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stress 
or psychological dysfunction may be a signal that all is not well. (Again, a range of non-work factors may 
be contributing.) 
Attitude surveys
may also be used to indicate workers' perception of their job satisfaction, by way of 
interview or questionnaire. 
QUESTION 
Personal motivation
 
What factors in yourself or your organisation motivate you to: 
(a) 
Turn up to work at all? 
(b) 
Do an average day's work? 
(c) 
'Bust a gut' on a task or for a boss? 
Go on – be honest! 
 
1.4 Theories of motivation 
Many 
theories
try to explain motivation and why and how people can be motivated. 
One classification distinguishes between content and process theories. 
(a) 
Content theories 
ask the question: '
What
are the things that motivate people?'
They assume that human beings have a 
set
of needs or desired outcomes. Maslow's hierarchy of 
needs and Herzberg's two-factor theory, both discussed shortly, are two of the most important 
approaches of this type.
(b) 
Process theories 
ask the question: '
How
can people be motivated?' 
They explore the process through which outcomes 
become
 
desirable and are pursued by 
individuals. This approach assumes that people are able to select their goals and choose the 
paths towards them by a conscious or unconscious process of calculation. Expectancy theory and 
Handy's 'motivation calculus', discussed later, are theories of this type. 
 
2
Content theories of motivation 
 
Content theories 
of motivation suggest that the best way to motivate an employee is to find out what 
their needs are and offer them rewards that will satisfy those needs.