Motivation is an extremely important factor within a workplace. Motivation levels amongst staff can have a significant impact on an business and can be key to a business being a success or a failure. "Motivation is the art of getting people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it.
" Dwight D. Eisenhower In simple terms motivation is what causes us to act. Motivation is the process which begins, guides and sustains goal-orientated behaviours. It is the desire and willingness to do something and the biological, emotional, social and cognitive forces that activate behaviour towards achieving a goal.
Motivation is the term used to describe why a person does something i. e. a person eats because they are motivated by hunger. Motivation is what arouses someone's interest, directs their performance and sets the amount of energy that a person puts into achieving their goal.
There are a number of factors which can affect motivation levels in the workplace such as: the relationships between co-workers; stress levels; recognition and praise; alignment of goals; and standards set. Recognition and praise from senior staff and management for the work an employee does demonstrates to the employee that they are appreciated.This can result in increased motivation to perform to high standards and a feeling of duty towards a company. A lack of recognition for good work can dramatically reduce motivation as staff feel undervalued and unappreciated, a person may work hard for an employer who does not appreciate them. Praise and recognition provides the incentive to work hard and achieve goals.
Other incentives in a workplace can include the chance to learn and gain qualifications, promotions, and often increased salaries. However, it would be foolish to believe that money is always the most important factor in employee motivation.When a business is staffed with employees who have good relationships with each other this can help towards a working environment which is relaxed and friendly with reduced stress levels. Poor working relationships with colleagues can reduce a person's desire to go to work, regardless of any financial incentive, and can lead to poor performance in tasks when at work. Poor working relationships can also increase stress levels amongst all employees, the increased stress at work further reduces a person's motivation.
A company must carefully consider the culture, environment and conflict management in a workplace so that it is conducive towards a motivated workforce. Motivation of staff is difficult to achieve without an understanding of the individual differences between employees. An understanding of employees personalities is therefore key to successful motivation of staff within the workplace as it enables you to better judge what motivates individual employees be it money, achievement, security or growth. A person is shaped by their experiences in life which shape their personalities and subsequently their goals and drives.Motivation levels can therefore be affected by the individual personalities within a team.
Once you have gained an understanding of an individual's personality and needs it is then possible to motivate them with a reward which suits their goals. For example, if a person's goal is success their levels of motivation may alter if there are no opportunities to progress within a company. Equally if a person has no interest in promotion but simply strives to fulfil their role to the highest standard they may be motivated by praise and acknowledgement of the part they play in a team.Within Work we employ a number of staff who desire a career in the Leisure industry, the opportunities offered to these staff to gain Leisure qualifications are usually good motivation as they can gain additional experience and standing within the company ultimately working towards career progression. However, a large majority of Work employees are temporary contracts who only see their time at Work as an opportunity to earn a wage whilst they go to University.
It can be difficult to motivate these staff members with the offer of training.It is more likely that acknowledgement of a good job through the offer of more hours, thus resulting in a financial gain, will be more of a motivator for these team members. Failure to notice individual differences in staff members and attempting to motivate them with things that are not important to their personal needs can have a significant detrimental impact on motivation levels within a company. It can lead to job dissatisfaction, stress and boredom which can spread to all employees in the working environment. Low motivation levels in a workforce can have a catastrophic effect on a company's performance.A lack of motivation can result in changes in the relationships team members have with each other, but also significantly the relationship they have with senior staff members.
These changes in relationships can result in increased stress levels and increased conflict in a team. This change in the social environment can manifest itself in low productivity, poor attendance and sickness records and high staff turnaround. All of which can be costly to a company as they affect customer satisfaction levels and ultimately revenue. This is particularly prevalent in a company such as Work where there is a high level of staff and customer contact.There are many theories of motivation which can be applied in the workplace to help improve performance. Once such theory is that of David McClelland's Learned Needs Theory.
Building on the work of Abraham Maslow who identified humans basic needs including physiological needs, safety needs, the need for belonging, self-esteem, and self-actualization. McClelland identified three motivators in people which are learned these are achievement, affiliation and power. These motivators are present regardless of age, gender or culture.Of the three one motivator will be the dominant motivator which is largely dependent on the individuals life experiences. A individuals characteristics will differ depending on which motivator is the dominant one. Those whose lead motivator is achievement will have a strong need to set and accomplish goals which are challenging.
They often work alone and will take calculated risks to achieve a goal and appreciate regular feedback. When affiliation is the lead motivator people strive to belong to a group and want to be liked. They favour collaboration over competition and will often go along with what the rest of a group wants.They do not take risks and dislike uncertainty. Finally when power is the dominate motivator people seek control and influence over others. They like to win in arguments and enjoy competition always seeking to improve their status and the recognition they receive.
Using McClelland's theory to identify your team members individual dominant motivators you can inform how you set goals, provide feeback, motivate and reward your employees. Adapting your leadership style and assigning work according to a person's personality and dominant motivators will ensure they remain motivated, happy and engaged in their work.This theory of motivation enables you to set goals and reward employees in ways which meet their desire. If a person seeks power you can motivate them to work through the opportunity to take greater control at a task should they achieve the required standard. This not only improves workplace performance whilst carrying out the task but it also demonstrates your willingness as a manager to let the team member take ownership of the task. Motivating those who have a dominate power motivator is nurturing the future managers of the company and is securing a replacement workforce.
Knowledge of affiliation as a motivator enables managers to organise teams to ensure that they are made up of staff members who will work hard together whilst ensuring the team is not solely made up of people who will go with the flow. When rewarding a person who seeks affiliation you can tailor the reward to ensure they continue to feel part of the team. For example it is likely they would not want to be identified and to stand out from the group through public praising, preferring private acknowledgement of their achievements.Identification of achievement as a key motivator in a team member informs you as a manager that the individual likes challenges, and needs to be challenged in their work to remain interested.
They are good problem solvers and managers can allocate tasks accordingly. When organising teams to tackle a project or staff members for different shifts in a workplace the inclusion of employees according to their motivators can help you to achieve a balanced harmonious team who work together resulting in increased performance, improved customer satisfaction and happy employees.The morale in a workplace can increase when all employees are content in their work and are striving towards goals and rewards which are important to them. Knowledge of motivation theories helps a manager to recognise all the factors which play a part in an employee's performance and what motivates them to work to the best of their abilities. Establishing an employee's motivators is key to their success in the company, and the company's success as a whole. If a company cannot motivate its staff it will not thrive.
Employee engagement can be defined as the emotional connection an employee has for their company which influences their behaviours and level of effort at work. It is acknowledged that the more engagement a team member has with management and the company the more they will put into their work. Employee engagement can be used as a tool to: motivate and enthuse team members; address business change; develop future talent among staff; strengthen communication; and, improve staff loyalty and the business brand.Team building events can be used for large scale employee engagement to discuss business goals, find solutions to any issues, participate in fun activities and boost morale. It is important to ensure the event is stimulating for the team members and to encourage active involvement whilst giving employees the chance to learn something new. Feedback must be sought to determine if the goals of the event have been met and the level of staff motivation.
Following team building events employees can have increased motivation to achieve goals which can then be maintained and enhanced through further employee engagement.Employee engagement should be maintained throughout the year this can be done through the implementation of team meetings and one-to-ones to keep lines of communication open. Employee engagement is fundamentally about recognising staff abilities, valuing staff input and building relationships. If a company has high levels of successful employee engagement its staff are committed, they will give their all for the success of the company leading to increased customer satisfaction and revenue, decreased turnover and increase innovation.
