Note: ---This Project is made with the help of internet, management books & an internet file uploads by
visitors. This is not linked with any organization. The information mention on the project taken from the
company website or other feeds on internet. This project will help the students to make their
assignments and projects. (www.projects99.com)
Introduction
In the organizational setting the word “Motivation” is used to describe the drive that impels an
individual to work. A truly motivated person is one who “wants” to work .Both employees and
employers are interested in understanding motivation if employees know what strengthens and what
weakens their motivation, they can often perform more effectively to find more satisfaction in their job.
Employers want to know what motivates their employees so that they can get them to work harder.
When people speak of motivation or ask about the motives of person, they are really asking “Why” the
person acts, or why the person acts the way he does .The concept of motivation implies that people
choose the path of action they follow.
When behavioral scientists use the word motivation, they think of its something steaming from within
the person technically, the term motivation has its origin in the Latin word “mover” which means “to
move”. Thus the word motivation stands for movement. One can get a donkey to move by using a carrot
or a stick; with people one can use incentives, or threats or reprimands. However, these only have a
limited effect. These work for a while and then need to be repeated, increased or reinforced to secure
further movement.
If a manager truly understands his subordinate’s motivation, he can channel their “inner state” towards
command goals, i.e., goals, shared by both the individual and the organization. It is a well known fact
that human being have great potential but they do not use it fully , when motivation is absent
.Motivation factor are those which make people give more than a fair day’s work and that is usually only
about sixty-five percent of a person’s capacity .Obviously , every manager should be releasing hundred
percent of an individual’s to maximize performance for achieving organizational goals and at the same
to enable the individual to develop his potential and gain satisfaction. Thus every manager should have
both interest and concern about how to enable people to perform task willingly and to the best of their
ability.
At one time, employees were considered just another input into the production of goods and services.
What perhaps changed this way of thinking about employees was research, referred to as the
Hawthorne Studies, conducted by Elton Mayo from 1924 to 1932 (Dickson, 1973). This study found
employees are not motivated solely by money and employee behavior is linked to their attitudes
(Dickson, 1973). The Hawthorne Studies began the human relations approach to management, whereby
the needs and motivation of employees become the primary focus of managers (Bedeian, 1993).
Motivation Theories
Understanding what motivated employees and how they were motivated was the focus of many
researchers following the publication of the Hawthorne Study results (Terpstra, 1979). Five major
approaches that have led to our understanding of motivation are Maslow's need-hierarchy theory,
Herzberg's two- factor theory, Vroom's expectancy theory, Adams' equity theory, and Skinner's
reinforcement theory.
According to Maslow, employees have five levels of needs (Maslow, 1943): physiological, safety, social,
ego, and self- actualizing. Maslow argued that lower level needs had to be satisfied before the next
higher level need would motivate employees. Herzberg's work categorized motivation into two factors:
motivators and hygienes (Herzberg, Mausner, & Snyderman, 1959). Motivator or intrinsic factors, such
as achievement and recognition, produce job satisfaction. Hygiene or extrinsic factors, such as pay and
job security, produce job dissatisfaction.
Vroom's theory is based on the belief that employee effort will lead to performance and performance
will lead to rewards (Vroom, 1964). Rewards may be either positive or negative. The more positive the
reward the more likely the employee will be highly motivated. Conversely, the more negative the
reward the less likely the employee will be motivated.
Adams' theory states that employees strive for equity between themselves and other workers. Equity is
achieved when the ratio of employee outcomes over inputs is equal to other employee outcomes over
inputs (Adams, 1965).
Skinner's theory simply states those employees' behaviors that lead to positive outcomes will be
repeated and behaviors that lead to negative outcomes will not be repeated (Skinner, 1953). Managers
should positively reinforce employee behaviors that lead to positive outcomes. Managers should
negatively
reinforce
employee
behavior
that
leads
to
negative
outcomes.
WHAT IS MOTIVATION?
A basic principle is that the performance of an individual depends on his or her ability backed by
motivation. Stated algebraically the principle is:
Performance =f (ability × motivation)
Ability refers to the skill and competence of the person to complete a given task. However, ability alone
is not enough. The person’s desire to accomplish the task is also necessary. Organizations become
successful when employees have abilities and desire to accomplish given task.
Motivation in simple terms may be understood as the set of forces that cause people to behave in
certain ways.
6
Reassess needs deficiencies
5
Receives either rewards or punishment
4
Performs
3
Engages in goal directed behavior
2
Searches for ways to satisfy needs
1
Identifies needs
EMPLOYEE
Framework of motivation
Framework of motivation
The framework comprises six steps.
(step1) Motivation process begins with the individual’s needs. Needs are telt deprivations which the
individual experiences at a given time and act as energizers. These needs may be psychological (e.g., the
needs for recognition), physiological (e.g., the needs for water, air or foods) or social (e.g., the needs for
friendship).
(step2) Motivation is goal directed.
(step3) A goal is a specific result that the individual wants to achieve .An employee’s goal are often
driving forces and accomplishing those goals can significantly reduce needs.
(step4) Promotions and raises are two of the ways that organizations seek to maintain desirable
behavior. They are signals to employees that their needs for advancement and recognition and their
behaviors are appropriate.
(step5) Once the employee have received either rewards or punishments.
(step6) They reassess their needs.
DEFINITIONS
Some definitions on motivation:
…how behavior gets started is energized, is sustained, is directed, is stopped, and what kind of
subjective reaction is present in the organism while all this is going on’ jones, 1955).
…the term motivation refers to a process governing choices made by person or lower organisms among
alternative forms of voluntary activity”
…motivation is the result of process, internal or external to the individual that arouse enthusiasm and
persistence to pursue a certain course of action.”
…motivation is a process that starts with a physiological or psychological deficiency or need that
activates behavior or a drive that aimed at a goal or an incentive”
Obviously, the first definition covers all stages shown in the motivation model.
The Role of Motivation:
Why do we need motivated employees? The answer is survival (Smith, 1994). Motivated employees are
needed in our rapidly changing workplaces. Motivated employees help organizations survive. Motivated
employees are more productive. To be effective, managers need to understand what motivates
employees within the context of the roles they perform. Of all the functions a manager performs,
motivating employees is arguably the most complex. This is due, in part, to the fact that what motivates
employees changes constantly (Bowen & Radhakrishna, 1991). For example, research suggests that as
employees' income increases, money becomes less of a motivator (Kovach, 1987). Also, as employees
get older, interesting work becomes more of a motivator.
IMPORTANCE OF MOTIVATION:
Probably, no concept of HRM receives as much attention of academicians, researchers and practicing
manager’s motivation. The increased attention towards motivation is justified by several reasons
1. Motivated employees are always looking for better ways to do a job. This statement can apply to
corporate strategists and to production workers. It is the responsibility of managers to make employees
look for better ways of doing their jobs.
2. A motivated employee generally is more quality oriented. This is true whether we are talking about a
top manager spending extra time on data gathering and analysis for a report or a clerk taking extra care
when filing important document.
3. Highly motivated worker are more productive than apathetic worker .The high productivity of
Japanese worker and the fever worker are needed to produce an automobile in Japan than elsewhere is
well known. An appreciation of the nature of motivation is highly useful manager.
4. Every organization requires human resources in addition to financial and physical resources for it to
function .Three behavioral dimensions of HR are significant to organizations (i) people must be attracted
not only to join the organizations but also to remain it (ii) people must perform he tasks for which they
are hired and must do so in a dependable manner and (iii) people must go beyond this dependable role
per performance and engage in some form of creative, spontantaneous, and innovative behavior at
work.
5. Motivation as a concept represents a highly complex phenomenon that affects. and is affected by .a
multitude of factors in the organizational milieu .an understanding of the topic of motivation is thus
essential in order to comprehend more fully the effects of variations in other reaction as they relate to
the performance, satisfaction, and so forth .
6. Why increasing attention is paid towards motivation can be found in the present and future
technology required for production, as technology increases in complexity, machines tend to become
necessary, yet insufficient, vehicles of effective and efficient operation .Consider the example of the
highly technology-based space programmed in our country.
The polar Satellite Launch Vehicle’s (PSLV) lift-off has been the result of 12 years of developmental work,
transfer of technology to the private industry, smoothening the manufacture of components and
subsystem .complex project management, and dedicated work by literally thousands in ISRO. Industry
other national laboratories and research institutes. With this feat, India has joined the exclusive club of
half a dozen nations that can build and, more importantly, launch its own satellites.
The secret behind the success of ISRO has been its employees who are both capable of using and are
willing to use the advanced technology to reach the goals.
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to describe the importance of certain factors in motivating employees at
the Piketon Research and Extension Center and Enterprise Center. Specifically, the study sought to
describe the ranked importance of the following ten motivating factors: (a) job security, (b) sympathetic
help with personal problems, (c) personal loyalty to employees, (d) interesting work, (e) good working
conditions, (f) tactful discipline, (g) good wages, (h) promotions and growth in the organization, (i)
feeling of being in on things, and (j) full appreciation of work done. A secondary purpose of the study
was to compare the results of this study with the study results from other populations.
MOTIVATIONAL CHALLENGES
The framework of motivation indicates that motivation is a simple process. But in reality
, the task is more daunting
One reason why motivation is a difficult task is that the workforce is changing. Employees join
organizations with different needs and expectations. Their values, beliefs, background, lifestyles,
perceptions and attitudes are different. Not many organizations have understood these and not many
HR experts are clear about the ways of motivating such diverse workforce.
Motivating employees is also more challenging at a time when firms have dramatically changed the jobs
that employees perform, reduced layers of hierarchy, and jetusoned large numbers of employees in the
name of right-sizing or down-sizing .These actions have considerably damaged the level of trust and
commitment necessary for employee to put in efforts above minimum requirements some organization
have resorted to hire and fire and pay – for- performance strategies almost giving up motivational
efforts. Such strategies may have some effects (both positive and negative) but fail to make and
individual overreach him or her
Third, motives can only be inferred, but not seen. The dynamic nature of needs offend poses challenge
to any manager in motivating his or her subordinate. An employee, at any given time, has a various
needs, desire, and expectations. Employees who put in extra hours at work to fulfill their needs or
accomplishment may find that these extra hours conflict directly with needs for affiliation and their
desire to be with their families
However, there is no shortage of models, strategies, and tactics for motivating employees. As a result,
firms constantly experiment with next motivational programmed and practice.
Work Motivation
Craig Pinder “echoing the basic definition of motivation, define it as follows:
“Work motivation is a set of energetic force that originate both within as well as beyond and individuals
being, to initiate work – related behavior, and to determine its form, direction, intensity, and duration.”
While general motivation is concerned with effort towards any goal, Stephen Robbins narrow the focus
to organizational goals in order to reflect singular interest in work related behavior the effort element is
a measure of intensity. The need means some internal state that makes certain outcomes appear
attractive. And unsatisfied need creates tension that stimulates drives within the individual. This drives
general a search behavior to find particular goals, if attend, will satisfied the needs and lead to the
reduction of tension
Mechanism of motivation
Motivation is the process that starts with physiological or psychological deficiency or need that activate
behavior or a drive that is aimed at a goal or incentive.
The following diagram depicts the motivation process.
