GUEST BLOG WHY EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION SHOULD BE YOUR FIRST CONCERN!

Guest Blog: Why employee motivation should be your first concern!

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Employee Motivation

Motivation as a term is derived from the Latin word “movere” which means movement. It relates to the factor that affects someone’s behavior. Employee motivation is seen as the level of commitment, energy, and creativity that an employee brings to the organization or job. All these are related to the question on what will make an individual to take or not to take action. Different practitioners and theories have often stated different factors such as incentives or employees’ participation as factors that will motivate them.

Factors, that motivate, differ within individuals due to their level of engagement and general outlook to life. Motivation is embedded with the following characteristics and functions.

  1. It drives people’s action
  2. It gives meaning to one’s action
  3. It helps to activate action
  4. It also sustains one’s action.

Importance of motivation

Motivation in the workplace has been seen as one of the most important action a company can take if it wants to raise a committed workforce. Lack of commitment in any company will surely spell doom for the company. Motivation plays a vital role in improving an employee’s performance and organizational survival. With a motivated workforce, a business can be taken to the next level. Some of the importance of motivation in the workplace include

  1. The employees are fully satisfied and willing to put all for the organization
  2. There is a positive environment in the workplace
  3. Employees are happy to work
  4. There is an increase in customer satisfaction
  5. Increase in innovation and productivity

What really motivates?

Most experts on motivation have tried to give us a better understanding of what really motivates and drives employees. Motivation is driven by some factors such as

  1. The drive to acquire (Physiological needs)
  2. The drive to defend (Survival needs)
  3. The drive to bond (Social need)
  4. The drive to learn (Esteem need)

These motivators are essential for every organization to holistically understand the importance of drives in order to lead its employees’ behavior positively. It will also enable the organization to set out working policies, organizational systems, practiced, culture and procedures that will appeal to everyone and drive each motivating factor.

Another expert highlighted some other factors that drive motivation as

  1. Status
  2. Certainty
  3. Autonomy
  4. Relatedness
  5. Fairness

This framework known as the SCARF model combines neuroscience with motivational theory.

Tools for motivation

Motivation can come in different ways as rightly posited above. Getting an employee fully motivated depends on understanding what the employee needs since two employees working in the same unit can have different motivators. Here are some methods of motivation

  1. Financial Incentive

Money remains the bedrock of most motivation. A hungry man can be equated to an angry man. Money is a good motivator for an employee when it is tied to an employee’s accomplishment. Also, profit sharing is also a good way to motivate employees to produce quality products and services.

  1. Work-life balance

Lack of good work-life balance can affect the way people view work. Many employees in America now work for long hours. This tends to affect life away from the office, family and other relationship. Most companies that have introduced teleworking, flex-working and telecommuting for their employees tend to witness some growth in their productivity and level of motivation.

 

  1. Attention to other motivation systems

Companies should pay close attention to other motivation systems such as proper management of employees’ by implementing time and attendance solutions. Lack of this could lead to absenteeism, lateness to work and other deviant behavior, that brings to low productivity in the workplace. Employees that come to work early should be praised and rewarded while others should be punished. This act will help to reinforce good behavior among the workers.

  1. Other Incentives

Other motivators that have been proven to enhance employee’s performance include recognition, promotion of a participatory environment, responsibility, autonomy, sincere praise, time off from work and others can be more effective than monetary rewards.

Consequences of No Employee Motivation

When employees are not fully motivated, they are wasting their time in the office, punches the clock and so eager to leave the office at the dot of the clock. Lack of motivation leads to high labor turnover less productivity and reduce customer satisfaction. Other consequences of low employees’ motivation include

  1. Inability to overcome difficulties in the workplace
  2. Easily distracted from the work at hand
  3. Low team spirit
  4. Apathy to job
  5. Unwilling to take on any additional responsibility
  6. Poor Customer Service

Strategies for motivation employees in an organization

There are a number of strategies for the motivation of employees in an organization. The following strategies should be taken in strengthening employee’s engagement and empowerment in the organization

  1. Communicate effectively
  2. Focus on employees’ strengths over weakness
  3. Base performance appraisal on clear goals
  4. Accommodate employees’ uniqueness while aiming toward high performance
  5. Make work meaningful by focusing on leadership, performance management, and coaching.
  6. Simplify the work environment to “help reduce the burden of work-life balance and time management”.

About the Author: Meggie 

Meggie is a writer, social media and content marketing manager. She has been interested in marketing and management since she was young and wants to share her creative ideas and unusual approach to marketing with others. Meggie is deeply convinced that marketing is everything and it’s a crucial part of our lives. On a regular basis, she delivers various concepts on how to market products, services and events, how to manage employees and many more