Motivating the Workforce (Byte Size) Course

Delivering a good performance at work has been shown to be a function of ability, experience, reward and, above all, motivation. We are purposive beings and we continually select goals which are important to us and seek to achieve them. It is this goal-directed activity we call motivation. Given the importance of employees as an organisational resource, it is obviously crucial that managers should understand the nature of motivation so that they can better manage those forces, both internal and external to individuals, that lead some to apply only minimal effort to their work tasks while others expend much greater effort and consequently are much more productive.

However, motivation is a very complex subject, influenced by many variables. There is no one answer to what motivates people to work well but rather a number of sometimes competing theories, each subject to varying degrees of criticism. Collectively, however, these theories provide a valuable basis for study and discussion and a fund of ideas. Mullins (1993) argues that it is up to managers to judge their relevance and how they might be drawn upon and applied in their particular work situations.

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• define motivation and explain the importance to managers of understanding it.
• explain how motivation theories are classified into content theories and process theories.
• describe the nature of human needs.
• explain Taylorism and its motivational implications.
• understand the motivational implications of the Hawthorne experiments.
• appreciate Maslow's hierarchy of needs and its motivational implications.
• set out Alderfer's ERG theory and its motivational implications.
• explain Herzberg's two-factor theory and its motivational implications.
• describe expectancy theory and its motivational implications.
• understand equity theory and its motivational implications. 

Introduction

Objectives

Section 1: Motivation Theories

Content and process theories: the distinction

Content theories: nature of human needs

The work of Taylor

Motivational implications of Taylorism

Motivation theory and the Hawthorne experiments

Management implications of the Hawthorne studies

Section 2: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Problems with Maslow's theory

Motivational implications of Maslow's theory

Alderfer's ERG theory

Section 3: Herzberg and Motivation

The work of Herzberg

Criticisms of the two-factor approach

Implications of Herzberg's theory of motivation

Section 4: Process Theories of Motivation

Process theories

Expectancy theory

Hackman and Oldham model of job enrichment

Equity theory

Summary

Tutor-marked Question Paper

Qualification 1: Motivating the Workforce (Byte Size) Certificate

Motivating the Workforce (Byte Size) Certificate issued by Stonebridge Associated Colleges, entitling you to use the letters SAC Cert after your name.

In order to offer our students the most convenient and flexible distance learning courses, Stonebridge Associated College offers you the option to study for your course via two methods:

• 1. Via the traditional paper-based method.
• 2. Through the online method via ElearnUK.

When you study through ElearnUK you can quickly access your course material online and submit all of your question papers to your tutor online, using your unique student account. You have access to all of your course material immediately, and when you submit question papers, your tutor sends you an email containing your results and feedback.

With this course you will have unlimited access to your own personal tutor who specialises in their field of study. It is your personal tutor's role to ensure that you receive constructive feedback and to deal with any queries you may have. You are more than welcome to telephone, fax or email your personal tutor.

You will also have access to a dedicated and friendly team of administrators and course advisors who offer sound and professional guidance and advice when you need it. This ensures that you will never feel neglected and that you will always succeed!

There is no experience or previous qualifications required for enrolment on this course. It is available to all students, of all academic backgrounds.

This is only an approximate figure and is dependant upon how much time you can dedicate to your studies and how well you grasp the learning concepts in the course material. Furthermore, at the end of each lesson there is a question paper that needs to be completed and returned to your tutor. You should allow at least 1 - 2 hours of study to complete each question paper.

The approximate amount of time required to complete the course is: 20 hrs.

Assessment Method

After each lesson there will be a question paper, which needs to be completed and submitted to your personal tutor for marking. This method of continual assessment ensures that your personal tutor can consistently monitor your progress and provide you with assistance throughout the duration of the course.

What's Included

• All study materials
• Study Guide
• Full Tutor and Admin support