Mechanism of Motivation
Needs Drives Goal
Deprivation Deprivation Reduction
With of Drives
Direction
Thus, the key to understanding motivation lies in the meaning of, and relationship between needs,
drives and goals,
· Needs: Needs are created whenever there is a physiological or psychological imbalance For example: A
need exists when cells in the body are deprived of food and water or when the personality is deprived of
other people who serve friends or companions. Although psychological may be based on a deficiency,
sometimes they are not. For instant, and individuals with a strong need to get ahead may have a history
of consistent success
· Drives: “Drives (Or motives) are set up to alleviate needs. Psychological needs can be simply defined as
a deficiency with direction. Physiological or psychological drives are action – oriented and provide
energizing thrust towards reaching an incentive or goals. They are at the very heart of the motivational
process. The needs for food and water are translated into hunger and thrust drives, and the need for
friend becomes a drives affiliation. Thus, a drive is a psychological state which moves an individuals
satisfying a needs
· Goals: At the end of the motivational cycle is the goal or incentive. It is anything that wills that will
alleviate a need and reduce a drive. Thus, attaining a goal will tend to restore physiological or
psychological balance and will reduce or cut off the drive. Eating food, drinking water and obtaining
friends will tend to restore the balance and reduce the corresponding drives food, water and friends are
the incentive are the goals in this example
Conceptual clarification: (motives, motivation and motivating)
The terms motives, motivation and motivating which are derived from the Latin word ‘Mover’ (to move)
are important concept which have distinct connotation. In order to steer the energies of the employees
towards organizational goals accomplishment, it is essential to grasp the meaning and significance of
this concept and also to learn how to apply them intelligently
Motives: Motive is defined as a inner state that energizes, activates (Or moves) and directs (or channels)
the behavior of individuals towards certain goals the strong motives or needs are fulfill. In order to
minimize the restlessness, and keep it under control, the individual is propelled into action. Thus motive
induce individual to channel their behavior towards such type of actions as would reduce their state of
restlessness are inner disequilibrium. Thus motives can be thought of as drives that energize people to
action.
Motivation: while motives are energizers of action, motivation is the actual action that is work behavior
itself. For instance, when a employee work hard, his level of motivation may be consider as low. Thus,
the level of motivation of employee is judged by his actual work behavior
Motivating: Motivating it is the term that implies that one person induces another to engage in action or
work. Behavior by ensuring that a channel to direct the motive of the individuals become available and
accessible to the individual.
Managers play a significant role in channeling the strong motive in a direction that he satisfying to both
the organization and the employees. Additionally, managers are also responsible for awakening or
activating latent motives in individuals- that is the needs that are less strong and somewhat dormant
and harness them in a manner that would be functional for the organization.
Classification of Motives:
Primary motives are unlearned and physiologically based. Common primary motives include hunger,
thirst, sleep, avoidance of pain, sex and maternal concern .The general motives are also unlearned but
are not physiologically based. Competence, curiosity, manipulation, activity, and affection are examples
of general motives.
Secondary motives are products of learning. The needs for power, achievement, affiliation, security and
status are major motivating forces in human behavior at work. Behavioral science especially industrial.
Psychology motives is concerned with understanding an individual’s through his motives .It studies the
individual’s socio-psychological motives at great length in order to be successful in understanding why
man behaves the way he does.
Socio-psychological motives are neither inborn to him nor are they related directly to his survival .These
motives originate from the training which he acquires from different social organizations to which he
belongs. Socio-psychological motives, unlike physiological motives, are largely vary from culture to
culture .They may be divided into affiliative and egoistic motives. Affiliative motives deal with
belongingness, friendship or affection with people. Egoistic motives relate to a position over people
rather than with people. Power, status, prestige or esteem fall under egoistic motives. Sociopsychological motives include acquisitiveness, security, status, autonomy, affiliation, achievement,
dependence, aggression, power and nurturance.
The complexity of motivation:
Human motivation is highly complex. Human behavior is multi-motivational. Several motives are
simultaneously at work when the individual behaves; and several times the individual himself is unaware
of his motives. Therefore, motivational analysis if behavior is difficult. Another fact is that the same
motive may give rise to various motives may lead to the same type of behavior in different individuals.
Thus, there can be several other ways of behaving to achieve these one and all these different forms of
behavior may lead to the same amount of success by achieving the same end. The converse is also true.
Different motives may sometimes result in one form of behavior. To complicate matters further, people
often do things without being aware of the basic motive or motives involved. Giving ‘good’ reasons
rather than ‘real’ reasons for behavior is known as rationalization Ex. Sublimation, projection,
identification, and compensation are a few forms of behavior in which the real motive is unknown to the
individual.
Whether motives are consciously present or are unconscious, many of them act upon the individual
simultaneously .As a result, the individual may face conflict some of the time .An employee who wants
to tell the boss off but also wants to keep his job is in conflict. An employer who must decide whether to
sell an oversupply of a commodity at a loss or hold it a little long, is likewise in conflict.
There are various difficulties in inferring motives from behavior as we have seen thus far:
· Similar motives may be manifested through different behaviors
· Different motives may be expressed through similar behavior
· Motives may appear in disguised form
· Any single act of behavior may express several motives
· Expression of motives differ from culture to culture and from person to person within a culture
· Motives vary in strength not only from one individual to another but within the same individual at
different times.
Since it is difficult to know all there is to be known about the various motives that operate both within
the individual and from outside, it is difficult to predict behavior
Motivation and Behavior:
Systematic understanding of human behavior essentially involves the ability to determine the ‘why’ of
past behavior but also to predict, to change, and even to control as far as possible future behavior.
Behavior is basically goal-oriented .that means the behavior of an individual is generally motivated by a
desire to attain some goal. The specific goal is not always consciously known by the individual
.Sometimes an individual may wonder, “Why did I do that?” or “Why did I fail to do that?” the reason for
behavior is not always apparent to the conscious mind .individuals are not always aware of everything
they want .
The basic unit of behavior is an ‘activity’. In fact, all behavior is a series of activities .individual have
preference for certain activities, they change activities, and they change activities accordingly. It is
important for a manager to understand, predict, and even control the activities that an individual may
perform at a given moment. To predict the behavior, manager must know which motives or needs of
people evoke a certain action at a particular time.
· Motives: Every individual carries a set of inner motivations and drives that influence the way he
behaves much more radically than he realizes .Individuals differ not only in their ability to do but also in
their will to do, or motivation. Motives are sometimes defined as needs, wants, drives, or impulses
within the individual .Motives are the ‘why’s of behavior .they arouse and maintain activity and
determine a general direction of the behavior of an individual. In essence, motives or needs are the
mainsprings of action. When we use these two terms interchangeably- motives and needs-we refer
something within an individual that prompts that person to action.
· Goals: Goals are outside an individual .Goals are something referred to as ‘hoped for’ rewards towards
which motives are directed Psychologists use the term ‘incentives’ for these goals. Incentives include
tangible financial rewards such as increased pay and also the ↓managers who are successful in
motivating employees are often providing an environment in which appropriate goals are available for
needs satisfaction.
MOTIVES
GOALS
· Motive Strength: We have seen that motives or needs are the reason underlying behavior. Every
individual has several needs. All these needs compete for their behavior. These needs have different
strengths. The need with the greatest strength at a particular moment leads to activities.
A
B
C
D
E
N
Motive strength
Motive B is the highest strength need and therefore .it is this need that determines behavior.
Satisfied needs decrease in strength and normally do not motivated individuals to seek goals to satisfy
them.
· Changes in motive strength: A motive tends to decrease in strength if it is either satisfied or blocked
from satisfaction.
Blocking need Satisfaction:
The satisfaction of a need may be blocked .While a reduction in need strength sometimes follows; it
does not always occur initially, there may be tendency for the person to engage in “coping behavior”.
This is an attempt to overcome the obstacle by trial-and-error problem solving .The person may try a
variety of behavior to find out one that will accomplish the goal or will reduce tension created by
blockage, as shown in the following figure.
High
Strength
Motive
Attempted Behavior 2
Attempted
Behavior
Success
Blockage
Behaviour
Continued
Coping behavior when blockage occurs in attempting to accomplish a particular goal
Initially ,this coping behavior may be quite rational .Perhaps the individual may make some attempts in
direction 1 before going to 2.and same in the direction 2 before moving in direction 3, where some
degree of success and goal attainment is finally perceived .
BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION:
Organizational behavior modification (OB Mod) is yet another technique of influencing behavior of
people in organizations. OB Mod is uses the reinforcement principle of B.F .Skinner to provide managers
with powerful and proven means for changing employee behavior.
The steps in OB Mod are given below:
Identification of Critical Behavior: The first step is to identify the critical behaviors that make a
significant impact on the employee’s job performance these are those 5 to10 percent of the behaviors
that may account for up 70 to 80 percent of each employee’s performance.
Measurement of the behaviors: After the behaviors have been identified, they are measured. A baseline
frequency is obtained by determining the number of determining the number of times that the
identified behavior occurs under present conditions .The purpose of the baseline measurement is to
provide objective –frequency data on critical behavior.
Identify Performance
Related Behavior Events
Measure Baseline the
Frequency of Response
Identify Existing Behavioral Contingencies
Through Functional Analysis
Develop Intervention Strategy
Apply Appropriate Strategy
Measure: Chart the Frequency of
Responses after Intervention
Problem Solved?
Maintain Desirable Behavior
Evaluate for Performance Improvement
1
2
3
4B
4A
4C
4D
5
Yes
No
Steps in OB Mod
Functional analysis of behavior: The goal of a mod programmed is to increase the likelihood that people
will, in fact, engage in behavior which are critical to the successful performance of their jobs. These
involves analyzing (1)
The antecedent cues the factors which seem to instigate the behavior; and (2) the consequences- the
results which accrue to the person as a result of engaging in the behavior .This process of analyzing the
antecedent cues and the consequences if behavior is referred to as functional analysis in OB Mod.
A typical functional analysis of absenteeism behavior is given in Table.
Functional analysis of absenteeism behavior
ABC
Antecedent Cues Behaviors Consequences
illness\accident Getting up late Discipline programmed
Hangover Sleeping in Verbal reprimands
Lack of transportation staying home written reprimands
-Traffic Drinking Pay docks
No day- care facilities Fishing\hunting Lay-offs
Family problems working at home Dismissals
Company policies Visiting Social consequences from coworkers
Group\person norms caring for sick child Escape from and avoidance
Of working nothing
Seniority / age
Awareness\observation
Self any consequence
Development of intervention Strategy: The term intervention refers to actions will be taken by the
manager or organization in order to increase the frequency of desirable critical behaviors and to
decrease the frequency of undesirable behaviors this is the critical step, in the process, since it is here
that the manager uses the results of the three step to design and implement techniques, in order to
change the behavior of his\her subordinates. The emphasis here is on the identifying rewards that can
serve as positive reinforcements and establishing methods of providing these reinforces, contingent
upon subordinates engaging in the desirable critical behaviors. Positive reinforcement is employed to
increase the likelihood of a desirable behavior. Negative reinforcement is used as possible.
Evaluation to Ensure Performance Improvement: In order to determine whether an OB Mod
programmed has achieved its desire results, it is necessary to evaluate the effects of the programmed in
a systematic and objective fashion. The results of such evaluation can be used both to determine
whether the programmed should be continued or not, and to ‘fine tune’ the interventions to increase
their value and their ability to increase effective performances.
OB Mod in Practice
OB Mod has been used by a number of organizations to reduce costs, increase attendance, improve
productivity, improve safety, increase satisfaction, reduce labor costs, and increase profit. The
organizations which benefited include General Electric, Standard Oil, B.f.Goodrich Chemicals, Emery Air
freight, Michigan Bell, and so on –all in the US.
Societies and behavior modification
In his novel Walden tow B. F. Skinner described an idea human community also known as Walden tow
he envisioned a return to a simple culture of towns and villages that conducted their affairs face –to–
face Skinners society rejected punishment and coercion as ways to motivate good behavior and relied
on positive reinforcement in stead according Skinner the proper behavioral technology would make it
easy to raise citizens who were brave creative happy candid affectionate humane and conscientious.
Several to communes have taken their inspiration from Walden Two. One each such is Twin Oaks
founded in share a common belief in co-operation, equality, and nonviolence, as well as a common
desire to construct behaviorist theories are no longer central to the operation of Twin Oaks, the
advantages of creating a positive environment and reinforcing desirable behavior are recognized.
China appears to be using behavior modification principles on a grand scale for population control.
Chinese leaders are conceived that a rapid population growth will obstruct economic development.
