Preston City Council. Effects of Motivational Theories - Essay Example

H. 1943. “A Theory of Human Motivation.” Psychological Review. Volume 50, pp. 370-396. 47 CHAPTER I – INTRODUCTION 1.1 Summary The large size of several firms creates problems when trying to evaluate the levels of motivation of the employees working in them. Most organizations today have started considering employee empowerment a significant factor in human resource management. They show this by increasing the responsibility they assign each individual with, as well as giving him or her more power in some situations.

They are also increasingly aware of the importance of motivation in the work force. This importance increased when employees started receiving additional responsibilities, thus affecting the organizations with this characteristic of motivation in many different ways. Dedicated and hardworking employees are majorly the reason for success of an organization, whereas this productivity is itself a function of motivation. 1.2 Introduction This research begins by introducing the idea of ‘motivation’, and the several motivational theories, which often affect the workings of employees of public sector firms.

Experts believe in a strong relationship between management success and employee motivation. Thus, motivation is a key factor, which helps maintain a firm’s success and keep its performance in check. Absence of such motivation would mean less success for the organization. Thus, this investigation will at all points during the discussion, focus on the effects that motivational theories have on a public sector organization and the employees that work for it. Before the importance of including a human element in the treatment.

The researchers used both primary and secondary data for research, using questionnaires to collect the data, which they later presented in the literature review. The primary research employed the use of a survey questionnaire, which was administered to a sample of 40 employees from Preston City Council. This data collection focused on collecting qualitative as well quantitative data. This data helped the researchers conclude details about how much of a gap exists between a person’s motivational level and the motivating factors at work.

They also found a positive correlation between an employee’s salary and their motivation level. This research begins by introducing the idea of ‘motivation’, and the several motivational theories, which often affect the workings of employees of public sector firms. Experts believe in a strong relationship between management success and employee motivation. Thus, motivation is a key factor, which helps maintain a firm’s success and keep its performance in check. Absence of such motivation would mean less success for the organization.

Thus, this investigation will at all points during the discussion, focus on the effects that motivational theories have on a public sector organization and the employees that work for it. Before the importance of including a human element in the treatment and management of employees was discovered, organizations simply treated them as a factor of production; a mere input to the process. However, since research revealed the importance of establishing human relations in the management of human resources, managers have made it a priority to cater to the needs and motivational levels of their employees.

An example of such research is the research Elton Mayo (1960) did through the Hawthorne studies (Dickson, 1973, 1-25), where he found a strong relationship between motivation and work conditions, proving that money is not the only motivating factor.