Theory Practice of Business Psychology in Johnson & Johnson Company Research Paper

Introduction

Motivation can be delineated as a psychosomatic feature, which urges individuals to achieve both personal and organizational objectives. In the workplace context, it is deemed to be the incentives that trigger and drive the employees to obtain better job performance and make a contribution to more substantial efforts (Asim, 2013). For an organization to compete efficaciously in the international market, it is essential to design jobs, and duties in a way that stress id diminished, and the levels of employee satisfaction and motivation, as well as their performance, can be heightened. Notably, motivation rejuvenates, and invigorates behavior, provides direction to such mannerisms, and underlines the tendency to persevere. Motivation is a significant aspect as it leads to influence another individual within the organization to work towards the fulfillment of the firm’s goals and mission (Rozman, Treven, and Cancer, 2017). The purpose of this assignment is to examine what drives motivation within the workplace setting. This examination is done by explicitly taking an in-depth look at the primary and secondary motivators for the workforce. Moreover, this paper also looks at the extent to which the employees’ primary motivators have an impact on their pay, prospects, status as well as their approach. This paper reviews the case study on Johnson & Johnson Company, and motivation within the company as a workplace setting.

Motivators in the Workplace

Motivation plays a pivotal role in all organizations as a key driver in facilitating employee morale and attainment of organizational goals and objectives. Some theories can illustrate a few aspects of motivation and how it relates to the workplace setting.

Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory of Workplace Motivation

Fredrick Herzberg analyzed the concept of motivation from a distinctive point of view. By making inquisitions to persons specifically regarding what gives them satisfaction on the job, and what results in dissatisfaction, he ascertained that the within the workplace setting, the factors that satisfy employees are significantly different from those that dissatisfy them (Herzberg, 1987). Imperatively, Herzberg established that human behavior is impacted by either the satisfaction factor or the dissatisfaction factor. He designated hygiene factors to be sources of social dissatisfaction, and on the other hand, motivator factors to be sources of motivation (Pardee, 1990; Herzberg, Mausner, & Snyderman, 1959).

Herzberg’s Two-Factor Principles (French, Rayner, Rees, & Rumbles, 2011)

Hygiene factors consist of salary, remuneration, wages, and work benefits, working conditions, company policies, work supervision, and also job security. These are concerning the workplace context, which is indicative of a person’s workplace setting, and they are categorized as extrinsic factors. Imperatively, these factors are deemed to be tangible and signified to be basic needs owing to the reason that they encompass an employee doing something to achieve external rewards such as wage, benefits, or promotion status. It is significant to note that the existence of hygiene factors will not necessarily motivate employees but could evade the onset of dissatisfaction. Nonetheless, the absence of hygiene factors will undoubtedly result in a lack of motivation (Chapman, 2017). Regarding Johnson & Johnson, the company makes sure that all of its employees have fair and equal wages that surpass the minimum wage rate that is set in the region. Besides, the company is also comprehensive in making sure that the employees are given significant benefits, including pension, and retirement benefits, compensation for education expenses, and even financial health (Johnson & Johnson, 2020).

In contrast, motivator factors consist of personal attainment, status, acknowledgment or recognition, promotion, the job itself, and prospects for progression. They are also classified as intrinsic factors, and have a tendency to be intangible factors, and pertain to personal, and emotional necessities. It is significant to note that the existence of a motivator factor will result in an increase in employee motivation and, therefore, higher employee morale and dedication. However, the lack 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 their experience, education, and knowledge. Furthermore, the company makes sure that employees can gain accessibility to a workplace setting that is peaceful, ideal, and encouraging at all times. Ultimately, the company has a proper work-home balance (Johnson & Johnson, 2020).

Vroom’s Expectancy Theory

This motivation theory was conceptualized by Victor Vroom in 1964, indicated the link between an individual’s motivation and determination with the expected desired results. The approach illustrates the process of how an individual opts to carry out specific behaviors or mannerisms over others and how decisions made are associated with the goals. More specifically, the theory asserts that the motivation that a person has of attaining a sought after the outcome is ascertained by three significant elements, including expectancy, instrumentality, and valence (Vroom, 1964; Scholl, 2002).

Vroom asserted that effort, motivation, and performance are linked to a person’s motivation (Heneman, and Schwab, 1972). Particularly, 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 brings about motivational force, which is an individual’s motivation to carry out a set of activities. Generally, individuals will work exceedingly hard when they have the perception that it has a likelihood of resulting in the desired organizational rewards. The belief that Vroom had was that persons are usually motivated to work towards achieving a specific goal if they have the perception that the goal is worth it, and if they consider that their determinations will be a contributing factor to the realization of that goal. Vroom’s theory of expectancy, in a nutshell, gives the implication that when an individual attains a high level of the three components above, then that individual will have a high level of motivation, and therefore place great effort into achieving the desired outcomes.

Vroom’s Expectancy Theory

One of the critical components that determine the motivational force, in theory, is expectancy. This expectancy refers to an individual’s belief that his or her determination will bring about the desired results, for instance, work performance, and success. Expectancy also alludes to an individual’s assessment of the sort of, and the amount of effort that should be put to attain better outcomes or more exceptional performance. Another constituent is an instrumentality, and this alludes to an individual’s belief that his or her work performance correlates with the subsequent results, for instance, punishment or rewards. The third component is valence, which indicates an individual’s point of view regarding the amount of reward or punishment that is attained owing to the performance (Scholl, 2002). As reported by Vroom, it is expected that people will work hard in the organization if they have the point of view that they are bound to gain rewards. Johnson & Johnson has been able to attain remarkable results and outstanding performance concerning competitors and market performance. These results are primarily linked to the motivation given to the employees. The company has one of the healthiest workforces around, and this why the employees are inclined to work hard to accomplish company goals.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory

The Hierarchy of Needs Theory is considered to be one of the most prevalent and noticeable theories in the area of psychology and human motivation. According to research conducted by Kreitner et al. (1999), this theory is one of the first approaches that attempt to explain human behavior concerning the satisfaction of human needs and wants. Fundamentally, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory is based on the assumption that a requirement to influence a person’s activities and actions to the extent where he or she guarantees and attains satisfaction. Bearing this in mind, that the desire and yearning to satisfy needs is the key motivator (Steers et al., 1996). Imperatively, Maslow claimed that the needs of a person could be ordered or ranked. This is associated with the point of view that when one of these personal needs is fully satisfied, it ceases losing its influence as a motivator, and, thereby, the person shifts focus on the following greater necessity that has been instigated (Hilgert, and Leonard, 2001).

Following Maslow, human beings have five groups of needs that are organized hierarchically, starting with the most basic needs, which comprise physiological needs, safety needs, and belongingness needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization. This strategy is linked to the top two levels of the pyramid, including esteem, and self-actualization needs (Steers et al., 1996). The organization should provide employees with clear opportunities that enable them to feel that they are undertaking valuable work, and also in attaining their potential with the organization. Within an organization, an employee may attempt to try to satisfy self-actualization needs by seeking challenging, inventive tasks or make substantial attainments to his or her job (Steers et al., 1996). In Maslow’s theory, primary motivators encompass basic physiological needs and safety needs. On the other hand, secondary needs refer to the psychological needs, and self-fulfillment needs. These contain belongingness, and love needs, esteem…