DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES IN THE

POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITIES OF THE PHILIPPINES

A Research Paper
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
Of the requirements in EN1023
(Writing in the Discipline)

Submitted to
Prof. Rosemariebeth Dizon

by
Joyce Anne M. Basilio
Nancy D. Ferriols
Cristel Joshua M. Lingon
Jacquielyn Q. Layug
Grace Ann H. Marollano
Zayette M. Tarriella
Aster May Z. Villapando

Polytechnic University of the Philippines

March, 2007

Acknowledgment

The researchers would like to extend their profound gratitude to the following whose
valuable assistance has made this research project possible.
Prof. Rosemariebeth Dizon, Professor and adviser, for her assistance, guidance, constructive
criticism, and for imparting the principles of research that geared towards the improvement
of this study.
The employees of PUP, for lending their busy time in answering the questionnaires.
Members of the families, for the understanding, and providing financial and moral support.
Classmates and friends, for the help, and assistance, and guidance.
And most of all, to GOD ALMIGHTY, the Greatest Teacher of them all, without WHOM
everything is not possible. HE who gave us strength, courage, and perseverance, this work.
The Researchers

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
LIST OF TABLES
LIST OF FIGURES
CHAPTER 1 THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND
Introduction
Statement of the Problem
Scope and Limitation
Definition of Terms
CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Local Literature
Foreign Literature
CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY
Research Design
Respondent
Research Instrument
Data Gathering Procedure
Statistical Treatment
CHAPTER 4 PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AN D
INTERPRETAION
CHAPTER 5 CHAPTER 5 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS,
CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary of findings
Conclusions
Recommendations

Page
I
II
III
IV
1
3
6
8
13
20
23
24
25
26
27
28

BIBLIOGRAPHY

49
52
53

APPENDICES

58
60

List of Tables

FREQUENCY, PERCENTAGE, RANK

DISTRIBUTION OF RESPONDENTS BY AGE
Table FREQUENCY, PERCENTAGE, RANK
DISTRIBUTION OF RESPONDENTS BY
1 GENDER

Page
29
30

FREQUENCY, PERCENTAGE, RANK

DISTRIBUTION OF RESPONDENTS BY
LENGTH OF SERVICE

33

FACTORS MOTIVATING PERFORMANCE OF

EMPLOYEES

36

FACTORS AFFECTING JOB PERFORMANCE

38

DIFFERENT BENEFITS OFFERED

39

SUFFICINECY OF BENEFITS RECEIVED

41

FACTORS AFFECTING GOOD WORKING

RELATIONSHIP

42

2
3

CHAPTER I
The Problem and its background

Introduction
Hiring people who are motivated to do what employers need remains one of the biggest challenges
in business today. Employees are considered just another input into the production of goods and
services of a company. Once motivated, they will do what they want and need to do. Whether it is
to excel on the workshop floor or in the ivory tower they must be motivated or driven to it, either
by themselves or by external stimulus. Hence, motivation is a skill that must be learnt.
Motivation creates feelings that drive people to discover the unknown. It seems as everyone is
driven by the same forces. Even though motivation sometimes leads to some negative
consequences, they can also have positive outcome.
Motivation is a difficult subject, touching on several disciplines. In spite of enormous researchers,
basic as well as applied, the subject of motivation is not clearly understood and more often than
not poorly practice to understand motivation, one must understand human nature itself. Human
nature can be very simple, yet very complex too. Understanding and appreciation of this is a
prerequisite so effective employee motivation in the workplace and therefore effective
management and leadership.
Statement of the Problem
The study is aimed to assess the different motivating factors affecting the job performance of the
employees of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
To delve into specifics of this investigation, the following questions were answered:
1. To what extent do the following factors affect the level of performances of employees of the
Polytechnic University of the Philippines:
Extrinsic Factors
a.
benefits from the company
b.
salary

a.
b.
c.

Intrinsic Factors
interpersonal relations
accomplishments and recognition
commitment

2.

How do extrinsic motivations affect the performance of the employees?

3.

How do intrinsic motivations affect employees?

4.

How does motivation contribute to the over-all success of the company?

