Class Discussion/Topic. Dynamics of Workplace

Yes. In class today I expressed how my manager motivates us by having morning meetings with a quick exercise. She also sets goals on your unit and provides us with incentives such as movie tickets, incentive pay, or caught in the act (and internal system we use at work to acknowledge employees that go above and beyond).

I work on a demanding floor at my facility! My manager rocks.

If I could get various stories from others to add to my discussion that would be great! All managers and staff work differently and have various ways of motivation. I recently watched Nurse Jackie for the first time & I could point out quite a few points from there...along with other tv shows.

Motivation is a very interesting phenomenon. I would suggest that you do a bit of reading on motivation theory prior to 'interviewing' anyone. I recommend taking a look at information on Vroom's Expectancy Theory. It provides a very nice framework for explaining why people may react differently to exactly the same situation. You also need to be able to differentiate between internal and external incentives in terms of why these may be perceived differently - or even negatively by some people. Alfie Kohn's book "Punished by Rewards" explains why this happens.

There is a LOT of information out there... it is one of the foundations of social psychology. So, it is extremely unlikely that you're going to discover anything new. A scholarly approach would be to see if your interview information is similar to the established data.

True. But it sets a foundation for those that don't actually experience it.

True. But it sets a foundation for those that don't actually experience it.

An unrealistic foundation. Most TV shows are way off base. For instance, Nurse Jackie works in a NYC ER. But the mood/pace/atmosphere is that of a doctor's office. Just not real.

Incentives like tickets are a good thing, but not allowed in many settings.

The best motivation is a well staffed unit with realistic ratios, a manager that will hit the floor and help if needed, and a livable wage.