WORK and MOTIVATION Douglas McGregor The Human Side of Enterprise

WORK and MOTIVATION Two opposing theories about work and motivation (D. McGregor): Theory X: workers are lazy, incapable of taking responsibility and dislike work; they have to be both threatened and rewarded. Theory Y: people have a psychological need to work and want achievement and responsibility.

WORK and MOTIVATION Drawbacks: although Theory Y is widely regarded as more progressive and advanced, A. Maslow argues that its demands on responsibility can be excessive for weak people with little self-discipline who need protection, oder and directions. Managers need to balance the pros and cons of both theories.

SATISFIER AND MOTIVATORS It is generally believed that good labour relations, good working conditions, good wages and job security motivate workers. In Work and the Nature of Man, F. Henzberg argued such conditions are merely satisfiers; on the contrary, motivators include: a challenging and interesting job, recognition and responsibility and promotion (i.e. satisfiers: objective and material, motivators: subjective and psychological).

SATISFIERS and MOTIVATORS How can managers motivate people in boring and repetitive jobs? - they can give them more responsibility, as part of a team (e.g. in a supermarket by combining office staff with people who fill the shelves or people who work on the tills; or by letting them change jobs every couple of hours) - the role of a company’s shared values or corporate culture, with which all the staff can identify, can motivate more than financial targets (e.g. working for the best hotel chain, airline, etc., i.e. a sense of belonging).

SATISFIERS and MOTIVATORS Case Study: How would you motivate people with the following positions: -a teacher working in dangerous outskirts in a big city; -a nurse who works with seriously ill children; -a manual worker in the printing house of a famour publisher.