Scope and Limitation

This study was conducted to assess the different motivators that enhance the performance of the
employees of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
This study is delimited to evaluation of employees job performance in line with motivators. The
concentration of this research is to show the effects of these motivators in the university
employees.
This study also focused on the practical knowledge, skills, competence, and attitudes of employees
as affected by these motivators to achieve immediately the goals to become effective and
productive office personnel.
Definition of Terms
The terms below are defined conceptually and operationally to furnish a common ground for
understanding, clarity, and communication between the researchers and the readers.
Accomplishments this is an achievement an employees received for something done admirably
and creditably.
Benefits are something that is advantageous or good. This is a form of payment or gift, as one
made to help someone to motivate in their works.
Enormous is said to be marked extraordinary great size, exceeding or transcending usual bounds
or commonly accepted motions.
Human Nature the complex of behavioral patterns, attitudes, and ideas which man has acquired
socially.
Motivation is the psychological process that gives behavior purpose and direction.
Office employees a person who serves as worker in the office. He/she performs tasked related to
office procedures and policies.
Recognition as used in this study, this acknowledgement of achievement, service, merit, etc.
Survival is a continuation of life or existence. It is the fact of living or lasting beyond another.
Chapter II
Review of Related Literature

Foreign Literature
Many authors have defined the concept of motivation. According to Kreitner in 1995, this is a
psychological process that gives behavior purpose and direction 1. On Buford, Bedeian, and
Linder side, this is a pre-disposition to behave in a purposive manner to achieve specifics,
unmet needs. As Higgins said, motivation is an internal drive to satisfy an unsatisfied
need2. as a whole, motivation operationally defined as the inner force that drives individuals to
accomplish personal and organizational goal.
Companies need a motivated employee for survival. Motivated employees are needed in our
rapidly changing workplaces. A motivated employee helps organizations, companies, and
businesses survive. Motivated employees are more productive. To be effective, manager needs
to understand what motivates employees with in the context of the roles they perform. Of all
the functions, a manager motivating employees is arguably the most complex based to charges
constantly. An example is given by Kovach Bowen and Radhakrishma, this is due to the fact
that what motivates employees, wherein he said that research suggests that as employees
income increase, money becomes less of a motivator, and also, as employees get older, interest
in work becomes more of a motivator.
Sanjeev Sharma cited the principles to keep in mind while working Employees Motivation3:
1. Motivating employees starts with motivating oneself. Enthusiasm is contagious. If one is
enthusiastic with his job, it is much easier for others
to be, too. Also, if one is doing a good job of taking care of oneself and ones own job, he has
much clearer perspective on how others are doing theirs. A great place to start learning about
motivation is to start understanding you own motivations. The key to helping motivate your
employees is to understand what motivates them.
2. Key supporting the motivation of one employee understands what motivates each of them.
A different thing motivates each person.
3. Always work to align goals of organization with the goal of employees. Employees can all
be fired up about their work and be working very hard. However, if the results of their work
dont contribute to the goals of the organization, then the organization is not any better off than
if the employees are sitting on their hands may worse off! Therefore, its critical that
managers and supervisors know what they want from their employees.
4. Recognize that supporting employee motivation is a process, not a task: Organization
changes all the time, as do people indeed, it is an ongoing process that sustains an environment
where employees can strongly motivate themselves. If you took at sustaining employee
motivation as an ongoing process, then youll be much more fulfilled and motivated yourself.
Local Literature

Reward system is a key subsystem of HRM. The total reward system consist of both intrinsic
aspects (supplied by the work itself) extrinsic aspect (supplied by the organizations). The
intrinsic rewards consist of those elements of the work which provide ascent of achievement,
responsibility, challenge, control participation, including, while the extrinsic rewards have both
deal with financial elements.
Intrinsic rewards depend on the person who views whether or not the reward given actually
encourages work performance. The rewards are direrctly related to the job itself and are
utilized as motivators. Some example of intrinsic rewards are challenging or exciting
assignments, job freedom and discretion, delegation of some responsibilities, participation in
decision-making, opportunities for personal and mental growth, and diversity of
activities (Conception et.at., 1991).
Extrinsic rewards, on the other hand, are the more tangible, less perception dependent elements
of compensation, given by the organization to employees (Conception et.al., 1991) these kinds
of rewards should be carefully considered before being applied.
They are the most obvious kind of payment and could cause misunderstanding among
organizational members. Extrinsic rewards are further classified into two categories, namely:
1) direct 2) indirect.
Motivation is the intrinsic inducement that peoples the individual to think, feel, and perform in
certain ways. According to this definition by Conception, Rodil, A. Martires(1991), motivation
is an internalized function, making it very hard to influence other because It come from
within, from a persons own psychic.

