Supervisory Test Supervisory Employee Motivation and Engagement 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, which level must be satisfied before an employee can focus on belonging and teamwork?
- Esteem needs
- Self-actualization
- Safety and physiological needs (Correct answer)
- Cognitive needs
Correct answer: Safety and physiological needs
Safety and physiological needs are foundational; employees cannot focus on social belonging until basic needs are met.
Question 2: A long-tenured employee appears disengaged but performs adequately. What should a supervisor do?
- Ignore it since their performance meets the minimum bar
- Assign extra workload to keep them busy
- Schedule a one-on-one to explore career interests and new challenges (Correct answer)
- Issue a performance warning immediately
Correct answer: Schedule a one-on-one to explore career interests and new challenges
Exploring career interests and offering new challenges can re-engage experienced employees who have outgrown routine tasks.
Question 3: Which of the following is an example of intrinsic motivation for an employee?
- Receiving a pay raise
- Earning a performance bonus
- Feeling personal pride in mastering a new skill (Correct answer)
- Getting a preferred parking spot
Correct answer: Feeling personal pride in mastering a new skill
Intrinsic motivation comes from internal satisfaction such as pride, curiosity, or sense of purpose — not external rewards.
Question 4: A supervisor notices one employee always volunteers for extra projects while another avoids them. What is the most likely explanation?
- The volunteering employee has more free time
- Individual employees are motivated by different factors (Correct answer)
- The second employee is planning to resign
- Extra projects are always assigned unfairly
Correct answer: Individual employees are motivated by different factors
People are motivated by different needs and values; supervisors must identify what drives each individual employee.
Question 5: In Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory, which element is considered a 'motivator' that increases job satisfaction?
- Company policy
- Job security
- Achievement and recognition (Correct answer)
- Working conditions
Correct answer: Achievement and recognition
Herzberg's motivators — such as achievement, recognition, and responsibility — increase satisfaction and drive performance.
Question 6: A supervisor publicly recognizes an employee who dislikes the spotlight. What is likely to happen?
- The employee's motivation will increase significantly
- Other employees will feel jealous
- The recognition may embarrass the employee and reduce motivation (Correct answer)
- Nothing will change
Correct answer: The recognition may embarrass the employee and reduce motivation
Recognition must match individual preferences; public praise can backfire for introverted employees who prefer private acknowledgment.
Supervisory Test Supervisory Employee Motivation and Engagement 1
According to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, which level must be satisfied before an employee can focus on belonging and teamwork?