Initially, couples having a third baby except as the result of a multiple birth at the second confinement
paid fines, Bearing two babies was strengthened because by doing so, couples avoided fines- a negative
reinforcement strategy. Families that used contraction after their first child received positive
reinforcement-annual bonuses as well as housing, schooling and employment priorities .Between the
mid-1960 and the mid-1970, china halved its birth rate. There is evidence, however, of grave abuses
among them, forced abortions and infanticides of the female offspring. Male are valued, in party,
because, in keeping with long established customs, men remain with their immediate families after
marriage, continuing to contribute financial support and care for elderly parents.
Despite the positive result that OB has demonstrated, it has no counter adverse criticism. Is it a
technique for manipulating people? Does it because it decreases an employee’s freedom? If so, is such
an action on the part of manager unethical? And do non-monetary reinforcement like feedback, praise,
and recognition get old after a while? Will employees begin to see these as ways for management to
increase productivity without providing commensurate increase in their pay? There is no easy answer to
questions such as these.
GOAL SETTING:
Goal setting is one of the most effective and widely practiced techniques of motivation. Goals are the
immediate or ultimate objectives that employees are trying to accomplish from their work efforts in
organizations. Goal setting is the process of motivating employees by establishing performance goals.
That goal motivates any individual is an established fact. We tend to relax and siacken our efforts if we
are not clear about what we want to achieve. A student does not do well in an examination if he or she
does not keep a target in mind target may be a first class or securing distinction. An individual may not
rise in personal life if he or she does not have clear career goals. It does not mean that performance of
an individual is nil in the absence of a goal. The technique emphasizes that with clear goals, performance
tends to increase.
Why goals motivate employees? There are at least five reasons which explain the correlation between
goals and motivation. First, they lead employees to compare their present performance with the goal.
To the extent that individuals fall short of the goal, they feel dissatisfied and work harder to attain it –as
long as they believe that is possible for them to do so.
Second, when individuals succeed in reaching a goal, they feel competent and successful; such feelings
are desirable and can serve as a strong incentive to extra effort. Third, the existence of a goal clarifies
what level of performance is required. Once this level is established, individual can focus on developing
effective strategies for attaining it.
Fourth, the theory calls attention to the important role of self-efficacy – individuals’ beliefs about their
ability to perform at given levels. If people do not have confidence in themselves, their effort and
performance will decrease. In contrast, if they conclude that they can reach the goal, motivation and
performance will be enhanced.
Finally, goal setting theory indicates that goals will guide behavior only when they accepted by the self
and by others. If others (concerned) do not accept the goals, performance of an employee will not
increase similarly, if the goal is not acceptable to the self, its effect on the behavior of the person will be
minimal.
Goals need to fulfill certain requisites if they were to impact employees, performance.
One requirement is that goals must be specific. Specific goals lead to higher output than do vague goals
such as “Do your best”. Acceptance of the goal and commitment towards its achievement will have
effect on employee behavior and satisfaction. Similarly, organizational support towards goal attainment
supported by individual abilities and traits leads to goal realization. As result of performance, a person
receives various intrinsic and extrinsic rewards, which in turn, influence satisfaction.
Goal
Directly
Goal
Acceptance
Organizational
Support
Intrinsic
Rewards
Goal-Directed
Effort
Goal
Specificity
Goal
Commitment
Performance
Individual
Abilities & Traits
Extrinsic
Rewards
Satisfaction
Goal setting requisites
Goal setting is a very powerful technique of motivation when used correctly, carefully monitored and
actively supported by managers. Goal setting can improve performance. However, neither goal setting
not any other technique can be used to correct every problem.
QUALITY OF WORK LIFE
The term ‘quality of work life’ (QWL) has different connotations to different person. For example, to a
worker in an assembly line, it may just mean a fair day’s pay, safe working conditions, and a supervisor
who treats him\her with dignity. To a young new entrant, it may mean opportunities for advancement,
creative tasks and a successful career. To academics it means the degree to which members of work
organization are able to satisfy important personal needs through their experiences in the organization.
There are many factors which can contribute to QWL. They are:
1.Adequate and fair compensation, adequacy to the extent to which the income from a full-time work
meets the needs of the socially determined standard of living.
2.Safety and healthy working condition, including reasonable hours of work and rest pauses, physical
working conditions that ensure safety, minimize risk of illness and occupational diseases and special
measures for protection of women and children.
3.Security and growth opportunity, including factors like security of employment, and opportunity for
advancement and self-improvement.
4.Opportunity to use and develop creativity, such as work autonomy, nature of supervision, use of
multiple skills, workers’ role in the total work process and his\her appreciation of the outcome of
his\her own efforts and self-regulation.
5.Respect for the individual’s personal rights, such as application of the principles of natural justice and
equity, acceptance of the right to free speech, and right to personal privacy in respect of the worker’s
off the job behavior.
6.Work and family life, including transfers, schedule of hours of work, travel requirement, overtime
requirement, and so fourth.
It is worth noting that often the conditions that contribute to motivation [equitable salaries financial
incentives, effective employee selection, etc] will also contribute to QWL some of these activities [like
job enrichment] might contribute indirectly to QWL by tapping the worker’s higher .order needs and
motivating them. Still, other activities may contribute directly to QWL providing for a safer workplace,
less discrimination on the job, and so forth.
The Five-Step PRIDE Model
Today’s workplace is different, diverse, and constantly changing. The typical employer/employee
relationship of old has been turned upside down. The combination of almost limitless job opportunities
and less reward for employee loyalty has created an environment where the business needs its
employees more than the employees need the business.
Management’s new challenge is to transform a high-turnover culture to a high-retention culture.
Retaining and motivating workers requires special attention and the responsibility falls squarely on the
shoulders of HR as well as managers and supervisors at all levels. They have to create a work
environment where people enjoy what they do, feel like they have a purpose and have pride in the
mission of the organization. It requires more time, more skill, and managers who care about people. It
takes true leadership.
Managers can improve their leadership position and motivate individuals within their organizations by
following the five-step PRIDE model:
Provide a positive working environment
Recognize, Reward and Reinforce the Right Behavior
Involve everyone
Develop their skills and potential
Evaluate and improve continuously
STEP 1--PROVIDE A POSITIVE WORKING ENVIRONMENT
You don’t have to be the highest paying employer to provide a positive and attractive work
environment. One of the most important factors is how employees "feel" about the company.
Motivated workers are more committed to the job and to the customer. On the other hand, demotivating workplaces force workers to vote with their feet.Take for example Rodger McAlister who
owns a construction equipment dealership in Kentucky. His turnover is almost nonexistent. His
employees and service technicians share a profit-sharing plan that possibly means $700,000 upon
retirement. Every year employees celebrate their work anniversary with a cake and receive $100.00 for
each year employed. Twice a year employee’s children receive a $50 savings bond when they bring in
their "all A’s" report card. To minimize the we-they syndrome, every Friday employees rotate jobs. The
person in the parts department becomes a service technician and visa versa. This builds a stronger team
and improves both communication and retention
STEP 2--RECOGNIZE, REWARD AND REINFORCE THE RIGHT BEHAVIOR
Reward and recognition is not just a nice thing to do, but a critical element in the management toolkit.
People have a basic human need to feel appreciated and recognition programs help meet that need. The
second aspect of this science is management must create consequences for the behavior important for
business success.One of the easiest and most effective recognition programs is "peer recognition." Peer
recognition allows employees to reward each other for doing a good job. It works because employees
themselves know whom works hard and deserves recognition. Also, workers may value each other’s
opinion more than their supervisor’s. (Peer pressure) Managers can’t be everywhere all the time.
Therefore, the employees are in the best position to catch people doing the right things.
STEP 3--INVOLVE EVERYONE
Studies show that having workers involved at all levels has a major impact on improving morale and
motivation. TD Industries in Dallas, Tex., has a unique way of making its employees feel valued and
involved. One wall in the company has the photographs of all employees who have been with the
company more than five years. This involvement program goes beyond just photographs, slogans,
posters, and HR policies. There are no reserved parking spaces for executives. Everyone uses the same
bathrooms and the same water fountains. Everyone is an equal. Maybe that’s why TD Industries was
listed last year by Fortune magazine as one of the Top 100 Best Companies.
STEP 4--DEVELOP WORKER'S SKILLS AND POTENTIAL
Well-trained employees are more capable and willing to assume greater control and ownership over
their jobs. They need less supervision, which frees management for other tasks. Employees are more
capable of taking care of customers, which builds stronger customer loyalty. All this leads to better
management-employee relationships.
When former Intel executive David House became CEO of Bay Networks, he realized the troubled
computer manufacturer’s problems involved some basic fundamentals. To solve the problem, he
created four courses to teach the practices that he’d set in place at Intel: Decision-Making, Straight Talk,
Managing for Results, and Effective Meetings. He personally taught the courses to Bay’s 120 highestranking executives who, in turn, taught the same courses to the other 6,000 employees. His personal
example had a major impact on the entire company.Here are some tips for setting up your own
processes to help develop the potential of your employees:
Explain the "big picture" for the company and how this influences their employment and growth.
Provide feedback on the employee’s performance. Be specific; mention a particular situation or
activity.
Make sure they understand the company’s expectations.
Involve the employee in the decision-making process whenever possible.
Listen to their ideas and suggestions.
Give them room to do the job without unnecessary restrictions.
Pay for employees to attend workshops and seminars.
Offer on-site classes where employees can learn new skills or improve upon old ones.
Challenge them with lots of responsibility.
STEP 5--EVALUATE AND IMPROVE CONTINUOUSLY
Continuous evaluation and never ending improvement is the final step of the PRIDE system. The primary
purpose of evaluation is to measure progress and determine what needs improving. Continuous
evaluation includes, but is not limited to, the measurement of attitudes, morale, turnover and
motivation of the workforce. It includes the identification of problem areas needing improvement and
the design and implementation of an improvement plan.Businesses continue to search for the
competitive advantage. It won’t be found with gimmicks or within the latest management fad. The true
competitive advantage is found within the hearts and minds of motivated people proudly working
together and led by people driven by a higher purpose.
OTHERS
Other motivational techniques used in organizations to influence employee performance include
management by objective (MBO) flexible working hour’s two-tier pay system flexible benefit and the
like.
MBO refers to a formal set of procedures that begins with goal setting and contributes through
performance review. The key of MBO is that it is a participative process, actively involving managers and
subordinates at every organizational level. Propounded by peter F.Drucker in 1954, MBO has
motivational potentials because the participants become ego-involved in decisions they have made.
They to accept the decisions as their own and feel personally responsible for implementing them.
A system of flexible working hours, also called flextime, to suit the convenience of individual employees,
has often been pointed out as one of the techniques of motivation. Various work weeks are being used,
all with the aim of lengthening the leisure between work periods. Most common are the four-day, 40hour week with three day off (4\3); the three-day, 36-hour week with four days off (3\4); and the sevenday, 70-hour week with seven day off (7\7). Of these, 4\3 arrangement is highly popular.
The benefits claim for flexitime is numerous. They include reduced absenteeism, increased productivity,
reduced overtime expense, lessening of hostility towards management, elimination of tardiness, and
reduced traffic congestion around work sites.
In terms of motivational theories, flextime corresponds to the diverse needs of the workforce. It appeals
to an individual’s growth needs (ERG theory) or desire for autonomy (motivation hygiene theory).
The Two-tier pay system provides for offering significantly lower wage rates to newly hired employees
than those already employed in the same job. The two-tier pay system is seen everywhere in
organizations. A junior lecturer in a university is paid less than a senior-grade lecturer. Similarly, a
worker in a factory with 15 to 20 years of experience is put on a higher scale than a beginner.
The two-tier pay system is said to place a premium on experience and loyalty. It will reduce a new
recruit to stick to the same organization.
The two-tier system corresponds to the equity theory, but in a negative way. A junior worker perceives
an inequity or an injustice when he\she is paid less than his\her senior though; both attend to the same
work. This, it is claimed, results in an increased turnover rate among those newly hired.
