The job of a manager in the workplace is to get things done through employees. To do this, the manager should be able to motivate employees. But that's easier said than done! Motivation practice and theory are difficult subjects, touching on several disciplines.
In spite of enormous research, both basic and applied, the subject of motivation is not clearly understood and more often than not poorly practiced. To understand motivation, one must understand human nature itself. And there lies the problem!
Human nature can be very simple, yet very complex too. An understanding and appreciation of this is a prerequisite for effective employee motivation in the workplace and therefore effective management and leadership.
There is an old saying: you can take a horse to the water, but you cannot force it to drink; it will drink only if it's thirsty - so with people. They will do what they want to do or are otherwise motivated to do. Whether it is to excel on the workshop floor or in the 'ivory tower,' they must be motivated or driven to it, either by themselves or through external stimulus.
Are they born with the self-motivation or drive? Yes and no. If not, they can be motivated, for motivation is a skill that can and must be learned. This is essential for any business to survive and succeed.
Performance is considered to be a function of ability and motivation, thus:
- Job performance = f(ability)(motivation)
Ability, in turn, depends on education, experience, and training, and its improvement is a slow and long process. On the other hand, motivation can be improved quickly. There are many options, and an uninitiated manager may not even know where to start. As a guideline, there are broadly seven strategies for motivation:
- Positive reinforcement / high expectations
- Effective discipline and punishment
- Treating people fairly
- Satisfying employees' needs
- Setting work-related goals
- Restructuring jobs
- Base rewards on job performance
These are the basic strategies, though the mix in the final 'recipe' will vary from workplace situation to situation. Essentially, there is a gap between an individual's actual state and some desired state, and the manager tries to reduce this gap.
Motivation is, in effect, a means to reduce and manipulate this gap. It is inducing others in a specific way towards goals specifically stated by the motivator. Naturally, these goals as well as the motivation system must conform to the corporate policy of the organization. The motivational system must be tailored to the situation and to the organization.
In one of the most elaborate studies on employee motivation, involving 31,000 men and 13,000 women, the Minneapolis Gas Company sought to determine what their potential employees desire most from a job. This study was carried out during a 20-year period from 1945 to 1965 and was quite revealing. The ratings for the various factors differed only slightly between men and women, but both groups considered security as the highest rated factor. The next three factors were:
- Advancement
- Type of work
- Company - proud to work for
Surprisingly, factors such as pay, benefits, and working conditions were given a low rating by both groups. So after all, and contrary to common belief, money is not the prime motivator. (Though this should not be regarded as a signal to reward employees poorly or unfairly.)
From India, Gurgaon
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672In spite of enormous research, both basic and applied, the subject of motivation is not clearly understood and more often than not poorly practiced. To understand motivation, one must understand human nature itself. And there lies the problem!
Human nature can be very simple, yet very complex too. An understanding and appreciation of this is a prerequisite for effective employee motivation in the workplace and therefore effective management and leadership.
There is an old saying: you can take a horse to the water, but you cannot force it to drink; it will drink only if it's thirsty - so with people. They will do what they want to do or are otherwise motivated to do. Whether it is to excel on the workshop floor or in the 'ivory tower,' they must be motivated or driven to it, either by themselves or through external stimulus.
Are they born with the self-motivation or drive? Yes and no. If not, they can be motivated, for motivation is a skill that can and must be learned. This is essential for any business to survive and succeed.
Performance is considered to be a function of ability and motivation, thus:
- Job performance = f(ability)(motivation)
Ability, in turn, depends on education, experience, and training, and its improvement is a slow and long process. On the other hand, motivation can be improved quickly. There are many options, and an uninitiated manager may not even know where to start. As a guideline, there are broadly seven strategies for motivation:
- Positive reinforcement / high expectations
- Effective discipline and punishment
- Treating people fairly
- Satisfying employees' needs
- Setting work-related goals
- Restructuring jobs
- Base rewards on job performance
These are the basic strategies, though the mix in the final 'recipe' will vary from workplace situation to situation. Essentially, there is a gap between an individual's actual state and some desired state, and the manager tries to reduce this gap.
Motivation is, in effect, a means to reduce and manipulate this gap. It is inducing others in a specific way towards goals specifically stated by the motivator. Naturally, these goals as well as the motivation system must conform to the corporate policy of the organization. The motivational system must be tailored to the situation and to the organization.
