Question: Description of topic: Engaging and motivating employees is at the centre of Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) practices. It is therefore important to identify the organisational practices that can be used to foster the cognitive, emotional and behavioural qualities that will positively impact on employees and enhance their motivation.

Directions: To understand what motivates people to work is essential to this assignment. The focus of the assignment is to identify the motivational theories, the characteristics of a positive work environment and the HR practices that positively influence affective processes (e.g. motivation, commitment, job satisfaction, wellbeing) and behavioural processes (e.g. effort, reduced turnover and absenteeism).

Assignment information: To complete this assignment successfully students are required to:

- Identify the key motivational theories and discuss which of the theories strongly influences employees' affective processes and behavioural processes.

- Describe the characteristics of a positive work environment and discuss how HR designs jobs to motivate employees.

- Discuss the synthesis of Hackman and Oldham's (1976) job characteristics and employees' psychological states in relation to work outcomes, such as intrinsic work motivation, job satisfaction, and high quality work performance.

- Discuss the possible relationship between Maslow's general components and job characteristics in view of engaging and motivating employees in organisations.

- Use appropriate theories to support your arguments. Your assignment must be in essay format. However, some headings are acceptable. The assignment should be supported by ten (10) to fifteen (15) credible references.