Influences on Employee Behavior

Chapter 2

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Learning Objectives
Identify the major external and internal factors that influence

employee behavior Describe two primary types of outcomes that result from behavior and tell how they may influence future behavior. State how a supervisors leadership and expectations can affect employee behavior Recognize that impact that have on employee at co workers and organizations themselves have on of employee behavior. Define motivation and describe the main approaches/theory to understanding motivation at work. Discuss how knowledge, skill, ability, and attitude influences employee behavior

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A Major Purpose of Human Resource Development

To change employee behavior through training and other incentives

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Model of Employee Behavior/factors/environment

Forces that influence behavior:

External to the employee:

External environment (economic conditions,

laws and regulations, etc.) Work environment (supervision, organization, coworkers, outcomes of performance)

Within the employee:

Motivation, attitudes, knowledge/skills/abilities

(KSAs)

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The External Environment

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Factors in the External Environment

Economic conditions Technological changes Labor market conditions Laws and regulations Labor unions
Source: Heneman, Schwab, Fossum & Dyer (1989)
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Factors in the Work Environment

Outcomes result of E behavior Supervision and leadership Organization Coworkers

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Influences on Employee Behavior

Factor Outcomes Supervision Organization Issues Types Effect on Motivation Leadership Performance Expectations Reward Structure Organizational Culture Job Design Norms Group Dynamics Teamwork Control of Outcomes
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Coworkers

Outcomes Can Influence Employee Behavior

Personal outcomes Organizational outcomes

Both expectancy theory and equity theory predict that employee perceptions of the outcomes they receive (or hope to receive) influences their performance of that behavior.
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Supervisor Characteristics
Leadership Performance expectations (Pygmalion effect) Evaluation of efforts

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Organizational Influences
Reward structure Organizational culture Job design

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Coworker Influence
Norms Group dynamics Teamwork Control over outcomes

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Motivation
Psychological processes that cause the arousal, direction, and persistence of voluntary actions that are goal-directed

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Motivation Characteristics
Pertains to voluntary behavior Focuses on processes affecting behavior such as:

Energizing of effort
Direction of effort Persistence of effort

An individual phenomenon
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Energizing Effort
The generation or mobilization of effort

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Direction of Effort
Applying effort to one behavior over another

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Persistence
Continuing (or ceasing) to perform a behavior

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Explanations of Work Motivation

Need-based Cognitive-based Noncognitive-based

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Need-Based Theories
Underlying needs, such as needs for survival, safety, power, etc., are what drives motivation Theories: Maslows hierarchy of needs theory Alderfers existence, relatedness, and growth (ERG) theory Herzbergs twofactor theory
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Need Activation-Need Satisfaction Process

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Maslows Hierarchy of Needs

Self-Actualization Needs

Esteem Needs

Belonging & Love Needs

Safety Needs

Survival Needs
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Cognitive Theories
Expectancy theory Goal-setting theory Social learning theory Equity theory

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Expectancy Theory
Motivation is viewed as a conscious choice People put their efforts into actions they can perform to achieve desired outcomes Three key elements: Expectancy expect effort to result in success Instrumentality performance results in reward Valence value individual puts on outcome

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Expectancy Theory

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Goal Setting Theory

Specific, difficult, and understood goals generally lead to higher performance Keys to success are the level of difficulty and the clearness of goals

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Social Learning Theory

Self-efficacy judgment of what you think you can do with the skills you have Major prediction of the theory is that expectations determine:

Whether a behavior will be performed How much effort will be expended How long you will perform the behavior
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Self-Efficacy and Effort

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Equity Theory
Major assumptions: If you are treated fairly, you will keep working well If you think you are being treated unfairly, you will change your behavior in order to be treated fairly

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Equity Theory

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A Noncognitive Theory
Reinforcement theory e.g., behavior modification

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Complexity of Behavior

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Behavior Modification
Principles for controlling employee behavior: Positive Reinforcement Negative Reinforcement Extinction decrease occurrences by eliminating reinforcement that causes the behavior Punishment introduce an adverse consequence immediately after behavior
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A Specific Example
Sleeping in Class: 1. Warning 2. Leave class and explain to the Assistant Dean why you were asked to leave
Too often you are dropped from the class Question: Is this positive or negative reinforcement, and why?

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Internal Factors That Influence Employee Behavior

Motivation Attitudes Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs)

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Attitudes
A persons general feelings of favor or disfavor towards something Feelings towards a person, place, thing, event, or idea Tend to be VERY stable and hard to change
Attitudes are important in training e.g., does the trainee intend to use the training or ignore it?
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Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs)

Abilities general capacities related to the performance of specific tasks Skills combines abilities and capacities, generally the result of training Knowledge understanding of the factors or principles related to a specific subject HRD programs mostly focus on changing skills and knowledge
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