Having understood the concept of motivation, now let us understand the various sources of motivation.
Motivational
Sources
Having understood the concept of
motivation, now let us understand the various sources of motivation. You may
note that motivation may sometimes come from external environment in the form
of rewards or punishments and sometimes it is generated from within an employee
in the form of intrinsic motivation. It may be recognized that under the same
set of external factors, all employees are not equally motivated. It depends
upon various factors which you can understand when you go through the different
motivational theories. The motivational sources are explained below.
Positive vs. Negative Motivation
Motivation may be either positive
or negative. Positive motivation
takes place when management recognizes the employee’s efforts towards the
achievement of organizational goals. It is positive because, this kind of
motivation increases the level of performance, promotes team spirit, a sense of
cooperation and generates a feeling of belongingness and happiness. The
positive motivational factors are:
-- Praise
and reward for good performance.
-- Concern
for the well being of an employee.
-- Confidence
reposed in the employee.
-- Delegation
of authority
-- Scope of
participation given in the decision making.
Negative motivation, on the
other hand, results from the use of force,
pressure, fear or threat. You may note that fear of punishment also affects
motivation and thereby the behaviour of a person. In the organizations,
negative motivation may come from the fear of being transferred, demoted or
removed. This fear of punishment prompts the person to work hard and achieve
the goals. It may, however, be realized that negative motivation is not
desirable because employees do not like to be punished. Hence, it is desirable
to motivate the employees by positive means.
Extrinsic Vs. Intrinsic
Motivation
Motivation may be either
extrinsic or intrinsic. Extrinsic
motivation is induced by external factors primarily financial rewards. It
is expected that the behaviour caused by positive rewards is likely to be
repeated. But the reward should be sufficiently powerful for desirable
behaviour to be repeated. Money acts as a significant incentive for positive
behaviour of employees. Realizing the value of financial incentives as
motivators, managements now-a-days make use of wage increments, bonus payment,
fringe benefits, stock options, profit sharing schemes, paid holidays, medical
benefits, etc. for motivating the employees. Intrinsic motivation is
something that is generated within an individual. It is an inner feeling. It may be a sense of achievement or
recognition leading to satisfaction that motivates the employee further. Since
this kind of motivation comes from within, it is called intrinsic motivation.
There are many retired doctors who work free in the hospitals because it gives them
a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. Some of the intrinsic motivators
include praise, status, recognition, esteem, challenge, risk and responsibility
in job.
Tags : Management Concepts & Organisational Behaviour - Motivation
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