MOTIVATION AT WORK
Maslow’s Need Hierarchy and Equity theory are the most known motivation theories that I selected for a brief discussion. As an early motivation theory, the Hierarchy of Needs provides a deep understanding of needs’ sequence, level, and order. According to Abraham Maslow, we as humans have physiological, safety, social, self-esteem, and self-actualization needs. While physiological and safety needs are the main lower-order needs; social needs, self-esteem, and self-actualization are the milestones of the higher-order needs. From the most basic needs to the higher and advanced ones, they are structured in a certain hierarchy. Satisfied needs do not motivate, and the following need becomes dominant for being satisfied. As the second motivation theory, Adam’s Equity Theory says that individuals compare their inputs and outputs with those of others, and they consequently improve response in order to eliminate any inequities in the workplace. The main idea of comparison is to look out for what inputs and outputs others have. According to this motivation theory, inequity is the inevitable reason for demotivation. The mentioned two theories highlight the same point that what we receive at work, makes an explicit and strong impact on our motivation.
In one of my former workplaces, I started to work as a part-time employee in the beginning. In my first week at work, my supervisor asked me to take part in a strategic project. My responsibilities in this project had been defined as attending meetings, preparing reports, and feeding other departments with obtained data, findings, and significant results. It would be an amazing and exciting experience for me but there was a complicated situation with two main problems; (1) I was being expected to work and contribute to a strategic project of the organization, and (2) my role was unique in terms of imbalance between my workload and type of employment. I had no offer from my organization to shift me to full-time work as well. It was obvious that while I was being asked to work with a full-time employment performance, my lower-order needs of a full-time work offer, stable employment, compensation, benefits, and safety at work were not being satisfied. Hence, the higher-order needs such as teamwork, cooperation, perks, achievement, and reputation could not motivate me due to the lack of basic needs satisfaction. On the other side, I always look for a balance between my inputs and outputs at work. I, therefore, tend to make a comparison among my hard work, abilities, skills, experience, education, salary, benefits, incentives, rewards, and recognition. It is extremely important for me to compare my outputs with those of others who provide the same inputs. In other words, it is absolutely necessary for professional environments to expect internal and external equity. By the way of conclusion, I can be a motivated employee or have a high level of work motivation, when my outputs become equal to my inputs, and when I receive the same pay with the employees who do the same.
