Why Motivation Matters
Perhaps no human attitude is more important and less understood than motivation. It is the driving force behind human action; the spark that lights all human endeavor. In the workplace, motivation impacts productivity, engagement and retention. Managers who successfully tap into their employees’ motivation enjoy higher levels of achievement and satisfaction in the work they oversee.
In this blog, we will discuss the following:
- The role of motivation in the workplace
- Key drivers of employee motivation
- Practical management strategies to boost motivation
- Measuring and sustaining employee motivation
The Role of Employee Motivation
Motivation is the drive and inspiration that causes people to act. In a workplace context, motivation takes many forms, including enthusiasm, concentration and perseverance at work tasks and a conscientious and positive attitude toward the job.
Motivation is considered a combination of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Intrinsic factors like interest in the work, personal growth and achievement inspire employees to do their best work. Extrinsic factors like compensation and recognition reinforce and support intrinsic motivation to spur employees to higher levels of performance.
Many experts have studied motivation and developed theories to explain it. Among the most influential are Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, and Self-Determination Theory. Abraham Maslow’s famous pyramid showed how basic survival and safety needs form the foundation for higher-level needs like community, personal accomplishment and self-actualization. These latter needs are often associated with our working lives.
Frederick Herzberg’s two-factor theory of work motivation focused on hygiene (work environment) and motivators (intrinsic satisfaction). According to Herzberg, improving hygiene factors helps eliminate dissatisfaction, but true motivation comes from enhancing motivators. That’s because he believed that motivation is an internal attitude that humans can only control within themselves. Managers can improve working conditions and compensation (hygiene), but if employees do not derive any personal satisfaction from their work, they will never exhibit high motivation. This suggests that employees should be carefully selected for job positions based on the likelihood that they find the work satisfying in some way.
Finally, self-determination theory (SDT), developed by Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, highlights the importance of fulfilling three basic psychological needs for personal growth and well-being:
- Autonomy
- Competence
- Relatedness
SDT asserts that when people feel they are in control doing something they are good at in the company of like-minded people, they are motivated to do their best. This theory relies on intrinsic self-motivation to achieve organizational results. It has been applied in professional settings where employees share a common commitment to achieving an important mission, such as schools, research labs and hospitals.
Key Drivers of Employee Motivation
Even though motivation is an internal attitude, managers can improve working conditions and tap into intrinsic motivators to provide additional impetus for work performance that goes beyond ordinary. Among the proven factors that influence work motivation are:
- Recognition and appreciation
Look for opportunities to show appreciation for the accomplishments of employees. This can take many forms, both public and private. Find out how employees want to be appreciated. - Career growth and development
Provide opportunities for advancement, including training, mentoring and job rotation. When employees see a better future with an organization, they are likely to stay and pursue it. - Work-life balance
Accommodate family needs with those of the business. Provide family-friendly policies like paid leave and flexible work schedules, including remote work where feasible. - Positive company culture and work environment
Promote a positive, can-do work environment free of hostility where employees feel safe and able to pursue their dreams while contributing to the overall mission. Emphasize teamwork and accountability. - Competitive compensation and benefits
Provide competitive salary and benefits based on job market conditions and add extras that employees value. Monitor which fringe benefits are used most frequently and ask employees what other benefits they would value.
Management Strategies to Boost Motivation
While managers cannot force employees to become motivated, they can take a variety of actions to support intrinsic motivation and magnify its effects. Here are some of the most powerful ways managers can build greater motivation among their work groups:
- Set clear goals and expectations
Employees need role clarity and specific objectives to guide their behavior. Objectives should be updated regularly to reflect changes in the business.
- Provide regular feedback and communication
Let employees know how they are doing through both constructive criticism when they make mistakes and recognition when they do well. Go beyond typical annual performance reviews to achieve higher levels of performance. - Encourage autonomy and empowerment
Show trust in employees by delegating responsibilities to them, gradually increasing autonomy as employees demonstrate the capacity for self-directed work. Let employees decide how to get the job done and encourage them to come to management only when they need guidance and support. - Foster a positive team culture
Encourage collaboration through team building and group activities. Make decisions through consensus and let everyone’s opinions be heard. Celebrate success and share the credit so everyone feels empowered to give their best effort in support of the team. - Support professional development
Provide career pathways through mentorship, job rotation, internal training programs and continuing education. Be a champion for employees and their advancement.
Measuring and Sustaining Employee Motivation
To determine how well the organization and its management are supporting employee motivation, leading organizations use feedback tools like surveys and complaint forms to assess motivation levels. Annual job satisfaction surveys establish a baseline and allow for trend analysis over time. An active and well-defined complaint process can identify issues early on and allow an expedited response.
Leading organizations go beyond monitoring engagement by searching for connections to key performance indicators (KPIs). KPIs associated with work motivation can vary, but, they measure factors that reflect employee engagement, satisfaction, and productivity. Here are some common KPIs used to directly assess work motivation:
- Productivity Metrics: Output per employee or team relative to goals and deadlines.
- Quality of Work: Fewer errors, higher standards, and innovative contributions indicate intrinsic
- Net Promoter Score (NPS): Employees’ likelihood to recommend the organization as a great place to work.
Additionally, organizations can track indirect measures of work motivation through metrics like:
- Turnover and Retention Rates: High retention and low turnover indicate motivated employees who don’t want to leave.
- Absenteeism: Low absenteeism rates suggest that employees feel motivated to show up and contribute every day. It also reflects efforts to provide a healthy work environment.
- Training Participation Rates: High engagement in learning opportunities reflects intrinsic motivation for growth and advancement.
- Recognition and Reward Usage: Measuring the ways employees are recognized for their achievements shows how this important component of motivation is being utilized.
Adjusting Strategies Based on Employee Needs
To ensure that employee engagement remains high, create a long-term motivation plan that can be embedded in the organization’s strategic plan. Decide on future targets for compensation, benefits, and working conditions based on the nature of the workforce. For example, a new company that starts out with a young workforce will find that as their workforce ages, they will prioritize different kinds of benefits and working conditions. Successful organizations adapt to a changing workforce and a dynamic job market.
Conclusion: Managers Have a Key Role
As we have seen, motivation, like its companion love, is a many-splendored thing. When properly engaged and applied, it gets the job done, inspires innovation and conjures the best of ourselves. Managers play an important role in fostering and nurturing employee motivation. One of the main factors driving employees to quit is dissatisfaction with their immediate supervisor. When this key relationship sours, employees often feel they have no other choice but to seek opportunities elsewhere.
Beyond employee relations, managers can create a positive, team-based work environment where everyone has an opportunity to contribute the best of themselves in pursuit of common goals and everyone receives the recognition and rewards they deserve.
