Applying Theory to Enhance Motivation Consider a time when you (or a co-worker or friend) lacked motivation to perform a task. Apply theory and research related to motivation, work attitudes, and stress to address the following questions in a 175- to 260-word response for each question: 1. Describe the situation and factors that contributed to the lack of motivation. 2. Explain how motivation theory could have been applied in this situation. 3. Discuss work attitudes (such as satisfaction and commitment) and moods and emotions. Address their effects on the situation. 4. Analyze the role of stress in this situation. What were the major stressors in this situation? How could these stressors have been managed? Include at least two current peer-reviewed references in your response. Your textbook will not count as one of your required peer-reviewed references. Note. Information located on the internet also does not meet the peer-reviewed requirement.
 

Motivation, Work Attitudes, and Stress

Introduction

            Employee motivation is often considered a key aspect in any business setting as it directly influences the overall productivity of the workforce. In this paper, I intend to share my previous experience where I worked in a stressful working environment and lacked the motivation to perform certain tasks. This paper will also explain how the motivation theory could have work in the situation, and what approaches I would have employed to manage the stressors.

Question 1

            In my previous place of employment, several factors lowered my motivation to perform assigned tasks, and this had a detrimental effect on my overall output. One factor was that I had to work overtime on various occasions, and this negatively affected my work/life balance. I was forced to work on weekends and I barely had any days to myself or to spend time with friends and family. Aside from not having a desirable work/life balance, I also felt that the workplace was not conducive when it came to fostering professional development. There were no training opportunities and it was hard getting a promotion. This, in turn, made me feel stagnant in my career, as I yearned to develop my skills and knowledge so that I stay up-to-date with emerging trends and development. Lastly, the organization’s leadership also played a key role in making me feel demoralized in the workplace. My manager was constantly on my case and showed no interest in finding ways to boost employee morale. To him, one’s output was of utmost priority and employee wellbeing did not receive the consideration it deserved.

Question 2

            Motivation concerns the conditions that influence variations in the direction, quality, persistence, and intensity of ongoing behavior. According to Lorincova et al. (2019), motivation is the force the maintains, guides, and preserves goal-oriented behaviors. Motivation theory defines motivation as an effective tool for arousing employee cooperation, and that, employers should not overlook the role it plays in boosting overall productivity. Therefore, motivation theory can help inform my manager on the role of motivation in boosting performance. Similarly, motivation theory outlines the influence work-life balance has on employee motivation. According to Conte & Landy (2019, p. 317), employees tend to feel tension between competing forces; work on the one hand, and friends, school, leisure, family, and healthy activities on the other. Therefore, motivation should be prioritized when employees are dealing with such competing forces, such as myself. Also, the motivation theory calls for leaders to consider the individual goals and differences for employees. For instance, my manager should have sought ways to foster my professional development, as it was a major priority for me and I felt that the leadership showed no interest in my needs and interests.

 Question 3

            Emotions, moods, and attitudes experienced at work have a significant impact on both work and nonwork behavior (Conte & Landy, 2019, p. 348). Also, emotions, moods, and attitudes experienced outside the workplace can affect work and nonwork behavior. This creates the need to understand emotions at the workplace as each individual reacts differently to external stimuli. According to Usmani et al (2019), recognition of the importance of the work values and attitudes of the workforce can help employers identify effective strategies crucial for the organization’s success. Research reveals that attitudes and values play a significant role in influencing employee performance. The findings of this research go in line with my previous experience as I believe my performance in the workplace was influenced by emotions, moods, and attitudes. This is considering that I had a negative attitude towards the workplace as I constantly felt overwork and, at the same time, not doing anything to foster professional development. I also developed a negative attitude towards my manager as I felt he did little to boost my motivation and did not prioritize my needs and interests.

Question 4

            Stress can be defined as a nonspecific response of the human body to demands made on it, whereas stressors refer to psychological or physical demands to which a person responds (Conte & Landy, 2019, p. 388). People cope with, experience, and appraise stressful situations differently, and these coping styles can be divided into two groups; emotion-focused coping and problem-focused coping. Emotion-focused coping refers to minimizing, avoiding, or distancing oneself from the stressor. Problem-focused coping, on the other hand, refers to altering or managing the stressor. Examples of stressors I encountered in the previous workplace include; interpersonal conflict, lack of control, and burnout. These were largely a result of being micromanaged and pressured by my manager, and not having a suitable work-life balance. Problem-focused coping can be used to address these stressors, whereby I could have approached the leadership, express my concerns regarding the stressful working environment, and request them to find ways to make the workplace more conducive. Emotional-focused coping can also be adopted, whereby I would have chosen to distance myself from the stressor by resigning from the workplace.

Conclusion

            In this paper, I have identified several factors that lowered my motivation to perform assigned tasks and the detrimental effect they had on my overall output. I also apply the motivation theory to the situation as it defines motivation as an effective tool for arousing employee cooperation. Furthermore, I claim that the recognition of the importance of the work values and attitudes of the workforce can help employers identify effective strategies crucial for the organization’s success. I also identify two coping methods that would have been beneficial in managing the stressors in the workplace; emotion-focused coping and problem-focused coping.