Workplace Motivation Theories and Johnson & Johnson

Introduction

Motivation can be defined as a psychosomatic feature that urges individuals to achieve both personal and organizational objectives. In the workplace context, it is deemed to be the set of incentives that trigger and drive employees to obtain better job performance and contribute greater effort (Asim, 2013). For an organization to compete effectively in the international market, it is essential to design jobs and duties in a way that minimizes stress while heightening levels of employee satisfaction, motivation, and performance. Motivation rejuvenates and invigorates behavior, provides direction to conduct, and underpins the tendency to persevere. Motivation is a significant aspect of organizational life because it leads one individual within an organization to influence others to work toward the fulfillment of the firm's goals and mission (Rozman, Treven, & Cancer, 2017).

The purpose of this paper is to examine what drives motivation within the workplace setting. This examination is carried out by taking an in-depth look at both primary and secondary motivators for the workforce. Moreover, the paper considers the extent to which employees' primary motivators affect their pay, prospects, status, and overall approach to work. The analysis draws on the case of Johnson & Johnson as a workplace setting.

Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory of Workplace Motivation

Fredrick Herzberg analyzed the concept of motivation from a distinctive point of view. By asking individuals specifically about what gives them satisfaction on the job and what results in dissatisfaction, he determined that, within the workplace setting, the factors that satisfy employees are significantly different from those that dissatisfy them (Herzberg, 1987). Herzberg established that human behavior is influenced by either the satisfaction factor or the dissatisfaction factor. He designated hygiene factors as sources of dissatisfaction and motivator factors as sources of motivation (Pardee, 1990; Herzberg, Mausner, & Snyderman, 1959).

Hygiene factors consist of salary, remuneration, wages, and work benefits, working conditions, company policies, work supervision, and job security. These relate to the workplace context, are indicative of a person's working environment, and are categorized as extrinsic factors. These factors are considered tangible and are regarded as basic needs because they involve an employee doing something to achieve external rewards such as wages, benefits, or promotion. It is important to note that the presence of hygiene factors will not necessarily motivate employees but can prevent the onset of dissatisfaction. Nonetheless, the absence of hygiene factors will result in a lack of motivation (Chapman, 2017). Regarding Johnson & Johnson, the company ensures that all of its employees receive fair and equal wages that surpass the minimum wage rate set in the region. The company is also thorough in ensuring that employees receive meaningful benefits, including pension and retirement benefits, compensation for education expenses, and financial health support (Johnson & Johnson, 2020).

In contrast, motivator factors consist of personal attainment, status, acknowledgment or recognition, promotion, the nature of the job itself, and prospects for progression. They are classified as intrinsic factors and tend to be intangible, pertaining to personal and emotional needs. The presence of a motivator factor will result in an increase in employee motivation and, therefore, higher employee morale and dedication. However, the absence of motivator factors will not diminish motivation (Chapman, 2017). Johnson & Johnson extensively offers its employees motivator factors in the form of work promotions based on experience, education, and knowledge. Furthermore, the company ensures that employees have access to a workplace environment that is peaceful, ideal, and encouraging at all times, and maintains a proper work–home balance (Johnson & Johnson, 2020).

Vroom's Expectancy Theory, conceptualized by Victor Vroom in 1964, identifies the link between an individual's motivation and determination and their expected desired results. The theory illustrates the process by which an individual chooses to carry out certain behaviors over others and how decisions made are associated with goals. More specifically, the theory asserts that the motivation a person has to attain a sought-after outcome is determined by three significant elements: expectancy, instrumentality, and valence (Vroom, 1964; Scholl, 2002).

Vroom's Expectancy Theory

Vroom asserted that effort, motivation, and performance are all linked to an individual's motivational state (Heneman & Schwab, 1972). In particular, Vroom pointed out that individuals will choose behaviors they believe will bring about the attainment of specific results they value. The combination of these three elements produces motivational force — an individual's motivation to carry out a set of activities. Generally, individuals will work exceedingly hard when they perceive that doing so is likely to result in desired organizational rewards. Vroom's belief was that people are typically motivated to work toward achieving a specific goal if they perceive the goal to be worthwhile and believe that their efforts will contribute to its realization. In short, Vroom's Expectancy Theory implies that when an individual attains a high level of all three components, that individual will possess a high level of motivation and will therefore invest great effort in achieving desired outcomes.

Expectancy refers to an individual's belief that his or her effort will bring about the desired performance outcome and success. It also alludes to an individual's assessment of the type and amount of effort that must be put in to achieve better results. Instrumentality refers to an individual's belief that his or her work performance is correlated with subsequent outcomes, such as punishment or rewards. The third component, valence, indicates an individual's perception of the value of the reward or punishment attained as a result of performance (Scholl, 2002). According to Vroom, people will work hard in an organization if they believe they are likely to gain rewards. Johnson & Johnson has achieved remarkable results and outstanding performance relative to competitors. These results are primarily linked to the motivation provided to employees, as the company maintains one of the healthiest workforces in the industry, which inclines employees to work hard to accomplish company goals.

The Hierarchy of Needs Theory is considered one of the most prevalent and widely recognized theories in the areas of psychology and human motivation. According to research conducted by Kreitner et al. (1999), this theory is one of the first approaches to attempt to explain human behavior in terms of the satisfaction of human needs and wants. Fundamentally, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Theory is based on the assumption that a need influences a person's activities and actions to the extent that he or she pursues and attains its satisfaction — meaning that the desire to satisfy needs is the key motivator (Steers et al., 1996). Maslow claimed that a person's needs could be ordered or ranked. When one of these needs is fully satisfied, it ceases to function as a motivator, and the person shifts focus to the next higher-level need that has been activated (Hilgert & Leonard, 2001).