Flexible benefits allow employee to pick and choose from a menu from benefit packages that is
individually tailored to his or her own needs and situations. The idea of flexible benefit operates on the
following lines. An organization sets up a flexible spending account for each employee, usually based on
some percentage of his her salary, and then a price tag is put on each benefit. Option might include
inexpensive medical plus high deductibles; expensive medical plus low or no deductibles; hearing, dental
and eye coverage; vacation options; extended disability; a variety of savings and pension plans; life
insurance; college tuition reimbursement plans; and extended vacation time. Employees then select
benefit options until they have spent the amount in their respective accounts.
Consistent with the expectancy theory thesis that organizational rewards should be linked to each
individual employee’s goals, flexible benefits individualize rewards by allowing each employee to choose
the compensation package that best satisfies his\her current needs.
The two most popular and time-tested methods of employee motivation are participative management
and employee communication.
Motivation and frustration:
The basic process of motivation as defined earlier involves a smooth progression of the need-drive-goal
motivational cycle. The motivational cycle begins with a need followed by a response directed toward a
goal object, when this goal directed drive is blocked before reaching a desired goal, frustration result.
Frustration is a common event in the daily lives of employees. The strength of frustration in a situation is
related to the magnitude of the need which is being thwarted.
In the above figure, goal-directed drive faces a barrier and frustration results due to blocking of goal
attainment. The barrier may be either overt (outward, or physical) or covert (inward, or mental-sociopsychological).
When a person is frustrated, defense mechanisms get triggered in him. Traditionally, psychologists like
Dollard ** and others felt that frustration always leads to the defense mechanism of aggression. On
becoming frustrated, it was thought that a person will react by physically or symbolically attacking the
barrier. More recently, aggression is considered as only one possible reaction.
Responses to frustration are now viewed as defense mechanisms falling into four broad categories:
aggression, withdrawal, fixation and compromise.
In order to analyze specific aspects of on-the –job behavioral reaction to know some behavioral
reactions to frustration that may occur in the formal organization.
Drive
(Deprivation
With
Direction)
B
Goal
(Reduction of the drive)
Barrier
1. Overt
2. Covert
Needs
(Deprivation)
Frustration
Defense Mechanisms
Blocking of Goal-attainment: Frustration
· Aggression :
Aggression is a reaction to a situation wherein one’s motives are blocked causing one to turn against
others or oneself in verbal, ranting attacks or physical injury. Individual tries to injure or hurt the object,
person or group that is acting as the barrier.
· Withdrawal \ Flight :
Leaving the field in which frustration, anxiety, or conflict is experienced either physically or
psychologically.
· Fixation :
Maintaining a persistent non-adjustive reaction even though all the cues indicate the behavior is not an
appropriate response to the problem. Behavior is repeated over and without accomplishing anything for
instance, unreasonable stubbornness.
· Compromise :
It usually involves substituting a new goal \ Sublimation.
· Compensation :
Individual devotes himself to a pursuit with increased vigor to make up for same feeling of real or
imagined inadequacy. In indirect compensation the individual puts in hard efforts to make-up for a
weakness in one area by becoming outstanding or excelling in some either area.
· Conversion :
Emotional conflicts are expressed in muscular, sensory, or bodily symptoms of disability, malfunctioning,
or pain.
This is sometimes also known as introverted aggression and it is usually indicated by depression, lack of
initiative, self-accusation and low energy. Individual anger is directed inwards. His sense of failure results
in self-punishment.
· Displacement :
It is also known as transferred aggression. Basic psychological process is redirecting pent-up emotions
towards persons, ideas, or objects other than the primary source of the emotion. This form occurs when
the obstacle is unknown or when the obstacle is known but it is unwise to show direct aggression.
When people cannot attack the cause of their frustration directly, they may look for a scapegoat as a
target for their hostility. For instance, a worker feels hurt and gets angry when his boss insults him in
front of some co-workers. However, the worker’s future prospects in the organizations and his fate are
in the hands of the boss. In such situations.” the resentful worker may pick a quarrel with his wife, kick
the cat, beat his children.” …(poor fellows, without having done anything they have to face the
consequences of what happened in the organization !) …. “or , more constructively, work off his feelings
by chopping wood, by cursing and swearing, or engaging in violet exercises or horseplay of an aggressive
nature”. A typical example is seen when a disgruntled employee continually picks on a week colleague
and makes him suffer for the frustration factory atmosphere.
· Fantasy :
Day dreaming or other forms of imaginative activity provide an escape from reality and imagined
satisfaction. The individual may attempt to daydream that his goals (for instance, promotion) which are
otherwise impossible to achieve in real life, have been accomplished. The individual tries to reduce
frustration by imagining the satisfaction which he cannot otherwise attain. Temporary escape from
reality by day dreaming is apparently a universal characteristic. It serves many useful functions because
it tends to strengthen aspirations during a period when goals might otherwise disappear. However,
there is danger when the individual relies too heavily upon fantasy and becomes inactive.
· Rationalization :
The basic psychological process involves justifying inconsistent or undesirable behavior, Beliefs,
statement, and motivations by providing acceptable explanations for them. It simply means making
excuses. An individual rationalizes when he gives a good reason rather than a true reason for his
behavior. It is interesting to observe when an employee tries to explain why he made a mistake or why
he was late to work. The motive to avoid criticism and disapproval is quite strong in many individuals
when they rationalize and invent reasons.
· Projection :
Individual protects himself from awareness of his own undesirable traits or unacceptable feelings by
attributing them to others. Individual tends to attribute one’s own shortcomings to others so as to cover
up his own weakness. The individual does not have to be troubled about a weakness that everyone else
has; if he can project that weakness on to other people, he does not have worry about it in himself. So
the individual projects: “it’s you, not me “ `
· Repression :
The basic psychological process involves completely excluding from consciousness impulses, experiences
and feelings which are psychologically disturbing because they arouse a sense of guilt or shame or
anxiety. Repression is a form of forgetting an unhappy incident involving emotions and thereby avoiding
all mentions or thought of it. It involves efforts to repress threatening information and keep it in the
unconscious. The example of repression is the behavior of a subordinate who “forgets” to tell his boss
something which was embarrassing to him.
· Regression :
Regression is essentially not acting one’s own age. Individual returns to an earlier, less mature level of
adjustment and behave in childish way when exposed to frustrating situation, for instance, individual
may engage in behaviours such as crying, weeping, sulking or throwing temper- tantrums whenever they
are under stress, annoyed or frustrated.
· Reaction formation :
Individual acts contrary to his real feelings and emphasizes it with force Thus, an individual who has
acquired a reputation as abrasive may behave cordially to minimize his anxieties arising from past
abrasive activities. Urge not acceptable to consciousness are repressed and in their stead opposite
attitudes or modes of behavior are expressed with considerable force.
· Negativism :
Active or passive resistance operating unconsciously.
· Negative adaptation :
Accepting things as they are, making psychological adaptations unpleasant situation.
· Identification :
Individual may react to the characteristics and achievements of another person as if they were his own.
The individual wants to become like someone else and thus, closely associates with his attitudes and
actions identification is modeling oneself after another person imitating his or her characteristics,
values, attitudes and other allied qualities. It is not simply copying another individual. It relates to
incorporation of another individual’s thinking and behavior in one’s own thinking and behavior. For
instance the junior executives take on the vocabulary, style and mannerisms, or even pomposity of their
senior boss who may be highly successful.
· Resignation \ apathy \ Boredom :
It is a type of frustration where is one gives-up. It occurs after prolonged frustration when individual
loses hope of accomplishing his goal in a particular situation and withdrawn from reality and the source
of frustration. This phenomenon is common characteristic of people in dull and boring of routine jobs.
Resignation or apathy essentially involves breaking psychological contact with the environment;
withholding any sense of emotional or personal involvement.
· Insulation :
The individual tries to protect himself emotionally by keeping distance from others. He insulates himself,
gets detected, uninvolved, aloof and isolated. He may appear self-sufficient but he maintains this
behaviour as a protection rather than because he enjoy it. Individuals who learn to fear situations where
they will fail or be ridiculed are particularly apt to adjust by using the mechanism of insulation.
· Sour Grapism :
“The fox and grapes” fable is a classic example of reaction to frustration. Sour grapism is that reaction
where by highly desirable but unattainable goals or objectives are considered undesirable. Just like the
fox who convinced himself that he never wanted the grapes at all since they were ‘sour’, the individual
also tries to deceive oneself by saying, “I never did want to have this promotion since it involved transfer
to a remote place”. Actually, just like the fox who tries in vain to reach the bunch of grapes, this
individual also tries in vain to get the promotion. The sour grapes mechanism comes into existence
when the individual wants to hide sense of failure.
· Devaluation :
Since one of the common causes of self rejection is unfavorable social judgments. One way to defend
one’s ego against such judgments is to devalue their source. This can be done either by minimizing the
importance of judgment or by trying to prove to oneself and others that those who made the adverse
evaluation were not competent to pass judgment or were prejudiced.
Importance of frustration in Industry:
The concept of frustration is extremely important in a work situation. Frustrated ambitions, frustrated
friendliness, and frustrated self-esteem in work situation lead to nervous tension. The pent up
continuing frustrations produce people who are difficult to get along with, or who are centers of poor
morale in industry.
However, there are some people for whom lack of frustration is the most frustration situation of all. To
them, the challenge of finding a way to deal effectively with whatever barriers confront them as they
strive for a particular goal is what provides the “spice” to their job. They actually look forward to
meeting these obstacles, and if they did not occur they would probably find their work very drab and
dull.
In this Activation theory, “Scott suggests that human organism needs stimulation and variety in the
environment; without this motivation will suffer and frustration may result. To the extent, then, that
barriers and obstacles to goals provide variety and stimulation to the employee, they may actually tend
to reduce the overall frustration experienced.
Knowledge about theories of motivation, though useful, is not enough to motivate employees at work
situations. An HR manager must know the specific ways which could help him\her motivate his\her
motivate his\her subordinates. It goes to the credit of HRM that it has several readymade techniques
and programmed that can be used by the manager. The more important among them, namely, rewards,
job enrichment and job rotation, behavior modification, empowerment, goal setting, quality of worklife.
EASY WAYS TO MOTIVATE YOUR EMPLOYEES
Set Goals
It’s important to help your employees set goals for themselves. These can include both long-term and
short-term goals and they can be both work-related and personal in nature. Often, goals are set on a
weekly, monthly, quarterly, or even yearly basis. Many companies use “performance management
systems,” which get every employee on the same page, regardless of his or her position. If they
understand the relationship between their specific job and the company’s success, they’ll often
approach their work with a sense of belonging. Frequently, that sense is all it takes to get that individual
to finish a given task. And, of course, rewarding your employees for achieving their goals goes a long
way toward creating a consistently motivated workforce.
Encourage Creative Thinking
Successful companies promote an environment in which creative thinking by the employees is allowed,
if not encouraged. If you’ve been successful in explaining your company’s overall objectives in detail,
employees will often come up with their own creative strategies for achieving these goals. In the case of
the sales force that I help manage, I usually tell them the successful tactics that I used while making
sales but I also add that there’s no one correct way. Everyone has a unique personality that might
translate into an effective method of making sales. The challenge of figuring out an effective method on
their own can be liberating and much more fulfilling. Plus, employees are more apt to listen to future
advice if you let them figure out that you are right on their own.
Devise a System of Teamwork and Trust
Employees are never going to produce the way you expect them to if they think you don’t care about
them. Start off by learning about your employees’ personal lives. This will give you insights into how to
deal with them in certain situations. Your relationship with your workers should seem like one between
partners as opposed to one between employee and boss. Also, spread specific assignments around
among your workers. By giving employees special tasks, you make them feel more important. When
your employees feel like they are being trusted with added responsibilities, they are motivated to work
even harder so they won’t let the company down.
Foster an Environment of Fun
Studies have shown that employees are more dependable and productive when they think their
workplace is a fun place to come to every day. I’ve found that one of the most effective methods of
doing this is simply engaging my sales reps in conversations about topics that we both find interesting.
