Microsoft Motivation Case Study

1. Needs of employees and application of motivation theories at Microsoft Microsoft employees are smart because they are selected by difficult and complicated interview questions. Therefore, the new employees are easily accepted by the old colleagues in the company. According to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Theory, it suggested that needs are separate to five level which are physiology, safety, social, esteem and self-actualization in ascending order. When a need is satisfied and fulfilled, they loss motivating effect and people tends to fight for a higher level of needs. Individuals will be motivated by fulfills the need. At Microsoft, the new employees are satisified social need because of the acceptance of their colleagues and supervisor.

Employees can make their own decision and easily accepted by others, thus, need for afflication and achievement are satisified. Microsoft applies Herzberg's Motivation Theory to employees. This theory definied motivation practices to two categories. Hygeine factors prevent job dissatisfaction but not to provide motivation effect, only motivators can motivate employees. Microsoft sells stock to employees at favourable prive and tolerance for nonconformity. They are Hygiene factors, but not the motivators. However, Microsofties believe that their decision can change the world. It seems as a responsibility to the world and their career, therefore, it is motivators that create job

Also, managers should assign feedback and 2-way goal setting when they are setting goals and the process of achieving goals. The importance of 2-way goal setting is the strong commitment because employees and managers consulted the conetent of goals, therefore, it should be specific and achievable. Moreover, feedback narrow the gap during the process of achieving goals. In order to have a further explaniation, an example will be demonstrated. For instance, a programmer and manager discuss the goal of evaluating bugs per week. Manager suggested that programmer should deal with twenty bugs per week; however, programmer thinks that manager's goal is too harsh and recommended ten bugs per week only. In these case, they should communicate with each other and find a mid-point to adopt. Thus, fifteen bugs per week is a difficult goal but still achievable. Moreover, manager should provide feedback to programmer for motivation and to achieve the goal