In one of the most elaborate studies on employee motivation, involving 31,000 men and 13,000 women, the Minneapolis Gas Company sought to determine what their potential employees desire most from a job. This study was carried out during a 20-year period from 1945 to 1965 and was quite revealing. The ratings for the various factors differed only slightly between men and women, but both groups considered security as the highest rated factor. The next three factors were:
- Advancement
- Type of work
- Company - proud to work for
Surprisingly, factors such as pay, benefits, and working conditions were given a low rating by both groups. So after all, and contrary to common belief, money is not the prime motivator. (Though this should not be regarded as a signal to reward employees poorly or unfairly.)
From India, Gurgaon
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May I build upon what my good e-friend Gautam just said?
He is 100% on track when he talks of building organizational parameters around people, rather than slotting them in. The key question is - which people? Building them around the workforce is necessary but just not sufficient.
Once you expand your heart, and your organizational boundaries too, to include people in a range of roles: - Suppliers, Customers, Competitors. People get woven into a magic net of myriad relationships which bind people inextricably together. Support them in their hour of need, pat them when they have done well, and kick them if they haven't. All in a very matter of fact manner with no reference to role-relationships. Humdrum reality gets suspended, creating an all-new magical world where the magnificent spirit of "Vasudeiv Kutambalam" blossoms in its truest form, transforming people into karmayogis and the organization into a winning team on the Kurukshetra where it stands poised to break the chains of the past in its attempt to create a new world of peace, pleasure, plenty, and piety. For this is its true meaning and destiny.
Rahul Bhimjiani
From India, New Delhi
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He is 100% on track when he talks of building organizational parameters around people, rather than slotting them in. The key question is - which people? Building them around the workforce is necessary but just not sufficient.
Once you expand your heart, and your organizational boundaries too, to include people in a range of roles: - Suppliers, Customers, Competitors. People get woven into a magic net of myriad relationships which bind people inextricably together. Support them in their hour of need, pat them when they have done well, and kick them if they haven't. All in a very matter of fact manner with no reference to role-relationships. Humdrum reality gets suspended, creating an all-new magical world where the magnificent spirit of "Vasudeiv Kutambalam" blossoms in its truest form, transforming people into karmayogis and the organization into a winning team on the Kurukshetra where it stands poised to break the chains of the past in its attempt to create a new world of peace, pleasure, plenty, and piety. For this is its true meaning and destiny.
Rahul Bhimjiani
From India, New Delhi
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Dear Colleagues,
I wish to add my voice to the issue of employee motivation in the workplace.
From a radical point of view, money does not motivate, especially a demotivated staff.
However, I would like to highlight some forward-looking ideas and postulations:
* Get employees involved in decision-making, especially when it affects them directly.
* Allow internal migration for employees who can cross departments, e.g., accounts to marketing.
* Encourage superior-level delegation of assignments, e.g., staffers could represent the establishment at a high level - Government Regulatory Forum, Industry Association, etc.
* Include them in committees for the purpose of blueprint preparation, brainstorming, etc.
* Deliberately engage employees in jobs they have a flair for, even if outside their core area.
* Company management should strive to create an environment where employees can be expressive intellectually and emotionally.
* Additionally, consider geographical relocation for employees if it would motivate them, especially the adventurous ones.
We can continue to explore avenues that do not solely rely on monetary incentives. Giving more money to a demotivated employee may only result in another angry but wealthier employee, without achieving real motivation.
Cheers and goodbye for now.
Afolabi Ajayi
From Nigeria, Lagos
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I wish to add my voice to the issue of employee motivation in the workplace.
From a radical point of view, money does not motivate, especially a demotivated staff.
However, I would like to highlight some forward-looking ideas and postulations:
* Get employees involved in decision-making, especially when it affects them directly.
* Allow internal migration for employees who can cross departments, e.g., accounts to marketing.
* Encourage superior-level delegation of assignments, e.g., staffers could represent the establishment at a high level - Government Regulatory Forum, Industry Association, etc.
* Include them in committees for the purpose of blueprint preparation, brainstorming, etc.
* Deliberately engage employees in jobs they have a flair for, even if outside their core area.
* Company management should strive to create an environment where employees can be expressive intellectually and emotionally.
* Additionally, consider geographical relocation for employees if it would motivate them, especially the adventurous ones.
We can continue to explore avenues that do not solely rely on monetary incentives. Giving more money to a demotivated employee may only result in another angry but wealthier employee, without achieving real motivation.
Cheers and goodbye for now.
Afolabi Ajayi
From Nigeria, Lagos
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Employee motivation is essential to the success of any company, big or small. In the modern workplace, human resources are valued above all others. Motivated employees are productive, happy, and committed. The spin-off of this includes reduced employee turnover, results-driven employees, company loyalty, and workplace harmony.
From Vietnam, Bac Ninh
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From Vietnam, Bac Ninh
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Employee Motivation.ppt
Improving Employee Performance Through Workplace Coaching.pdf