Vroom’s Expectancy Theory of Motivation
Victor Vroom’s Expectancy Theory of Motivation states that individuals are motivated by three factors. Rewards can be intrinsic or extrinsic - for example, a sense of achievement or monetary rewards.
Three Components
Expectancy (E)
Effort will yield performance.
How much they believe they can achieve the target results or behaviours.
If an employee puts in effort, they expect a certain result. If they don’t get that result, they won’t be motivated to make the effort again and will be dissatisfied with the outcome.
How can managers help employees get the results they expect?
- Ensure the employee has the necessary tools and time
- Assign an employee who already has or will develop useful skills
- Be available to provide support and encouragement
— https://www.tsw.co.uk/blog/leadership-and-management/vrooms-expectancy-theory
Instrumentality (I)
Performance yields reward.
How much they believe they’ll receive rewards if they achieve the specific results or behaviours.
Your employee might make the effort and get the expected result, but if they don’t believe that result is instrumental in getting the reward, they won’t be motivated. The outcome isn’t achieved and your employee remains dissatisfied.
However, the reward might not always be what the employee initially expected.
For example, if they learn new skills whilst trying to earn a promotion but aren’t rewarded with the position they want, they’ll still have those skills. This might result in future promotion or recruitment for a more senior role at another company.
How can managers help employees understand that results are instrumental in getting satisfactory outcomes?
- Be clear about what the reward is and how to achieve it
- Give staff an outcome they value so they can trust that their effort matters
- Be transparent about how rewards are allocated
— https://www.tsw.co.uk/blog/leadership-and-management/vrooms-expectancy-theory
Valence (V)
Reward is desirable.
How much they value the rewards associated with the specific results or behaviours.
Valence is how much the outcome is valued. The more an employee values a reward, the more satisfied they’ll be with their efforts.
A reward doesn’t need to be grand—it just needs to be meaningful to the employee, whether that’s a bonus, extra time off, or simply recognition.
Valence can be categorised as:
- -1 Avoiding the outcome/reward
- 0 Apathetic about the outcome/reward
- +1 Desiring the outcome/reward
Valence can only be motivating if the employee would prefer having the outcome to not having it.
If an employee makes the effort, gets the expected result, and believes that result is instrumental in achieving the outcome, but the reward’s value doesn’t appeal to them—if they aren’t satisfied with the outcome—the employee won’t be motivated.
It’s important to make clear to your employee that their effort will have a satisfying outcome or reward that they value. This establishes trust and enables the rest of the motivation chain to succeed.
— https://www.tsw.co.uk/blog/leadership-and-management/vrooms-expectancy-theory
The Equation of Vroom’s Expectancy Theory
If any of , or are zero, the equation fails, indicating that motivation is low or non-existent.
Example
For example, a manager tasks their employee with producing an advertising campaign, which would earn them a desired bonus as reward (Valence).
According to Vroom’s Expectancy Theory, the employee must believe the task is achievable for them to put effort into it. If the task is doable, the employee will be keen to perform well in anticipation of the bonus (Expectancy).
The employee must also believe that their effort will achieve the desired outcome (Instrumentality), so the organisation must deliver on promised outcomes.
Fortunately, our example organisation bestows rewards regularly, so due to the employee’s trust and hard work, the advertising campaign is engaging and performs well. The employee earns that satisfying bonus—and rightly so!
— https://www.tsw.co.uk/blog/leadership-and-management/vrooms-expectancy-theory