavior field, human resource management is a key element above all the aspects. In an article by Marchington and Wilkinson (2005) mentioned how to promote office staff works more efficiently and how to ensure them a satisfaction with the working environment are both significant questions for managers to think about. Buchanan, Huczynski (2010,) defined motivation is the cognitive decision-making process through which goal-directed behavior is initiated, energized, directed, and maintained. Although general motivation is concerned with effort toward any goal, for the purpose of reflecting our singular interest into a behavior relating to daily work, we will narrow the focus to organizational goals. Wilson (2013) claims that the research about motivation is the study of how people behave the way they act. In order to illustrate the staff get an accomplishment in work. Thus not only the organizations but also the superiors should gain the knowledge of motivation processes. Veronika (2013) points out When motivates people at work, there are both content motivation theory and process motivation theory. Content theory address the question of what motivates people in their jobs, while process theories explain the motivation process about how people get motivated. This essay aims to explore the function of main two theories, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs model and Goal-setting theory, by collecting the information from at least 10 people questionnaire answers, using sample data to analysis findings and implications, trying to figure out what theory acutely motivates people at work.

Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs model is the most well-known theory of motivation. In Maslow's view, there are two different types of human value system needs, one direction along the biological, called physiological needs. Another one is gradually emerging with biological evolution and the potential or need, called the high level needs. It says that there are five hidden different needs levels. People start at the physiological level and progress up the hierarchy to safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization needs. As Marc (2012) argues human needs are transformed from the outside satisfaction to the inside satisfaction.

Low-level basic needs will reduce the incentive effect after it get satisfied, and its dominance is no longer maintained, high-level needs will replace it as the main reason for promoting behavior. Once some needs are met, they can not still be the cause of motivation people, thus they were replaced by other needs.

In generally speaking, Tubbs and Ekeberg (1991) suggested that a high level need has a greater value than a lower level. Enthusiasm is inspired by the high-level needs. Self-actualization, the highest level of human need defined by Maslow, that is the most effective and most complete way to show his or her potential.

Goal-setting

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