It’s not necessary to talk to them all day long, but a few minutes here and there throughout the day can
work wonders. Little talks like these allow the employee to see you as a regular person, and when your
employees like you as a person, they are more likely to listen to you when you need them to get
something done.
REWARDS
People join organizations expecting rewards. Firms distribute money and other benefit in exchange for
the employee’s availability, competence and behaviors.
The following diagram identifies four types of rewards: membership and seniority, job status,
competency and performance.
Membership and Seniority-based Rewards
Benefit an employee receives depends on the firm which he or she joins. An MBA taking up a job in
Wipro or Infosys gets more benefits than boy or girl who joins a state government undertaking.
In the same firm, a senior employee receives more benefits than employee .Advancement , pay raises,
retirement benefits and perquisites depend on seniority of an employee.
Membership& Seniority
Task
Performance
Job Status
Competency
Organizational Rewards
Types of organizational rewards
There are advantages and limitations associated with membership and seniority based reward
.Membership based reward attract job applicants but the problem is such reward may not directly
motivate job performance .Seniority based rewards tend to reduce turnover but may fail to motivate
achievers to perform better. Another problem with is that they discourage poor performers form leaving
the film voluntarily because alternative jobs are simply not available to them.
Job Status-based Rewards
Every firm rewards employees for the status of the jobs they are holding firms use job evaluation system
which helps establish differentials in status of jobs. Status differentials are used as the basis for
establishing salary / wage differentials. Jobs that require more skill and effort, have more responsibility
and have difficult working conditions would have more value and consequently would be placed in
higher pay grades. Firms that do not use job evaluation system still reward job status based on pay
survey information about the labor market.
A supervisor will receive higher rewards than purchasing assistant as the job of the former enjoys better
status than the latter. It has more value to the organization (calculated by job evaluation system or pay
survey) and therefore employees in that job receive more status-based rewards in the organization.
High status job holders are also rewarded with more perquisites.
One advantage of status-based pay is that it helps maintain feelings of equity. Job evaluation system try
to maintain internal equity, that is, to ensure that employees feel their pay is fair when compared to
how much other jobs in the firm are paid. Pay survey helps maintain external equity, that is, ensure that
employees feel their pay is fair when compared to how much people I other firms are paid. Job-based
rewards also motivate employees to compete for positions higher up the organizational hierarchy.
Job-based rewards are criticized by man. For one thing, such benefit fails to motivate achievers to
perform better. Just because an employee holds a high priced job, he or she is rewarded better, not with
standing the level of performance attained by the individual. Further, employees tend to exaggerate
their job descriptions and job specifications to garner higher grading for their job through job evaluation
systems. Higher grades confer higher rewards on the jobs.
Competency-based Rewards
Increasingly organizations are linking rewards to competencies of employees. Competencies are
reflected through skills, knowledge and traits that lead to desirable behaviors. Employees are expected
to have several competencies and these competencies are evaluated by observing specific behavior
patterns.
Where rewards are linked to competencies what emerges is the skill-based pay. In the skill based pay
employees are paid on the basis of number of jobs they are capable of discharging, or on the depth of
their knowledge. The purpose of this system is to motivate employees to acquire additional skills so that
they become more useful to the organization.
Competency-based rewards have merits. They have been praised for developing a better-skilled and
flexible workforce. Customer needs are met more quickly. Employees can handle any job with felicity,
product or service quality tends to improve because employees who have work experiences in several
jobs are more likely to know where problems originate. Moreover, employees find it easier to discover
ways to improve the work process as they learn more skills and tasks in the process. Rather than paying
for jobs, skill-based pay rewards skills, underlying the principle that employees are hired for their skills
and not just to hold jobs.
Skills-based rewards, however, result in pay disparities which may demotivate employees. They are also
expensive.
Performance-based Rewards
The trend that is emerging recently is to link pay to performance rather than to seniority or
membership. Firms in N.America, Europe and Asia are paying their employees more for performance
than ever before. For instance, in a recent survey of 210 large firms in Tokyo, Japan, 24 per cent
awarded pay increases on the basis of performance than seniority.
Performance-based rewards are many, but the most common among them are:
Organizational rewards → Profit sharing
Stock options
Team rewards → Gain sharing
Special bonuses
Individual rewards → Piece rate
Commission
Merit pay
Bonuses
Profit sharing is an organizational performance-based reward. In profit sharing,
Designated employees are allowed to share in the profit earned by a company. Employees stock potion
schemes (ESOPS) confer ownership of the firm on employees. ESPOS encourage employees to buy
shares of the company and rew3ard them through divided and market appreciation of the shares.
Team rewards are common where firms rely in teams to get work done. Some teams are rewarded with
special bonuses or gifts if they collectively achieve specific goals. A gain sharing plan is a type of team
reward that motivates team members to reduce costs and increase labor efficiency in their work
process. Gain sharing plans use a predetermined formula and calculated cost savings and pay bonus to
all team members. Typically, the company shatters the cost savings with employees.
Individual rewards are quite common in organizations. The most common is the piece rate which links
pay to the units produced by an employee. Commissions are paid to sales people on the actual sales
shown by them. Merit pay is based on the individual’s performance. This is gradually replaced by
retainable bonuses for accomplishing specific tasks or for achieving certain goals. Although these
bonuses are often determined from team or organizational performance, they may also result from
satisfactory completion of individual goals.
Are rewards, particularly monetary rewards, reality motivators? Put in another way, does money
motivate employees? The answer is ‘yes’ and ‘no’.
Money is understood to be powerful motivator for more than one reason. In the first place, money is
fundamental for completion of task. Work, unless it is voluntary or “play” involves a contract between
two parties “guaranteed” by the payment of money. The employee takes pay as the reward for his or
her work’ and the employer views it as the price for using the services of the employee.
Second, as a medium of exchange, money is the vehicle by which employee can buy numerous need
satisfying goods and services they desire. Third, money is one of the hygiene factors, and improving
maintenance factors is the first step in effort directed towards motivation. Fourth, money also performs
the function of a “score card” by which employees assess the value that the organization place on their
services and by which employees can compare their “values” to others. Fifth, reinforcement and
expectancy theories attest to the value of money as a motivator. In the former, if pay is contingent upon
performance, it will encourage workers to high levels of effort, Consistent with the expectancy theory,
money will motivate to the extent that it is seen as being able to satisfy an individual’s personal goals
and is perceived as being dependent upon performance criteria.
Employee
Expects
Pay
Performance
Job
evaluated
Employee
Consider equity of performance
pay
Employee sets new expectations
Employee
Performance
Job
Evaluated
Feedback to employee
Based on previous expectations
Pay and performance-relationship
Sixth, money acts as punctuation in one’s life. It is an attention-getting and effect-producing mechanism
Money has, therefore, tremendous importance in influencing employee behavior. Seventh, money is
easily vulnerable for manipulation. Other factors like satisfaction, responsibility, a challenging job and
the like are nebulous. Payments and the plans with which they are linked are manipulatable. Finally,
money will be a powerful motivator for a person who is tense and anxious about lack of money. Many
worries and concerns are financially based. It is relaxing to receive sufficient money to clear the
outstanding bills and past debts which have been causing tension.
But behavioral scientists think otherwise. They downgrade money as a motivator. They prefer, instead,
other techniques such as challenging jobs, goals, participation in decision of behavioral scientists to
money as a motivator is understandable for at least six reasons. First, money is not important to all
people. High achievers, for example, are intrinsically motivated. Money has little impact on such people.
Second, people fail to see a direct linkage between monetary and performance. In these days of
unionization, protective legislation, seniority based promotion, and the coast of living indexation, pay
raises do not depend on performance. Third, for money to motivate the difference in pay increase
between a high performer and an average performer must be significant. In practice it rarely is. Fourth,
management must have the discretion to reward high performers with more money. This is not
possible, thanks to strong unionization. Fifth, relationships among employees are often ruptured
because of the scramble for monetary rewards. Finally, financial incentives discourage risk-taking
propensity of people. Whenever people are encouraged to think about what they will get for performing
a task, they become less inclined to take risk or explore possibilities.
The conclusion is that money can motivate some people under some conditions. Put it another way
money cannot motivate all people under all circumstances. Studies too attest to the same assertion.
Motivating Employees without Money
The employees who work for your company are naturally motivated. All you need to do is to utilize their
natural ability, which you can do without spending a time. That's right! No money. In fact, money can
actually decrease an employee's motivation and performance. The first step in utilizing your employees'
natural abilities is to eliminate your organization's negative practices that zap away their natural
motivation. The second step your organization can take is to develop true motivators which can spark all
your employees into being motivated. By decreasing negative zapping demotivators and by adding true
motivators, you will tap into your employees' natural motivation. Your employees' natural motivation
relies on the fact that all people have human desires for affiliation, achievement, and for control and
power over their work. In addition, they have desires for ownership, competence, recognition, and
meaning in their work. The following is a list of ten motivation zapping organizational behaviors that will
demotivate your employees.
· Create an atmosphere full of company politics.
· Develop unclear expectations regarding your employees' performance.
· Create a lot of unnecessary rules for employees to follow.
· Plan unproductive meetings for employees to attend.
· Promote internal competition between employees.
· Withhold information critical for employees to perform their work.
· Provide criticism instead of constructive feedback.
· Tolerate poor performance so your high performing employees feel taken advantage of.
· Treat employees unfairly.
· Underutilize the capability of your employees.
The following are examples of true motivators that will help your employees tap into their natural ability
to be motivated. Remember; implement these true motivators without spending money. Instead of
focusing on money, focus on how you can make some changes within your organization.
· If your employees do routine work add some fun and variety to their routine.
· Provide employees with input and choice in how they do their work.
· Encourage responsibility and leadership opportunities within your company.
· Promote social interaction and teamwork between employees.
· Tolerate learning errors by avoiding harsh criticism.
· Promote job ownership.
· Develop goals and challenges for all employees.
· Provide lots of encouragement.
· Make appreciation part of your repertoire.
· Develop measurement that shows performance increase.
By eliminating demotivators and adding in no cost motivators you are tapping into your employees'
natural human desires to perform at their maximum level of motivation and productivity. The following
are the human desires that you are tapping into.
· Desire for activity
· Desire for ownership
· Desire for power
· Desire for affiliation
· Desire for competence
· Desire for achievement
· Desire for recognition
· Desire for meaning
That's it! Remember; don't work to change one individual at a time. Work to change your organization
to decrease the demotivators and thereby increase your employees’ natural ability to self motivates
themselves.
Employee motivation
Principles of improving employee motivation and empowerment
Employee motivation questionnaires or surveys
Staff surveys are usually very helpful in establishing whether staff in your company is motivated and
therefore performing to best effect. Aside from the information that questionnaires reveal, the process
of involving and consulting with staff is hugely beneficial and motivational in its own right, (see the
'Hawthorne Effect'). Whilst your survey will be unique to your company, your staff issues, your industry
and culture, some useful generic guidelines apply to most situations. Although not exhaustive, the
following ten points may help you cover the relevant subject areas and help towards establishing facts
rather than making assumptions about motivation when designing your own questionnaires on
employee motivation.
Ten tips for questionnaires on employee motivation
1. What is the 'primary aim' of your company?
Your employees may be more motivated if they understand the primary aim of your business. Ask
questions to establish how clear they are about your company's principles, priorities and mission.
2. What obstacles stop employees performing to best effect?
Questionnaires on employee motivation should include questions about what employees are tolerating
in their work and home lives. The company can eliminate practices that zap motivation.
3. What really motivates your staff?
It is often assumed that all people are motivated by the same things. Actually we are motivated by a
whole range of factors. Include questions to elicit what really motivates employees, including learning
about their values. Are they motivated by financial rewards, status, praise and acknowledgment,
competition, job security, public recognition, fear, perfectionism, results...
