Timmreck, T.C. Managing motivation and developing job satisfaction in the health care work environment. (2001).

Health Care Manager, 2001, 20(1), 42-58. Copyright: Aspen Publishers, Inc.

Using Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory as a framework for his questionnaire, the author surveyed 99 midlevel managers, including nurses and others in managerial positions. He asked the managers to what extent they believed certain factors served to motivate people; he also asked to what extent they used these factors to motivate employees. Each factor was rated on a Likert Scale of 1 to 5.

He explored to what extent the managers used “negative motivators” such as guilt, threats, power, rebellion, and control. These factors could be identified as elements of hygiene deprivation according to Herzberg. Results showed that 37% believed that guilt should never be used as a motivator, and 42%

never used guilt as a motivator. Four percent believed that guilt was a motivator, and one participant used guilt to motivate employees. Fifty-three percent believed rebellion should never be used as a motivator, and 65%

never used it. Threats were never used by 55% of the managers, and 51% believed they should never be used.

Power was believed effective by 23%, and 8% actually used power as a motivator. Timmreck used his findings to point out that managers often mistakenly believe that fear of hygiene deprivation can be used to motivate employees effectively. He reinforced the idea that promoting the use of motivators results in a high level of job satisfaction.

a. What negative motivators did the managers use in the study?

b. What were the findings related to hygiene factors and motivation?