Monetary and benefits compensation, bonuses, and other forms of payment represent external motivators. It is important for any manager to understand the motivations of his or her employees in order to effectively take advantage of these motivations to help increase company productivity (Collier and Esteban, 2007)
Retirement plans also help to create a commitment to a particular company as many employees are required to work for a certain number of years or quarters in order to fully maximize their benefits. If the employee's actions or professional output is tied to the success of the company or group, and not only to their own personal success, employees will tend to work harder to accomplish more (Gagne and Deci, 2005)
If the employee's actions or professional output is tied to the success of the company or group, and not only to their own personal success, employees will tend to work harder to accomplish more (Gagne and Deci, 2005). This has been shown to be true of CEO's and other workers whose compensation comes partly in the form of stock options or incentives (Heinrich, 2007)
An example of an intrinsic motivation would be when a person is motivated by their own pride in their work. When an employee takes pride in his or her reputation and product, they feel the need to continue to produce good work (Holzer, 2008)
Just as emotional motivation creates action or inaction in employees, both intrinsic and external motivations can be satisfied through a number of managerial techniques, tactics, strategies, and actions. It is also important for managers to use a balanced approach to motivation and not use external motivations alone or count on the employees' intrinsic motivations as the sole source of motivation (Latham, 2007)
Employees who are not praised for their good work often feel just as alienated as those who are punished unnecessarily. Employees need to feel valued, and while it is certainly not possible to place every person into their dream job, the employee must feel as though they positively contribute and that they are a part of a larger team (Mygind, 2007)
Managers need to engage employees to understand what motivates them as well as to get feedback in how the workplace and work environment can be improved. Managers also need to take their employees seriously and understand that they are the first cog in the machine that creates a product or delivers a service (Perry and Hondeghem, 2008)
Using Wal-Mart is a case study is an excellent way to resolve these issues for the industry as a whole. Strategic Steps to Improve Employee Motivation Communication was found to be a strengthener of employee motivation (Chiang, Jang, & Canter, et al
They have a slightly more sophisticated and high-end clientele than Target or Wal-Mart, but they are still in the general merchandise segment. In November 2010, the Chicago Tribune reported that employee morale and Macy's was so bad that employees held rallies and protests about their treatment (Channick, 2010)
Employee motivation is a result of employee expectations (Mathibe, 2008). The expectancy of being rewarded, employee training, employee empowerment, employee involvement in decision-making, and high-level dyadic relationships were found to contribute to positive employee motivation outcomes (Fernandez & Pitts, 2011)
It too, has been the target of labor practice violations. It does not have a living wage certification and it does not have labor unions (Jones, 2010)
It is also the second largest private employer in the United States, with approximately 1.3 million workers (Jordan, 2008)
Expectancy theory states that people's expectations will lead to a given behavior and will result in desired outcomes. Employee motivation is a result of employee expectations (Mathibe, 2008)
The expectancy of being rewarded, employee training, employee empowerment, employee involvement in decision-making, and high-level dyadic relationships were found to contribute to positive employee motivation outcomes (Fernandez & Pitts, 2011). Recognition can increase employee motivation, but only if it is administered in an equitable fashion and is not perceived to show favoritism (Pratheepkanth, 2011)
When Sam Walton became the CEO of Wal-Mart, employee empowerment was his mantra. When he visited a store he often wanted to meet regular employees and get to know them on a personal level (Rao, 2009)
Risk taking helps employees become more involved whereas the training enhanced motivation through promoting career growth and development. These measures contribute towards making a business case for employee engagement, taking action on survey results, ensuring managerial accountability for engagement, and using engagement metrics as part of performance criteria (McMullen, 2013, p