What all process theories have in
common is an emphasis on the cognitive processes in determining employee
level of motivation and need satisfaction. Equity theory matches the
notions of “a fair day’s work for a fair day’s payâ€. It really focuses
on perceptions of inequality in the output ratio whose effect may be
similar to the hygiene factors of Herzberg et.al. Equity and fairness in
the workplace has been found to be a major factor in determining
employee motivation and job satisfaction. As such, equity theory assumes
that one important cognitive process involves people looking around and
observing what effort other people are putting into their work and what
rewards follow that effort. Identify the level of job satisfaction
among secondary school teachers in Moro LGA, Kwara state. Education is
entrusted to the teachers and they are the deciding factors about the
quality of life of the world at large and a nation in particular. It can
be said that the destiny of the whole world is being shaped in the one
world.
However, if the teachers are satisfied with their work, it may
be revealed in their attitude towards teachings students and the
productivity of such teaching. Job satisfaction among teachers is very
important in its own right as a part of social welfare, improving in the
quality of their work as the main theme or aims of educational
planning. Attempt to improve performance in schools will never succeed
if teachers job satisfaction is ignored. If employees in an organization
are motivated, they will render service employers and customer very
efficiently and effectively (Mbua, 2003). This implies the motivated and
satisfied secondary school teachers are mostly likely to affect the
student learning positively and negatively. Educational leader and
administrator managers have to pay special attention to the phenomena of
motivation and job satisfaction. Education is a continuous process, it
may be formal, informal or non-formal. In formal education teacher has a
very important place in improvement of education. Teacher role in
society in general and in education has been changing with time but
important of this position is the same. The teacher is the pre-requisite
of the success of education programmes. It can be assumed that the
teacher will perform to maximum of capacity. If he/she is satisfied with
his/her job.
Every profession has certain aspects responsible for
job satisfaction along with attitude and teaching is not an exception
unless and until a teacher derives satisfaction on job performance and
develops a positive attitude towards education, he cannot initiate
desirable outcomes ton cater for the needs of the society. Only
satisfied and well-adjusted teacher can think of the well-being of the
students. To achieve the objective of education, it requires motivated
and satisfied teachers in most schools. (AbdulKadri 2008). However, in
Nigeria, teachers have always expressed lack of motivation and
satisfaction in their jobs. The manifests that there is low morale in
teaching profession and under-performance could be evident. Teacher
assumed not to develop their potential if their esteem is low. When one
feels unappreciated at their jobs they are unlikely to be creative.
Scholars have observed that teachers lack of motivation at place of work
place that lead to poor performances in their duties as teacher in the
school and which consequently affect student’ performance especially in
the national.
Need –based Approach or Content theory
Several
factors are believed to influence a person’s desire to perform work or
behave in a certain way. The need-based theories explained these
desires; they explained motivation primarily as a phenomenon that occurs
intrinsically, or within an individual. We can widely recognize two
need-based theorists and their theories: Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs and
Herzberg et al. two factor theory.
Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
Abraham Maslow’s (1943,1970) need-based theory of motivation is the
most widely recognized theory of motivation and perhaps the most
referenced of the content theories. According to this theory, a person
has five fundamental needs: physiological, security, affiliation, esteem
and self-actualization. The physiological needs include pay, food,
shelter and clothing, good and comfortable work conditions etc. The
security needs include the need for safety, fair treatment, protection
against threats, job security etc. Affiliation needs include the needs
of being loved, accepted, part of a group etc. whereas esteem needs
include the need for recognition, respect, achievement, autonomy,
independence etc. Finally, self-actualization needs, which are the
highest in the level of Maslow’s need theory, include realizing one’s
full potential or self-development; I call it the pinnacle of one’s
calling. According to Maslow, once a need is satisfied it is no longer a
need. It ceases to motivate employees’ behaviour and they are motivated
by the need at the next level up the hierarchy.
