The following information has been extracted from "Unit 3: Motivation and Individual Productivity" of the FEMA/USFA/NFA/Degrees at a Distance Program, Course Guide, Personnel Management for the Fire Service, January, 2000.

Managerial Approaches to Motivation
Granito (1985), provided examples of three generalized managerial approaches to motivation, from a closed climate. To an open climate, they are:

Traditional model: "provide wage incentives"
Assumptions

1. Work is inherently distasteful to most people.
2. What they do is less important than what they earn for it.
3. Few want or can handle work that requires creativity, self-direction, or self-control.

Policies

1. The manager's basic task is to closely supervise and control his/her subordinates.
2. The manager must break down tasks into simple, repetitive, easily learned operations.
3. The manager must establish detailed work routines and procedures, and enforce these firmly but fairly.

Expectations

1. People can tolerate work if the pay is decent and the boss is fair.
2. If tasks are simple enough and people are closely controlled, they will produce up to standard.

Human Relations Model: "cater to employees' social needs"
Assumptions

1. People want to feel useful and important.
2. People desire to belong and to be recognized as individuals.
3. These needs are more important than money in motivating people to work.

Policies

1. The manager's basic task is to make each worker feel useful and important.
2. The manager should keep subordinates informed and listen to their objections to plans.
3. The manager should allow subordinates to exercise some self-direction and self-control on routine matters.

Expectations

1. Sharing information with subordinates and involving them in routine decisions will satisfy their basic needs to belong and feel important.
2. Satisfying these needs will improve morale and reduce resistance to formal authority. Subordinates will "willingly cooperate."

Human Resources Model: "offer increased responsibility"
Assumptions

1. Work is not inherently distasteful. People want to contribute to meaningful goals that they have helped to establish.
2. Most people can exercise far more creative, responsible self-direction and self-control than their present jobs demand.

Policies

1. The manager's basic task is to make use of "untapped" human resources.
2. The manager must create an environment in which all members may contribute to the limits of their ability.
3. The manager must encourage full participation in important matters, and continually broaden subordinates' self-direction and self-control.

Expectations

1. Expanding subordinate influence, self-direction, and self-control will lead to direct improvement in operating efficiency.
2. Work satisfaction will improve as a "byproduct" of subordinates making full use of their resources.

ENDNOTES

J.A. Granito, "Motivation," a workshop presented at The University of Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute, College Park, MD, 1985. Adopted and modified from unlisted sources.