Employee Motivation

Acting as a leader is an important facet of an account manager’s position. They must act as a catalyst for the members of their team in order to create the best work possible. There are various studies on the best way to motivate and reprimand employees. Positive and negative reinforcement represent one theory on motivators for employees; however, they may lead to a better solution.

Positive reinforcement is “following a response with something pleasant” (Robbins, 58). For example, after a project is completed the manager may dole out bonuses as a way of saying the employees did a job well done. Deborah Mackin, author of The Team Work Tool Kit, 2nd edition, and founder and president of New Directions Consulting, Inc believes that for positive reinforcement to work the “reward” must be something personal that the employee desires. Giving a single secretary with no kids an afternoon off may not be as effective as a bonus, whereas giving the working mother of three an afternoon off to watch her child’s soccer game would be.

The One Minute Manager states “people work better when they feel good about themselves” (Blanchard). This theory can be used to show why managers and organizations must use positive and negative reinforcement effectively in order for the employees to feel good about themselves and to maximize efficiency and productivity. Positive reinforcement works as a better motivator for employees. Employees that feel better about their jobs will tend to have less turnover, lower absenteeism and higher job satisfaction.

Robbins and Judge refer to negative reinforcement as “following a response with the termination or withdrawal of something unpleasant” (Robbins, 58). Deborah Mackin refers to negative reinforcement as the “introduction of fear.” Her example is, “’Better get that report that John wants on his desk by four or he won't be happy.’ The employee "moves" his/her behavior in order to avoid the anticipated wrath of John.” Both are saying the same thing in their own way, Robbins and Judge refer to it as a current unpleasant thing that has ended, whereas Mackin refers to it as the threat of something unpleasant in the future. Negative reinforcement does not instill the same job satisfaction that positive reinforcement does. It can cause employees to feel insecure, anxious about the status of their job and even revert to politics. All of these factors will have the opposite effect of positive reinforcement: higher turnover, higher absenteeism and lower job satisfaction.

Mackin points out that the distinction between positive and negative reinforcement comes down to the results achieved by the employee and the company. “Positive reinforcement builds accountability; negative reinforcement builds avoidance of accountability and a desire to ‘play it safe’” (Mackin). Performance management, as it is referred to by Mackin, such as positive reinforcement will inspire accountability in employees.

I think the most successful form of employee motivation is another type of reinforcement that B. F. Skinner explains called the “natural reinforcer.” Skinner states, "We can say that some students study because they have a desire to learn, an inner urge to know, an inquisitive appetite, a love of wisdom, a natural curiosity, or some other trait of character. We thus allay our natural curiosity and satisfy our urge to know, but we do not improve teaching, for nothing about a trait tells us how to alter it or even keep it alive" (Skinner). Employees who have the natural reinforcer will tend to have more freedom over decisions, will feel like there is equity in bonuses and rewards within their organization as well as feel positively about other aspects of their jobs. They will need less supervision than the employees who require more positive and negative reinforcement. Not all employees respond to reinforcements in the same way. Employees at different motivations and abilities will require different positive and negative reinforcement in order for them to act in accordance with the desired reinforcement result.

The natural reinforcer will create the ideal employees and work environment as a whole. However, employees must be led to this level of satisfaction. Similar to Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs which states that humans must fulfill their most basic needs before being able to fill higher level needs such as self-actualization. New employees will still require positive and negative reinforcement in order to learn the systems that are being utilized in the work place. However, an employee who is satisfied with their work, the environment, their co-workers, etc. will have an inner desire to do better and create better work. They will develop the inner urge to continue to succeed and do better work for the company. This is how teams can create synergy to develop better work.

Works Cited

Blanchard, Ken and Spencer Johnson. The One Minute Manager. New York, HarperCollins Publishers Inc: 2003.

Judge, Tim A., and Stephen P. Robbins. Organizational Behavior & SAL CDROM Pkg (12th Edition). Alexandria, VA: Prentice Hall, 2007.

Mackin, Deborah. “Growing Responsibility and Accountability in the Workplace: Part 2.” The Sideroad. 2007. Blue Boulder Internet Publishing. 18 Oct. 2007. http://www.sideroad.com/Management/growing-responsibility-and-accountability-in-the-workplace.html.

Skinner, B.F. The Technology of Teaching. Cambridge: B.F. Skinner Foundation, 2003.