4. Do employees feel empowered?
Do your employees feel they have job descriptions that give them some autonomy and allow them to
find their own solutions or are they given a list of tasks to perform and simply told what to do?
5. Are there any recent changes in the company that might have affected motivation?
If your company has made redundancies, imposed a recruitment freeze or lost a number of key people
this will have an effect on motivation. Collect information from employees about their fears, thoughts
and concerns relating to these events. Even if they are unfounded, treat them with respect and honesty.
6. What are the patterns of motivation in your company?
Who is most motivated and why? What lessons can you learn from patches of high and low motivation
in your company?
7. Are employee goals and company goals aligned?
First, the company needs to establish how it wants individuals to spend their time based on what is most
valuable. Secondly this needs to be compared with how individuals actually spend their time. You may
find employees are highly motivated but about the "wrong" priorities.
8. How do employees feel about the company?
Do they feel safe, loyal, valued and taken care of? Or do they feel taken advantage of, dispensable and
invisible? Ask them what would improve their loyalty and commitment.
9. How involved are employees in company development?
Do they feel listened to and heard? Are they consulted? And, if they are consulted, are their opinions
taken seriously? Are there regular opportunities for them to give feedback?
10. Is the company's internal image consistent with its external one?
Your company may present itself to the world as the 'caring airline', 'the forward thinking technology
company' or the 'family hotel chain'. Your employees would have been influenced, and their
expectations set, to this image when they joined your company. If you do not mirror this image within
your company in the way you treat employees you may notice motivation problems. Find out what the
disparity is between the employees image of the company from the outside and from the inside.
EMPOWERMENT
Empowerment is one of concepts discussed much in HRM. Empowerment is what young job aspirants
are looking for in organizations. More than monetary rewards, it is the feeling that employee ‘owns’ the
job that motivates him or her nowadays. Empowerment may be understood as ‘’a process of enhancing
feelings of self .efficacy among organizational members through the identification of conditions that
foster powerlessness and through their removal by both formal organizational practices and informal
techniques of providing efficacy information “Empower employees are energetic and passionate. They
aspire to do better job because they get personally rewarded for doing job.
Empowerment consist five stages. The first stage involves identifying .The conditions existing in the
organizations that lead to feelings of powerlessness on the part of organizational members. These
conditions manifest through poor communication, centralized resources, and authoritarian styles of
leadership, low incentive value rewards, low task variety and unrealistic performance goals.
Diagnosis being completed as suggested above, the next stage is to introduce empowerment strategies
and techniques. Use of participative management implementing merit-Pay systems and job enrichment
are example of possible empowerment practices.
The use of the programmes (stated above) is designed to accomplish two objectives in the third stage.
One is simply to remove the conditions identified in the first stage as contributing to powerlessness. The
second, and more important, is to provide self-efficacy information to subordinate. Self-efficacy
describes a belief in one’s effectiveness. Individuals high in self-efficacy information to subordinates.
Self-efficacy describes a belief in one’s effectiveness. Individuals high in self-efficacy tend to be
confident and self-assured and feel they are likely to be successful in whatever Endeavour’s they
undertake.
Receiving such information result in feeling of empowerment in the fourth stage .This is because
increasing self-efficacy straightens effort –performance expectancies. Finally, the enhanced
empowerment feelings from stage four are translated into performance in the fifth and final stage.
These behavioral consequences of empowerment include increased activity directed towards task
accomplishment.
Identifying conditions of
Of powerlessness
Implement empowerment strategies techniques
Remove condition of powerlessness provide self-efficacy information
Feeling of empowerment generated
Empowerment result in performance
Empowerment is facilitated by a combination of factors including values, leadership, job structure and
reward systems.
Empowerment occurs when power of decision –making and authority to share resources go to
employees who then experiences a sense of ownership and control over jobs. Empowered employees
know that know that their jobs belong to them. Given a say on how things are done, employees feel
more responsible. When they feel responsible, they show more initiative in their work, get more done
and enjoy the work more.
Empowerment demands team formation. Teams, thus formed, are called self-directed or simply
empowered teams. Wipro Corporation has nearly 30 such teams and Titan, ABB, Tata information
Systems too have their own empowered teams. The 60,000 tones per annum polyester filament yarn
plant of Reliance at Hazira went on stream within 14 months mainly because its technical teams were
empowered to make critical decisions at the worksite.
Information sharing is another building block of empowerment. Employees need to be informed about
the business and demonstrate how their work fits in. One of the most important measures of job
satisfaction is whether employees find meaning in their work-if they know what they are working
towards and understand how their work affects other employees and the organization as a whole.
The following tips may be useful in empowering employees:
1.Delegate responsibility and along with it authority. role with that of ‘partner’ role.
2.Have tolerance for mistakes committed by subordinates. Demonstrate this tolerance through deeds
and words.
3.Share information with subordinates. Empowered employees need sufficient information to get full
perspective.
4.Allow teams to form. Teams are the best vehicles to empowerment.
5.Performance feedback is always important. It is particularly important for newly empowered
employees. Feedback enhances learning and can provide needed assurance that the job is being
mastered.
Empowerment needs to be implemented with caution. Where employees suffer from inflated egos and
are highly self-centered, empowerment does not work. Many employees entertain the feeling that they
are subjected to be led and not to led. Empowerment has no appeal to such subordinates. When
employees look for secured but not challenging jobs, empowerment sounds hollow.
Employee motivation principles - a short case study - sound familiar?
When Michael started his own consultancy he employed top people; people he'd worked with in the
past who had shown commitment, flair and loyalty and who seemed to share his values. But a few
months down the line one of his team members started to struggle. Jo was putting in the hours but
without enthusiasm. Her confidence was dropping; she was unfocused and not bringing in enough new
business.
Michael explained to Jo the seriousness of the situation. Without new business he would lose the
company and that would mean her job. He showed her the books to illustrate his point. He again ran
through her job description and the procedures she was expected to follow. He told her that he was
sure she was up to the job but he really needed her to bring in the new business or they would all be out
on their ear.
Jo told Michael that she understood. She was doing her best but she'd try harder.
But a month later nothing had changed. After an initial burst of energy, Jo was back to her old ways.
No matter how experienced a leader you are, chances are at times you have struggled to motivate
certain individuals. You've tried every trick in the book. You've sat down one-to-one with the individual
concerned and explained the situation. You've outlined the big vision again in the hope of inspiring
them. You've given them the bottom line: "Either you pull your finger out or your job is on the line".
You've dangled a carrot in front of them: "If you make your targets you'll get a great bonus". And
sometimes it works. But not every time. And there have been casualties. Ultimately if someone can't get
the job done they have to go.
The granddaddy of motivation theory, Frederick Herzberg, called traditional motivation strategies 'KITA'
(something similar to Kick In The Pants). He used the analogy of a dog. When the master wants his dog
to move he either gives it a nudge from behind, in which case the dog moves because it doesn't have
much choice, or he offers it a treat as an inducement, in which case it is not so much motivated by
wanting to move as by wanting choc drops! KITA does the job (though arguably not sustainable) but it's
hard work. It means every time you want the dog to move you have to kick it (metaphorically).
Wouldn't it be better if the dog wanted to move by itself?
Transferring this principle back in to the workplace, most motivation strategies are 'push' or 'pull' based.
They are about keeping people moving either with a kick from behind (threats, fear, tough targets,
complicated systems to check people follow a procedure) or by offering choc drops (bonuses, grand
presentations of the vision, conferences, campaigns, initiatives, etc).
10 management motivation examples to illustrate that there are better ways to motivate employees
Blaire Palmer's experience has enabled her to work with a wide range of individuals and groups from a
variety of backgrounds. Some of these people are highly motivated themselves, but struggle to extend
this state of mind to the people they manage. Other people are at the receiving end of KITA motivation
strategies that (obviously) aren't working on them. These people know they 'should' be more engaged
with their work. Sometimes they fake it for a few months but it's not sustainable. In this paper Blaire
identifies some common assumptions about motivation and presents some new paradigms that can
help motivate more effectively.
By adding these coaching tools and motivation principles to your capabilities you should find the job of
leading those around you, and/or helping others to do the same, more of a joyful and rewarding activity.
Instead of spending all your time and energy pushing and cajoling (in the belief that your people's
motivation must come from you) you will be able to focus on leading your team, and enabling them to
achieve their full potential - themselves.
Ultimately, motivation must come from within each person. No leader is ever the single and continuing
source of motivation for a person. While the leader's encouragement, support, inspiration, and example
will at times motivate followers, the leader's greatest role in motivating is to recognize people for who
they are, and to help them find their own way forward by making best use of their own strengths and
abilities. In this way, achievement, development, and recognition will all come quite naturally to the
person, and it is these things which are the true fuels of personal motivation.
By necessity these case studies initially include some negative references and examples, which I would
urge you to see for what they are. How not to do things, and negative references, don't normally
represent a great platform for learning and development.
In life it's so important always to try to accentuate the positive - to encourage positive visualisation - so,
see the negatives for what they are; silly daft old ways that fail, and focus on the the positives in each of
these examples. There are very many.
Motivation example 1 - 'everyone is like me'
One of the most common assumptions we make is that the individuals who work for us are motivated
by the same factors as us. Perhaps you are motivated by loyalty to the company, enjoying a challenge,
proving yourself to others or making money. One great pitfall is to try to motivate others by focusing on
what motivates you.
Marie, a director in her company, was being coached. She was a perfectionist. Every day she pushed
herself to succeed and was rewarded with recognition from her peers. But she was unable to get the
same standard of work from her team members. In the first few weeks of her coaching she would say,
"If only people realized how important it was to put in 110% and how good it felt to get the
acknowledgment, then they would start to feel more motivated".
But it wasn't working. Instead people were starting to become resentful towards Marie's approach.
Acknowledgment was a prime motivator for Marie so to help her consider some other options, she was
helped to brainstorm what else might motivate people in their work. Marie's list grew: 'learning new
skills', 'accomplishing a goal as part of a team', 'creativity', 'achieving work-life balance', 'financial
rewards' and 'the adrenaline rush of working to tight deadlines'. Marie began to see that perhaps her
team were indeed motivated - it was simply that the team members were motivated in a different ways
to her own.
If the leader can tap into and support the team members' own motivations then the leader begins to
help people to realize their full potential.
Motivation example 2 - 'no-one is like me'
Since the 1980's, research has shown that although we know that we are motivated by meaningful and
satisfying work (which is supported by Herzberg's timeless theory on the subject, and virtually all
sensible research ever since), we assume others are motivated mainly by financial rewards. Chip Heath,
associate professor at Stanford University carried out research that found most people believe that
others are motivated by 'extrinsic rewards', such as pay or job security, rather than 'intrinsic motivators',
like a desire to learn new skills or to contribute to an organization.
Numerous surveys show that most people are motivated by intrinsic factors, and in this respect we are
mostly all the same.
Despite this, while many leaders recognize that their own motivation is driven by factors that have
nothing to do with money, they make the mistake of assuming that their people are somehow different,
and that money is central to their motivation.
If leaders assume that their team members only care about their pay packet, or their car, or their
monthly bonus, this inevitably produces a faulty and unsustainable motivational approach.
Leaders must recognize that people are different only in so far as the different particular 'intrinsic'
factor(s) which motivate each person, but in so far as we are all motivated by 'intrinsic' factors, we are
all the same.
Motivation example 3 - 'people don't listen to me'
When some people talk, nearly everyone listens: certain politicians, business leaders, entertainers;
people we regard as high achievers. You probably know people a little like this too. You may not agree
with what they say, but they have a presence, a tone of voice and a confidence that is unmistakable.
Fundamentally these people are great sales-people. They can make an unmitigated disaster sound like
an unqualified victory. But do you need to be like this to motivate and lead?
Certainly not. Many people make the mistake of thinking that the only people who can lead others to
success and achieve true excellence, and are the high-profile, charismatic, 'alpha-male/female' types.
This is not true.
