An Introduction to Motivation - Level 2

This Educare training was extremely useful, not just for my working life, but also for my studies. It also discusses motivation theories that can inspire a team towards giving their best. I learnt a lot about what motivation is, and what factors are involved. Firstly, it looked at the intrinsic and extrinsic factors to motivation.

Intrinsic factors are those that come from within, with no reward or threat needed to complete a task, just personal satisfaction. These include being interested in a topic, enjoying the learning experience, self-growth, etc. I realised that I have a lot of these factors motivating me, and that I do better when the majority of the motivation is intrinsic. For example, my MSc is self-funded and is something that I find incredibly interesting. It is slightly beneficial to my work, but not so much that this was a motivating factor for me.

Extrinsic factors involve such things as rewards or praise for doing a task. For example, being asked to complete a task as part of an annual appraisal, if a job is compulsory to your role, if other colleagues have completed the same task, etc. I find these less motivating, but I recognise that they can be useful in a team setting.

The best way to encourage people is to find the right combination of intrinsic and extrinsic motivators. Appealing to a person’s intrinsic motivators is more difficult, and requires an understanding of their personal drivers, which only comes from good communication and empathy.

The course moves on to interpersonal skills, and what is required for a good working environment. There are three main areas to focus on, Listening, Empathising, and Communicating. I believe I am very capable in these areas, but there is always room for improvement, and I hope to utilise some of the suggestions in this course, such as asking more questions and taking notes.

Lastly the presentation moves on to some theories of motivation. Firstly, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. This is the theory that people have a ‘climbing frame’ of needs that they will be motivated to meet. Without meeting the lower goals it is impossible to move onto a higher goal. These needs look something like this:

(1) Physiological > (2) Safety > (3) Belonging and Love > (4) Esteem > (5) Self-actualisation

Levels 1-4 are deficiency motivators, if they aren’t met they can cause great stress.

The second theory discussed is Herzberg’s hygiene theory. This states that there are ‘hygiene factors’ and motivators. Hygiene factors are in place to avoid dissatisfaction, whereas motivators lead to job satisfaction. Hygiene factors include things such as: working conditions, appropriate status, job security, salary and relationships. Motivators are: personal growth, job satisfaction, recognition and opportunities for achievement.

Both of these theories seem to have quite a lot of merit, but for me the ‘hygiene factors’ make the most sense, as without appropriate surroundings, or a good foundation, it is difficult to feel self-motivated. For example, someone who feels underpaid, or unsure about their job security, may not feel that there is much point in completing tasks for recognition or more responsibility. It may seem futile.

These are important factors to recognise within oneself and in others in the team, and open communication seems to be the best way to gauge morale and together find the best way to increase motivation.