Exploring Motivational Theories: Expectancy, Needs, and Equity

Vroom's Expectancy Theory aims to delineate effort, outcomes, and performance, whereas other theories like Maslow and Herzberg only account for the connection between needs and the effort necessary to satisfy them. According to Vroom, behavior results from choices made to attain the highest pleasure and minimize pain.

Variables

According to Vroom, the performance of employees is influenced by various individual factors like personality, knowledge, skills, experience, and other abilities. He also explains that performance, motivation, and effort are directly connected through three variables - Instrumentality, Expectancy, and Valence, as per the expectancy theory.

3 Variables

Instrumentality is the notion that a positive performance will result in a desired outcome. In other words, achieving a certain level of success leads to a subsequent level of success. This concept is influenced by several factors;

Clear knowledge and understanding of the relationship between outcomes and performance.

Trusting in people who make decisions and whoever gets whatever outcome.

Creation of a transparent process that decides the recipient of the outcome.

Expectancy: This is a belief that increased or improved efforts lead to improved performance. This is affected by;

Having the required resources e.g. time and raw materials

Being with the right skills for a particular job

Fragment 7 rewritten:

It's crucial to have the appropriate support for the task at hand, whether it's guidance from a supervisor or access to relevant job information. Additionally, valence plays a significant role in motivation. For instance, if someone is primarily motivated by financial rewards, they may not place value on offers that require taking time off work.

It is important to note that all three components of expectancy theory are interconnected and should not be prioritized over one another. Specifically, the E>P expectancy reveals the likelihood that exerting effort will result in the desired level of performance.

Assessing the probability that successful performance will lead to desired outcomes is known as P-O expectancy. The theory of expectancy is rooted in individual perceptions, which means that while an employer may provide all the necessary tools for motivation, some employees may still feel demotivated despite its effectiveness on the majority of the workforce.

In the past, Expectancy theory was primarily used for motivated employees who were driven by the reward being offered. However, in today's world, this theory can be applied to any situation where an individual is motivated by a specific outcome. For example, someone may choose to recycle paper because they believe it is important for environmental conservation (valence) and that it will help conserve resources. They also believe that the more effort they put into recycling, the more paper will be saved (expectancy), which in turn leads to less utilization of resources (Instrumentality).

Vroom's expectancy theory focuses on an individual's association with the desired outcomes and the contributions they can make towards achieving those outcomes, rather than solely on self-interest in the reward.

Expectancy theory and other Motivational theories

their effort will lead to good performance, good performance will lead to rewards, and the rewards will satisfy their personal goals. This theory emphasizes the importance of setting achievable goals and providing clear communication about the rewards and recognition that come with achieving those goals. By aligning individual goals with organizational goals, employees are more likely to be motivated to work towards those goals. Both Adams’s Equity theory and Vroom’s Expectancy theory provide valuable insights into the complex nature of motivation and can be used to develop effective strategies for increasing employee motivation and engagement.

More effort yields better performance

Better performance leads to better rewards e.g. increased salary and other benefits

.

Rewards hold immense value

To enhance performance and yield better results, it is crucial for management to implement systems that link rewards with performance. Moreover, it is equally important for managers to ensure that the rewards offered are aligned with the preferences of the recipients or employees. In order to achieve better results in terms of effort-performance, it is essential to train the workers and enhance their skills, capabilities, and beliefs.

Employees are not rewarded fairly or if the effort they put in does not lead to the desired outcome. This theory emphasizes the importance of perceived equity in the workplace and how it affects employee motivation. When employees believe that their efforts will be fairly rewarded, they are more likely to put in the required effort, leading to increased productivity and better performance outcomes.

Increased efforts will not increase performance

The increased performance will not increase rewards

The reward on offer is not worth the effort

For positive motivation, therefore, all the above three should be viewed positively as positive motivation

Employees must have faith that their hard work will lead to a tangible reward in the form of a financial bonus. The standards for earning these bonuses should be clearly defined, but not so easily attainable that they lose their value. It is important to consider the value that financial bonuses hold for employees, as Herzberg's motivational factors theory suggests that monetary incentives are only one aspect of employee motivation.

Other Motivational theories;

Apart from the Expectancy theory, other motivational theories are

The Needs motivational theory

The Equity theory

The Needs motivational theory

The concept of motivation revolves around the idea of putting in extra effort to achieve the goals set by an organization. However, the ability to fulfill one's needs plays a crucial role in determining the level of motivation.

Unfulfilled needs can make certain outcomes seem more desirable. These needs can cause tension within individuals, which in turn triggers certain behaviors to achieve goals and ultimately reduce tension. Since needs are psychological, behavior can vary depending on location and environmental factors.

The Equity theory

John Stacy Adams' Equity Theory sheds light on why relying solely on favorable conditions and financial rewards may not necessarily lead to motivation. It also highlights the potential negative impact of promoting one individual or providing a salary raise to one person, as it can create feelings of demotivation among others.