James was a relatively successful salesman but he was never at the top of his team's league table. In
coaching sessions he would wonder whether he would ever be as good as his more flamboyant and
aggressive colleagues. James saw himself as a sensitive person and was concerned that he was too
sensitive for the job.
James was encouraged to look at how he could use his sensitivity to make more sales and beat his
teammates. He reworked his sales pitch and instead of focusing his approach on the product, he based
his initial approach on building rapport and asking questions. He made no attempt to 'sell'. Instead he
listened to the challenges facing the people he called and asked them what kind of solution they were
looking for. When he had earned their trust and established what they needed he would then describe
his product. A character like James is also typically able to establish highly reliable and dependable
processes for self-management, and for organizing activities and resources, all of which are attributes
that are extremely useful and valued in modern business. When he began to work according to his
natural strengths, his sales figures went through the roof.
Each of us has qualities that can be adapted to a leadership role and/or to achieve great success. Instead
of acting the way we think others expect us to, we are more likely to get others behind us and to
succeed if we tap in to our natural, authentic style of leadership and making things happen. The leader
has a responsibility to facilitate this process.
Motivation example 4 - 'some people can't be motivated'
While it's true that not everyone has the same motivational triggers, as already shown, the belief that
some people cannot be motivated is what can lead to the unedifying 'pep-talk and sack them' cycle
favored by many X-Theory managers. Typically managers use conventional methods to inspire their
teams, reminding them that they are 'all in this together' or that they are 'working for the greater good'
or that the management has 'complete faith in you', but when all this fails to make an impact the
manager simply sighs and hands the troublesome employee the termination letter.
The reality is that motivating some individuals does involve an investment of time.
When his manager left the company, Bob was asked by the site director, Frank, to take over some extra
responsibility. As well as administrative work he would be more involved in people management and
report directly to Frank. Frank saw this as a promotion for Bob and assumed that he would be flattered
and take to his new role with gusto. Instead Bob did little but complain. He felt he had too much to do,
he didn't trust the new administrator brought in to lighten his workload, and he felt resentful that his
extra responsibility hadn't come with extra pay. Frank was a good manager and told Bob that he simply
had to be a little more organized, and that he (Frank) had complete belief in Bob to be able to handle
this new challenge. But Bob remained sullen.
So Frank took a different approach: He tried to see the situation from Bob's point of view. Bob enjoyed
his social life, but was no longer able to leave the office at 5pm. Bob was dedicated to doing a good job,
but was not particularly ambitious, so promotion meant little to him. Bob was also expected to work
more closely now with a colleague with whom he clashed. Then Frank looked at how Bob might perceive
him as his boss. He realized Bob probably thought Frank's hands-off management style meant he didn't
care. To Bob it might look as if Frank took no direct interest except when he found fault. Finally, Frank
looked at the situation Bob was in to see if there was anything bringing out the worst in him. He realized
two weeks of every month were effectively 'down-time' for Bob, followed by two weeks where he was
overloaded with work. Having set aside his assumptions about Bob and armed with a more complete
picture from Bob's point of view, Frank arranged for the two of them to meet to discuss a way forward.
Now the two were able to look at the real situation, and to find a workable way forward.
While there is no guarantee that this approach will always work, 'seeking to understand', as Stephen
Covey's 'Seven Habits of Highly Effective People' puts it, is generally a better first step than 'seeking to
be understood'.
It's easier to help someone when you see things from their point of view.
Motivation example 5 - 'but I am listening'
We are always told how valuable listening is as a leadership tool and encouraged to do more of it. So,
when we remember, we listen really hard, trying to catch every detail of what is being said and maybe
follow up with a question to show that we caught everything. This is certainly important. Checking your
email, thinking about last night's big game and planning your weekend certainly stop you from hearing
what is being said.
But there is another important aspect to listening and that is: Listening without Judgment.
Often when an employee tells us why they are lacking motivation we are busy internally making notes
about what is wrong with what they are saying. This is pre-judging. It is not listening properly.
Really listening properly means shutting off the voice in your head that is already planning your counterargument, so that you can actually hear, understand and interpret what you are being told. See the
principles of empathy.
This is not to say that 'the employee is always right', but only when you can really understand the other
person's perception of the situation are you be able to help them develop a strategy that works for
them.
Listening is about understanding how the other person feels - beyond merely the words that they say.
Motivation example 6 - 'if they leave I've failed'
What happens if, at their meeting, Bob admits to Frank that he doesn't see his future with that
company?
What if he says the main reason he is demotivated is that he isn't really suited to the company culture,
and would be happier elsewhere? Has Frank failed?
Not necessarily. It's becoming more widely accepted that the right and sustainable approach is to help
individual employees to tap in to their true motivators and understand their core values. Katherine
Benziger's methodologies are rooted in this philosophy: Employees who 'falsify type' (i.e., behave
unnaturally in order to satisfy external rather than internal motives and drivers) are unhappy, stressed,
and are unable to sustain good performance.
Effort should be focused on helping people to align company goals with individual aspirations. Look at
Adam's Equity Theory to help understand the complexity of personal motivation and goals alignment.
Motivation and goals cannot be imposed from outside by a boss - motivation and goals must be
determined from within the person, mindful of internal needs, and external opportunities and rewards.
Sometimes the person and the company are simply unsuited. In a different culture, industry, role or
team that individual would be energized and dedicated, whereas in the present environment the same
person doesn't fit.
Sometimes 'success' doesn't look the way we expect it to. A successful outcome for an individual and for
a company may be that a demotivated person, having identified what sort of work and environment
would suit them better, leaves to find their ideal job elsewhere.
You succeed as a leader by helping and enabling people to reach their potential and to achieve
fulfillment. If their needs and abilities could be of far greater value elsewhere, let them go; don't force
them to stay out of loyalty. Helping them identify and find a more fitting role elsewhere not only
benefits you and them - it also enables you to find a replacement who is really suited and dedicated to
the job.
True leaders care about the other person's interests - not just your own interests and the interests of
your organization.
Motivation example 7 - 'the same factors that demotivate, motivate'
When asked what brought about lack of motivation at work, the majority of people in research carried
out by Herzberg blamed 'hygiene factors' such as working conditions, salary and company policy. When
asked what motivated them they gave answers such as 'the sense of achievement', 'recognition', 'the
opportunity to grow and advance' and 'greater responsibility'.
Herzberg's findings about human motivation have been tested and proven time and gain. His theory,
and others like it, tells us that the factors that demotivate do not necessarily motivate when reversed.
The conventional solution to dissatisfaction over pay levels would be to increase pay in the belief that
people would then work harder and be more motivated. However, this research shows that whilst
increasing wages, improving job security and positive working relationships have a marginal impact, the
main factors that characterized extreme satisfaction at work are: achievement, recognition, interesting
work, responsibility, advancement and growth.
So it follows that leaders who focus on these aspects - people's true motivational needs and values - are
the true leaders.
Help people to enrich their work and you will truly motivate.
motivation example 8 - 'people will rise to tough challenges'
Many managers hope to motivate by setting their people challenging targets. They believe that raising
the bar higher and higher is what motivates.
Tracey was an effective and conscientious account manager. Her boss habitually set her increasingly
tough objectives, which Tracey generally achieved. However, in achieving her targets last month Tracey
worked several eighteen-hour days, traveled extensively overseas, and had not had a single weekend
break. Sometimes Tracey would mention to her boss that the effort was taking its toll on her health and
happiness.
When Tracey handed in her latest monthly report, her boss said, 'You see? It's worth all the hard work.
So, don't complain about it again.'
Her boss's belief was that Tracey would get a sense of satisfaction from completing an almost impossible
workload. He was relying on her sense of duty - which she had in bucket-loads - to get the job done.
But this is the KITA style of motivation. It doesn't really acknowledge a dedication to the job or a sense
of pride. Its leverage or 'motivation' is simply a lack of choice.
Job enlargement is different to Job enhancement. Herzberg's research shows that improving the
'meaningfulness' of a job (see also motivation example 7) has the motivational impact, not simply
increasing the amount of pressure or volume of the tasks.
Achievement for achievement's sake is no basis for motivation - a person's quality of life must benefit
too.
Motivation example 9 - 'I tried it and it didn't work'
When you try new things - new motivational ideas, especially which affect relationships and feelings - it
is normal for things initially to get a little worse. Change can be a little unsettling at first. But keep the
faith.
People are naturally skeptical of unconventional motivational approaches. They may wonder why you
have suddenly taken such an interest in them. They may feel you are giving them too much
responsibility or be concerned that changes in the way they work may lead to job losses. Herzberg's
research is among other evidence, and modern experience, that after an initial drop in performance,
people quickly adjust and respond to more progressive management and motivational attitudes.
Supporting and coaching people through this stage of early doubt is vital.
Encourage and help people to grow and develop, and performance improvement is inevitable.
Motivation example 10 - 'this type of motivation takes too much time'
If you've absorbed the ideas above, you might wonder where you would find the time to motivate
people using these approaches.
It is true that this style of leadership, sustainable motivation, commitment and focus is in the beginning
more time consuming than 'KITA' methods; this is bound to be, since KITA methods require far less
thought.
Engaging fully with your staff, understanding their wants, desires and values, getting to know them as
individuals and developing strategies that achieve a continuous release of energy is more intensive and
takes time to work.
But consider the advantages. This investment of time means you will eventually have less to do. Instead
of constantly urging your people along and having to solve all the problems yourself, you'll be the leader
of a group performing at a higher level of ability and productivity, giving you the chance to step back
from fire-fighting and to consider the bigger picture.
Herzberg was not alone in identifying that leaders need invest in the development of their teams, and
also of their own successors. See also the principles of the Tannenbaum and Schmidt Continuum.
Douglas McGregor's X-Y Theory is pretty central to all this too. So is Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, from
the individual growth perspective. Hersey's and Blanchard's Situation Leadership® model also illustrates
clearly how important team development is for leaders and organizations. And see also Bruce Tuckman's
'Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing' model. All of these renowned theories clearly demonstrate
the need for teams, and the individuals within them, to be positively led and developed.
Your responsibility as leader is to develop your team so that it can take on more and more of your own
responsibility. A mature team should be virtually self-managing, leaving you free to concentrate on all
the job-enhancing strategic aspects that you yourself need in order to keep motivated and developing.
JOB ENLARGEMENT, ENRICHMENT AND ROTATION
Job is a significant aspect in one’s life. It is the primary institution through which the employee satisfies
his or her diverse needs. He or she earns a living from the job, socialize in work organizations, and
realizes potentialities through work. Work is also a primary means of achieving goals-economic, social,
political and cultural. People, in general, spend a considerable amount of time working. In fact, seems to
be the only thing that people can do eight hours or more, day after day, without much interruption. All
the other activities one enjoys, such as eating, plying and sex, no matter how much one enjoys these,
are easily suitable. In our society, we philosophy upon work and treat it as worship.
Naturally, job has become a serious subject for social scientists and practicing managers. It has become
an issue for many workers because it is losing its intrinsic value. Some workers express dissatisfaction
with their jobs, and this dissatisfaction seems to have an adverse effect on motivation and quality of life
general.
Attempts have been made to use jobs for motivating employees in organizations. Job enrichment and
rotation are but example in that direction.
Job Enrichment
First coined by Herzberg in his famous research on motivators and maintenance factors, job enrichment
has now become a popular concept.
It simply means adding a few more motivators to a job to make it more rewarding. To be specific, a job
is enriched when the nature of the job is exciting, challenging, and creative, or it gives the job holder
more decision-making, planning and controlling powers.
According to Herzberg, an enriched job has eight characteristics. These features are described as follows
and illustrated.
1.Direct feedback: Employees should be able to get immediate knowledge of the results they are
achieving. The evaluation of performance can be built into a job (as in an electronic spell-checker,
indicating the presence or absence of errors) or provided by supervisor.
2.Clint Relationship: An employee who serves a client or a customer directly has an enriched job. The
client can be from outside the firm (such as a mechanic dealing with car owner) or from inside (such as a
computer operator running a job for another department).
