Applying Victor Vroom's Expectancy Theory in a Given Workplace Scenario

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Motivation is a major contributing factor in keeping an individual on a path to attainment in the workplace and at home. There are dozens of theories that exist but one of the most widely accepted is Victor Vroom’s expectancy theory. The majority of the evidence that has been provided over time supports the theory in its entirety. The expectancy theory suggests that an individual will choose a course of action that will greatly increase the chances of providing a desired outcome. Essentially, it is up to the individual as to what decision is made but the behavior that is selected reflects on the desirability of wanting to attain the desired outcome. There are three key relationships which consist of employee perceptions. These comprise of the Effort-Performance, Performance-Reward, and Reward-Personal Goals relationships. Motivational problems can plague a workplace which in turn can affect the goals of the individuals working there and the broader goals of the company. The expectancy theory can be utilized to alleviate some of the motivational concerns commonly seen in today’s workforce.

The Effort-Performance Relationship is better known as the expectancy perception. This is the perception of an individual that putting forth a self-determined amount of effort will lead simply to performance. There are a few contributing factors that determine the probability of expectancy and can be the individuals perceived difficulty of the goal, having some level of control of the outcome and also the amount of self-confidence the individual possesses pertaining to that goal. If the difficulty of the objective is believed to be higher than what the individual considers they are capable of then low expectancy perceptions made by the individu...

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...wards are typically limited. For this aspect of the theory to be true and valence to be positive, the individual must want to attain the goal as opposed to not wanting to attain it.

The expectancy theory can be implemented at a capacity that will greatly enhance both the specific personal goals of individuals and the broader goals of the company as a whole. Especially in this case of a company who prides themselves on its high production standards and goals, a formal motivation enhancement theory should be implemented. There is absolutely no motivation for the employees of this company which is abnormal for a corporation who prides themselves on high quality and high production goals. As a manager, keep in mind that the expectancy theory states that an individual will choose a course of action that will greatly increase the chances of providing a desired outcome.

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