Common Assumptions about Motivation:

i) It is generally said that it is the subordinates or non-supervisory staff in an organisation who required being motivated. Actually, however, is that everyone in an organisation requires being motivated; first the supervisory and managerial staff requires it so in which they will be able to motivate their subordinates.

ii) Motivation and higher productivity go together. This might be true through and large, but individual motivation at the workplace or group motivation as in the case of trade unions might not have such a correlation with productivity.

iii) All motivational techniques are designed and applied through the personnel, and managers and other line executives, who directly control and take work from those under them. In fact, the latter are more concerned as it is their primary function to see the persons under them work most professionally. As they are in closer touch with their workers, they can understand their problems better and also know their needs. If essential, they can take the advice of the personnel or industrial psychologist or any other consultant.

Standard theories of motivation developed through psychologists will also apply to the industrial situation along with varying degrees of dependability.