Chapter III
Research Methodology

This research was undertaken to determine some motivating factors that affect the performance of
the employees of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Sta. Mesa, Manila.
This chapter presents the method of research used by the reaserchers, the survey population,
survey instrument, collection of data, and the statistical treatment applied.
Research Method Used
The study used the descriptive survey method or research utilizing questionnaire checklist in
fulfilling the objective of the study that is Different Factors that Motivate Employees of the
Polytechnic University of the Philippines. A survey questionnaire was employed to solicit the
perceptions and performances of the employees of PUP and their perceived relation between
motivation and their performance.
This pattern reveals condition or relationships that exist or do not exist, practices that prevail or
don prevail, beliefs or points of view or attitudes that are held or not held, processes that are going
on or otherwise effects that are being felt or trends that are developing; thus it was chosen as the
design of the present study which aimed to determine and analyze the factors that motivate the
employees of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
Description of the Respondents
This research study selected employees of PUP of different age, sex, and their length of service in
the university. A total of 312 respondents were asked to answer the questionnaire developed by the
researchers regarding the information needed for which this study is used.
Instrumentation
The study employed the survey-questionnaire with open-ended, close-ended and multi-response as
main instrument to gather data on the assessment of motivation of the respondents.

Data Gathering Procedure

The research phase was conducted during the 2nd semester of School Year 2006-2007 entailing the
following activities:
1.
A survey-questionnaire was drafted by the researchers and presented to their professor for
approval.
2.
A letter of request have been written and sent to the Head of Human Resource Department of
PUP inquiring for the total population of the office employees of the university.
3.
The researcher made a letter asking for permission to conduct a survey to a particular office
and department of the university.
4.
After retrieving the questionnaire, the researchers made the tally sheet and then prepared the
tables for statistical treatment, presentation, analysis, and interpretation.
Statistical treatment
For the statistical treatment, the researchers made use of the percentage to quantify the date
gathered, wherein they used a simple percentage formula:
P = n / N x 100
Wherein:

P = percentage
n = responses
N = total # of responses

Chapter IV
Presentation, Analysis, and Interpretation
The purpose of this study was to assist the different factors that motivate the employees of the
Polytechnic University of the Philippines of Sta. Mesa, Manila. Specially, it looked into the conditions
or relationships that existed or did not exist, practices that prevailed or did not prevail, beliefs or
attitudes that were held or not held and processes that were going on or effects or trends that were being
felt or that were developing
To accomplish this objective the researchers used the Sloven Formula in order to determine who among
the PUP employees should act as their respondents.
This study employed the survey questionnaire with the combination of open-ended and close-ended
questions. Data were gathered from a total of 312 respondents, with 127 female and 130 male. However,
a total of 55 respondents did not indicate their gender.
Table 1
Distribution of Respondents as to Age
Age
71 above
66 70
61 65
56 60
51 55
46 50
41 45
36 40

Frequency
1
0
2
14
26
32
47
32

Percentage
0.32
0
0.64
4.49
8.97
10.26
15.06
10.26

Rank
10
11
9
7
4
3
2
3

31 35
26 30
25 below
No Answer

24
19
4
109
Total = 312

7.69
6.09
1.28
34.94
99.98

5
6
8
1

Table 1 shows the age frequency percentage, and rank distribution of the respondents which was tallied
according to brackets of 5 years. Unfortunately, majority of the respondents did not indicate their age in
the survey with 109 or 34.94 percent of them. Meanwhile, a total of 47 respondents or 16.06 percent
belong to the age bracket of 41-45 years old. Following them are 32 or 10.25 of who said they are
between 36 and 40 years old. Likewise there are 28 respondents or 8.97 percent who claimed that they
are between 51-55 age brackets. There are also 24 respondents or 7.69 percent said that they are between
31 to 35 years of age. There is a total of 6.09 percent or 19 employees who are 26-30 years old, while 14
or 4.49 percent are in the bracket of 56-60 years old. A short percentage of 1.28 percent or 4 respondents
are 25 years old and below; only two or 0.64 percent are between 61-65 years old. Only one or 0.32
percent revealed in bracket of 71 years old and above.
Table 2
Distribution of Respondents as to Status of Employment
Status of
Employment
Contractual
Casual
Temporary
Permanent

Frequency

Percentage

Rank

55
88
102
67
Total = 312

18%
28%
33%
12%
100%

4
2
1
3

Most of the respondents, 102 or 33 percent disclosed they are temporary employees. Some 88 or 28
percent did not deny they are in casual position. Only 67 or 12 percent are permanent employees. And
only 55 or 18 percent revealed they are still contractual.
Table 3
Distribution of respondents as to Length of Service
Length of Service

