How did Scientific Management address the issue of worker motivation?

Scientific Management, developed by Frederick Winslow Taylor, aimed to improve economic efficiency and labor productivity through systematic studies. One of the key aspects of this theory was its approach to worker motivation, which focused heavily on financial incentives.

By emphasizing performance pay and financial rewards, Scientific Management sought to create a direct correlation between the amount of work completed and the compensation received. This approach was based on the belief that monetary rewards would motivate workers to increase their productivity, as they would have a tangible incentive to perform better.

Taylor's premise was that if workers knew they could earn more by working harder and more efficiently, they would naturally be driven to optimize their performance. In this way, financial incentives were regarded as the primary tool for motivating employees, which was a significant departure from previous management styles that may have relied more on job security or personal satisfaction as motivational factors.

This strategy differentiated itself from alternative methods that focused on social recognition or community building within the workplace, as these did not tie motivation directly to productivity in such a measurable way. Consequently, the emphasis on performance pay and financial incentives is seen as the cornerstone of how Scientific Management addressed worker motivation.