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Influences on Employee Behavior

Chapter 2

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Session Objectives

Identify the major factors influencing behavior.Define motivation.Describe main approaches to understanding motivation.

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A Major Purpose of Human Resource Development

To change employee behavior through training and other incentives

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Model of Employee Behavior

Forces that influence behavior: External to the employee:

External environment (economic conditions, laws and regulations, etc.)

Work environment (supervision, organization, coworkers, outcomes of performance)

Within the employee: Motivation, attitudes,

knowledge/skills/abilities (KSAs)

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The External Environment

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Factors in the External Environment

Economic conditionsTechnological changesLabor market conditionsLaws and regulationsLabor unions

Source: Heneman, Schwab, Fossum & Dyer (1989)

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Factors in the Work Environment

OutcomesSupervision and leadershipOrganizationCoworkers

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Influences on Employee Behavior

Factor IssuesOutcomes Types  Effect on Motivation

 Supervision Leadership  Performance Expectations

 Organization Reward Structure  Organizational Culture  Job Design

 Coworkers Norms   Group Dynamics  Teamwork  Control of Outcomes

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Outcomes Can Influence Employee Behavior

Personal outcomesOrganizational outcomes

Both expectancy theory and equity theory predict that employee perceptions of the outcomes they receive (or hope to receive) influences their performance of that behavior.

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Supervisor Characteristics

LeadershipPerformance expectations (Pygmalion effect)Evaluation of efforts

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Organizational Influences

Reward structureOrganizational cultureJob design

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Coworker Influence

NormsGroup dynamicsTeamworkControl over outcomes

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Motivation

Psychological processes that cause the arousal, direction, and persistence of voluntary actions that are goal-directed

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Motivation Characteristics

Pertains to voluntary behaviorFocuses on processes affecting behavior such as: Energizing of effort Direction of effort Persistence of effort

An individual phenomenon

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Energizing Effort

The generation or mobilization of effort

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Direction of Effort

Applying effort to one behavior over another

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Persistence

Continuing (or ceasing) to perform a behavior

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Explanations of Work Motivation

Need-basedCognitive-basedNoncognitive-based

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Need-Based Theories

Underlying needs, such as needs for survival, safety, power, etc., are what drives motivation

Theories:Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theoryAlderfer’s existence, relatedness, and growth (ERG) theoryHerzberg’s two-factor theory

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Need Activation-Need Satisfaction Process

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Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Self-Actualization

Needs

Esteem Needs

Belonging & Love Needs

Safety Needs

Survival Needs

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Cognitive Theories

Expectancy theoryGoal-setting theorySocial learning theoryEquity theory

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Expectancy Theory

Motivation is viewed as a conscious choicePeople put their efforts into actions they can perform to achieve desired outcomesThree key elements: Expectancy – expect effort to result in success Instrumentality – performance results in reward Valence – value individual puts on outcome

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Expectancy Theory

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In Other Words…

You believe you can do itYou believe your performance is linked to the resultsYou believe that the results are worth the effortYou won’t do it if you don’t believe it’s worth the effort

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Goal Setting Theory

Specific, difficult, and understood goals generally lead to higher performanceKeys to success are the level of difficulty and the clearness of goals

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Social Learning Theory

Self-efficacy – judgment of what you think you can do with the skills you haveMajor prediction of the theory is that expectations determine: Whether a behavior will be performed How much effort will be expended How long you will perform the

behavior

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Self-Efficacy and Effort

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Equity Theory

Major assumptions:If you are treated fairly, you will keep working wellIf you think you are being treated unfairly, you will change your behavior in order to be treated fairly

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Equity Theory

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A Noncognitive Theory

Reinforcement theory e.g., behavior modification

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Complexity of Behavior

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Behavior Modification

Principles for controlling employee behavior:Positive ReinforcementNegative Reinforcement

Extinction – decrease occurrences by eliminating reinforcement that causes the behavior

Punishment – introduce an adverse consequence immediately after behavior

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A Specific Example

Sleeping in Class:1. Warning2. Leave class and explain to the Assistant Dean why you were asked to leave

Too often – you are dropped from the class

Question: Is this positive or negative reinforcement, and why?

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Other Internal Factors That Influence Employee Behavior

MotivationAttitudesKnowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs)

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Wagner-Hollenbeck Model of Motivation and Performance

By permission: Wagner III and Hollenbeck, 1995

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Attitudes

A person’s general feelings of favor or disfavor towards somethingFeelings towards a person, place, thing, event, or ideaTend to be VERY stable and hard to change

Attitudes are important in training – e.g., does the trainee intend to use the training or ignore it?

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Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs)

Abilities – general capacities related to the performance of specific tasksSkills – combines abilities and capacities, generally the result of trainingKnowledge – understanding of the factors or principles related to a specific subjectHRD programs mostly focus on changing skills and knowledge

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Bloom’s Taxonomy

BloomCognitivePsychomotorAffective

HRDKnowledgeSkills/AbilitiesAttitudes

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Summary

HRD generally seeks to change human behavior (some efforts to change attitudes)Behavior is influenced by both external and internal factorsWorker motivation is the keyWe can work on knowledge, skills and abilitiesAttitudes are often where the problem lies