Exam 14: Motivating Employees

In the context of Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory, when a company has a space where employees can meet during breaks and catch up with each other, the company is taking care of the employees' ________ needs.

Refer to the scenario below to answer the following questions. Application of Early Theories of Motivation (Scenario) Weston has two very different first-line supervisors who report directly to him. Aaron really "cracks the whip" at his employees and firmly believes in strict controls and punishment for those who do not meet company expectations. Zach, on the other hand, has very few controls and believes that as long as people know what their objectives are, they will exercise self-control and self-direction. Aaron has been trying to use working conditions to increase the level of productivity in his department. When workers complained about unsafe working conditions, Aaron supplied them with protective gear and implemented new safety procedures. However, despite the improved working conditions, employees were still not motivated. Zach, on the other hand, had chosen to delegate responsibility and offer workers opportunities for growth. These efforts appeared to be much more successful at improving productivity. -According to Herzberg, Aaron was trying to use __________ to increase productivity.

Refer to the scenario below to answer the following questions. What Do You Expect? (Scenario) The employees at Acme Toilets Inc. are not working as hard as Jill, their supervisor, would like. The sales representatives aren't meeting their sales quotas, and Jill can't seem to motivate them to try harder. Jill has been studying Vroom's expectancy theory and has decided to try to apply it to her workplace. -Management has set the reward for meeting sales quotas at a lower level than last year. According to expectancy theory, employee motivation is probably being influenced by low __________.

John has a job that pays well, is recognized for his contribution to the organization, and has an active social life. His overpowering drive now is to become all that he is capable of becoming. John is focused on which level of Maslow's hierarchy of needs?

A pediatric nurse working permanently in an intensive care unit would experience which job characteristic?

As manager of a large team of engineers, you notice that your team is falling short of its goals primarily because several team members are either not motivated to put in their best or are downright dissatisfied with their jobs. You have decided to follow Herzberg's two-factor theory to motivate your employees. What steps can you take to maximize motivation?

High achievers prefer tasks that are average in difficulty and avoid highly challenging tasks.

Organizations that are willing to share information so employees will be motivated to make better decisions about their work use a(n) ______________ approach.

An internal state that makes certain outcomes appear attractive is known as __________.

Motivation is an internal state that makes certain outcomes appear attractive.

According to equity theory, a person who earns $50,000 will be less satisfied with his or her pay than a person who earns $100,000.

The goal-setting theory professes that motivation is maximized by _______.

According to our text, which of the following will most likely motivate professionals?

The level of individual performance is more dependent on the value of the reward than by the skills individual has.

According to Herzberg, salary, working conditions, and security are all examples of __________.

According to equity theory, when perceived inequities exist, employees __________.

Jacob is a project manager in a large software services company. In a bid to maximize his team's productivity, Jacob decides to follow the goal-setting theory. In line with the principles of the theory, he sets specific, difficult goals for all of his team members and ensures that they understand and accept the new standards. Which of the following facts, if true would undermine Jacob's strategy?

The night security personnel at Apex Corporation have been assigned additional duties, including mail sorting, data entry, and light maintenance tasks. This is an example of job __________.

Employee relationships are important in designing motivating jobs.

The relational perspective of work design focuses on how tasks and jobs are increasingly based on _____________.