Frequency

Percentage

Rank

41 up
36 40
31 35
26 30
21 25
16 20
11 15
6 10

4
10
11
21
23
77
79
52

1.28%
3.20%
3.53%
6.73%
7.37%
24.68%
25.32%
16.67%

9
8
7
5
4
2
1
3

15
Below 1 year
No Answer

21
2
12
Total = 312

6.73%
0.64%
3.85%
100%

5
10
6

Table 3 shows the results of the respondents length of service in PUP. There are 79 or 25.32 percent of
the respondents who have served the institution for 11-15 years. Seventy seven or 24.68 percent have
served PUP for 16-20 years. A total of 52 respondents or 16.67 percent are in service for 6-10 years and
2 or 6.37 of have been working in PUP for 26-30 years. There are 21 or 6.73 percent of the respondents
who have been in service for 26-30 years, likewise those who have served for 1-5 year. Less than ten
percent of the total sample has been in the service for more that 30 years. There are eleven or 3.53
percent who have been in the university for 31-35 years. For serving 41 years and about, there were.
There are only two or 0.64 percent who claimed that they are with the university for merely one year,
while the remaining 12 or 3.85 percent of the respondents left the questions unanswered.
Chapter V
Summary of Findings, Conclusions, Recommendations
The purpose of this study is to find out the different factors that motivates the employees
of Polytechnic University of the Philippines. To come up with this aim, the descriptive survey
method was used to determine the driving force of the employees and their perceived relation
between motivation and their performance. Specifically, the study aims to know how different
motivating factors affect the job performance of the employees of PUP.
Summary of Findings
The study was purported to make assessment of the different factors that motivate the employees
of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Sta. Mesa, Manila.
It is common knowledge that employees who work for a certain agency or company are naturally
motivated. The employees natural motivation relies on the fact that all people have human desires
for affiliation, achievement, and for control and power over their work.
Motivation is psychological process that gives behavior purpose and direction. This is an internal
drive to satisfy an unsatisfied need. As a whole, it is an inner force that drives individuals to
accomplish personal and organizational goals.
An institution like PUP needs motivated employees for survival. They are needed in our rapidly
changing workplaces. They can help the PUP become more productive.
In this study, the researchers tried to find out there motivating factors that determined the
efficiency and productivity of some PUP employees.

Based on the analysis and interpretation of the data gathered, the researchers arrived at the
following findings:
1. Majority of the employees belong to the middle age brackets (ages 41 45 years old).
Nobody belong to the age bracket of 66 70 years old but there is one respondent who belongs to
71 years old and above, there are only four who belong to 25 years old and below.
2. There are a total of 127 respondents who are female and 130 who are male. However, 55
respondents did not indicate their gender.
3. Employees are highly motivated by salary and benefits. They are least motivated by
interpersonal relations.
4. Employees are highly motivated by the benefits they receive from PUP, still they are least
motivated by interpersonal relationship when come to their job performance.
5.

PUP offers incentives and bonuses annually.

Conclusions
Based on the findings, the researchers have drawn the following conclusions.
1. The level of performance of the employees is highly affected by the extrinsic factors
specifically, salary. This is maybe because a higher pay lessens their worries about finances thus
making them perform well.
2. Employees are highly motivated by the benefits they receive because they believe they
become more secured with these, however, they are least motivated by interpersonal relationship.
3. Employees perform their work effectively because their commitment to their job.
4. Efficiency of work contributes greatly to a good working relationship between the boss and
employee. Different views and opinion can hinder is achieving a good working relationship.
5. Since employees are highly motivated by motivators given by PUP, they become more
effective and more productive. This results to the success of the institution.
Recommendations
After drawing conclusions, the researchers offered the following recommendation for
implementation and for further study in the future:

1.
Since employees are highly motivated by extrinsic factors, PUP has to offer them more
benefits and incentives.
2.
Since employees are more motivated by bonuses given, there employees need to receive
their bonuses regularly.
3.
The institution has to see to it are given performance evaluation to find out their
effectiveness as well as their commitment to their job.
4.
Employees have to be offered higher salary and more benefits for them to perform their job
very well.
5.
A more critical and detailed study is recommended for a better assessment of the employees
motivating factors in relation with their job performance.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books
Acuna, Rodriguez, Pilar (1999). Human Behavior in Organization. (2nd edition). Manila,
Philippines, Diwata Publishing, Inc.
Aguaviva, Erlinda M. Dr., Diego M. Amid, Domingo V. Bacani Jr., Dr. Placida M. Brotonel,
Joseph Mercado. (1998). Statistic with Probability and Business Applications.
(1st edition).Jollence Publishing.
Calderon, Jose F., Expectation C. Gonales. (1993). Mehtods of Research and Thesis
Writing.Mandaluyong, Philippines, National Bookstore, Inc.
Concepcion, Rodil and Martires. (1991). Human Resource Management, Princeples and
Practices. Quezon City, Philippines, National Bookstore.
Leveriza, Jose P. (1995). Personnel Administration in the Government. Manila Philippines.
Pangan, Milagros R., Ferdinand Nocon, Lorina G. Salamat, Antonina Sta. Maria. (1996).
Statistic for College Students. Philippine Copyright, Grandwater Publications and Research
Corporation.
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