3.New learning: An enriched job allows its incumbent to feel that he\she is growing mentally. An
assistant who clips relevant newspaper articles for his\her boss is, doing an enriched job.
4.Scheduling Own Work: Freedom to schedule one’s own work contributes to enrichment. Deciding
when to tackle which assignment is an example of self-scheduling. Employees who perform creative
work have a greater opportunity to schedule their assignments than employees performing routine jobs.
5.Unique Experience: An enriched job has some unique qualities or features, such as a quality controller
visiting supplier’s place.
6.Control Over Resources: One approach to job enrichment is for each employee to have control over
his\her resources and expenses. For example, he\she must have the authority to order supplies
necessary for completing his\her job.
7.Direct Communication Authority: An enriched job allows the worker to communicate directly with
people who use his\her output, such as a quality assurance handling a customer’s complaints about the
quality of the company product.
8.Personal Accountability: An enriched job holds the incumbent responsible for the results. He or she
receives praise for good work and blame for poor work.
Being a direct outgrowth of herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation, job enrichment is a valuable
motivational technique. A few studies conducted in the US demonstrated the usefulness of job
enrichment as a motivator. For example, a study of AT&T with clerical and other company employees
showed a positive improvement in job performance, and satisfaction after job enrichment.
The usefulness if job enrichment in motivating employees is well-known to everyone, specially to people
working in government establishments. A laboratory technician in the health department of a stategovernment enterprise experiences frustration after 20 years of working in the same capacity. The
incumbent hardly finds the job interesting. The only regular work the employee does on every working
day is to sign the attendance register at 10 a.m. He or she, naturally, plans to take voluntary retirement.
The frustration of such employees, whose number unfortunately is considerable, can be enriching the
jobs.
Some cautions about job Enrichment
Since job enrichment has been so well-published in recent years, as a method of increasing worker
motivation, one can easily be misled by its possibilities. Although job enrichment can cause increased
employee motivation there are some other factors that should be considered.
1.Job Enrichment is not a substitute for good Management: Regardless of how enriched jobs might be in
an organization, if other environmental factors in the organization are not adequate, job enrichment will
have little or no effect. Job enrichment is not a substitute for good supervisory practices, wages, and
company policies.
2.‘Enriched’ is a Relative Team: As a general rule, job enrichment proposes that jobs with little
responsibility should be improved to provide a greater responsibility for the incumbent. However, we
must remember that describing a job as one with ‘little responsibility’ carries an implicit assumption
about the person occupying that role. While the job may appear to be boring to the observer, the
person actually performing the job may find it quite challenging.
3.Enriching Jobs may Create a ‘Snowball’ Effect: Given that organizations have a fixed amount of
authority to distribute among its member, enriching one person’s job means taking authority away from
another (most likely the manager). This not only present system design problems (for example, rewriting
job descriptions) but it can also present a practical barrier since labour unions may resist a scheme that
eliminates jobs.
4.Job Enrichment Assumes that Workers want More Responsibility: Clearly, if we take extreme case of a
worker who is motivated by a lack of responsibility, then job enrichment for this person would be
disaster. For workers, who for a variety of reasons, are satisfied with their current level of responsibility,
job enrichment cause more problems that it may cure.
5.Job Enrichment may have Negative Short-term Effects: For a short time after an increase I the job
responsibility, it is not unusual for organizations to experience a drop in productivity, as workers
become accustomed to the new work systems. After this initial drop, however, many firms report an
increased productivity that job enrichment is supposed to produce. If an evaluation of a job-enrichment
programme is made too early, the management may erroneously conclude that the programme is not
working.
6.Job Enrichment is a Static Process: People become bored in their jobs because their capacity to make
decisions is not fully utilized. Even though the job is changed to utilize this capacity, there is ample
evidence to suggest that personal capacity is a dynamic, developing attribute. It is likely, therefore, that
after a period of time (the exact amount varies from person to person) the worker will outgrow the
enriched job. If this occurs, additional enrichment will be required to fully utilize the individual’s
increased capacity. If jobs cannot be changed over time to use this capacity, the worker could be
transferred to another job which has a higher level of work (promotion).
7.Participation can Affect the Enrichment Process: Herzberg originally recommended that workers
should not be involved in the enrichment process. His logic was that workers are often conditioned to
see their jobs in terms of ‘Hygiene’ factors and are unable to respond to the job content. No doubt, this
is a factor that the management must consider in the participation process, but recent research indicted
that participation can have a positive effect.
8.Change is Difficult to Implement: As is too well-known, any change is resisted and this applies to job
enrichment jobs through increasing the level of responsibility will result in an increased motivation. On
the other hand, our knowledge about change processes tells us that this type of change is one of the
most difficult things to implement in a work situation. The initiation of a job-enrichment programme
must take this factor into account. In other words, employees are not likely to be elated at the
announcement of a job-enrichment programme.
Job Enlargement
Job enlargement refers to the expansion of the number of different tasks performed by an employee in
a single job. For example, an auto mechanic switches from only changing oil to changing oil, greasing,
and changing transmission fluid. Job enlargement attempts to add somewhat similar tasks to the job so
that it will have more variety and more interesting.
Figure shows the distinction between job enrichment and job enlargement. Historically too, job
enlargement preceded job enrichment. An enlarged job can motivate an individual for five reasons:
Job
Enrichment
Job Enrichment
and
Enlargement
Routine
Job
Job
Enlargement
Variety of Tasks
(Focus on Breadth)
Fig. Shows a Difference between job enrichment and job enlargement
1.Task Variety Highly fragmented jobs requiring a limited number of unchanging responses tend to be
extremely monotonous. Increasing the number of tasks to be performed can reduce the level of
boredom.
2.Meaningful Work Modules Frequently, jobs are enlarged so that one worker completes a whole unit of
work, or a major portion of it. This tends to increase satisfaction by allowing workers to appreciate their
contribution to the entire project or product.
3.Ability Utilization: Workers derive greater satisfaction from jobs that best utilize their physical and
mental skills and abilities. Enlarged jobs tend to fulfill this condition. However, the management must be
careful not to enlarge jobs too much, because jobs that require more skills and abilities than the worker
possesses lead to frustration and present obstacles to task accomplishments. Enlarged jobs with optimal
levels of complexity, on the other hand, create tasks that are challenging but attainable.
4.Worker-paced Control: Job-enlargement schemes often move a worker from a machine-paced
production line to a job in which, if they can vary the rhythm and work at their own pace.
5.Performance Feedback: Workers performing narrow jobs with short performance cycles repeat the
same set of motions endlessly, without meaningful and points. As a result, it is difficult to count the
number of finished performance cycles. Even if they are counted, the feedback tends to be meaningless.
Enlarged jobs allow for more meaningful feedback, and can be particularly motivated if it tied to
evaluation and organizational rewards.
Although the benefits of job enlargement are several, certain disadvantages cannot be ignored. First
training costs tend to rise. Workers may require additional training for their new, enlarged tasks. Besides
if the job-enlargement programme involves breaking up of the existing production line of work system,
redesigning a new2 system and training employees to adjust to it, the cost can be substantial. Moreover,
productivity may fall during the introduction of a new system. Another drawback is that unions often
argue for increased pay because of the increased work load. Finally, even after enlargement, many jobs
may still be routine and boring.
Job Rotation
This involves shifting an employee from one job to another. When an activity is no longer challenging,
the employee would be rotated to another job, at the same level, that has similar skills requirement. It
reduces boredom and disinterest through diversifying the employees, activities. Other benefits are also
available. Employees with a wider range of skills give the management more flexibility in scheduling
work, adapting to changes, and filling vacancies. Job rotation has drawbacks. Training costs are
increased, work is disrupted as rotated employees take time to adjust to a new set-up, it can demotivate
intelligent and ambitious trainees who seek specific responsibilities.
Employee Understanding Motivation
The employees who work for your company are naturally motivated. All you need to do is to utilize their
natural ability, which you can do without spending a dime. That's right. No money. In fact, money can
actually decrease an employee's motivation and performance. The first step in utilizing your employees'
natural abilities is to eliminate your organization's negative practices that zap away their natural
motivation. The second step your organization can take is to develop true motivators, which can spark
all your employees into being motivated. By decreasing negative zapping demotivators and by adding
true motivators, you will tap into your employees' natural motivation. Your employees' natural
motivation relies on the fact that all people have human desires for affiliation, achievement, and for
control and power over their work. In addition, they have desires for ownership, competence,
recognition, and meaning in their work.But there are several ways that management unwittingly
demotivates employees and diminishes, if not outright destroys, their enthusiasm.
Many companies treat employees as disposable. At the first sign of business difficulty, employees-who
are usually routinely referred to as "our greatest asset"-become expendable?Employees generally
receive inadequate recognition and reward: About half of the workers in our surveys report receiving
little or no credit, and almost two-thirds say management is much more likely to criticize them for poor
performance than praise them for good work. Management inadvertently makes it difficult for
employees to do their jobs. Excessive levels of required approvals, endless paperwork, insufficient
training, failure to communicate, infrequent delegation of authority, and a lack of a credible vision
contribute to employees' frustration.
Clearing Up Common Myths about Employee Motivation
The topic of motivating employees is extremely important to managers and supervisors. Despite the
important of the topic, several myths persist -- especially among new managers and supervisors. Before
looking at what management can do to support the motivation of employees, it's important first to clear
up these common myths.
1. Myth #1 -- "I can motivate people"
Not really -- they have to motivate themselves. You can't motivate people anymore than you can
empower them. Employees have to motivate and empower themselves. However, you can set up an
environment where they best motivate and empower themselves. The key knows how to set up the
environment for each of your employees.
2. Myth #2 -- "Money is a good motivator"
Not really. Certain things like money, a nice office and job security can help people from becoming less
motivated, but they usually don't help people to become more motivated. A key goal is to understand
the motivations of each of your employees.
3.Myth #3 --"Fear is a damn good motivator"
Fear is a great motivator -- for a very short time. That's why a lot of yelling from the boss won't seem to
"light a spark under employees" for a very long time.
4. Myth #4 -- "I know what motivates me, so I know what motivates my employees"Not really. Different
people are motivated by different things. I may be greatly motivated by earning time away from my job
to spend more time my family. You might be motivated much more by recognition of a job well done.
People are not motivated by the same things. Again, a key goal is to understand what motivates each of
your employees.
5. Myth #5 -- "Increased job satisfaction means increased job performance"Research shows this isn't
necessarily true at all. Increased job satisfaction does not necessarily mean increased job performance.
If the goals of the organization are not aligned with the goals of employees, then employees aren't
effectively working toward the mission of the organization.
6. Myth #6 -- "I can't comprehend employee motivation -- it's a science"Nah. Not true. There are some
very basic steps you can take that will go a long way toward supporting your employees to motivate
themselves toward increased performance in their jobs. (More about these steps is provided later on in
this article.)
Basics about Employee Motivation (Including Steps You Can Take)
Basic Principles to Remember
1. Motivating employees starts with motivating yourself
It's amazing how, if you hate your job, it seems like everyone else does, too. If you are very stressed out,
it seems like everyone else is, too. Enthusiasm is contagious. If you're enthusiastic about your job, it's
much easier for others to be, too. Also, if you're doing a good job of taking care of yourself and your
own job, you'll have much clearer perspective on how others are doing in theirs.
A great place to start learning about motivation is to start understanding your own motivations. The key
to helping to motivate your employees is to understand what motivates them. So what motivates you?
Consider, for example, time with family, recognition, a job well done, service, learning, etc. How is your
job configured to support your own motivations? What can you do to better motivate yourself?
2. Always work to align goals of the organization with goals of employeesas mentioned above,
employees can be all fired up about their work and be working very hard. However, if the results of their
work don't contribute to the goals of the organization, then the organization is not any better off than if
the employees were sitting on their hands -- maybe worse off! Therefore, it's critical that managers and
supervisors know what they want from their employees. These preferences should be worded in terms
of goals for the organization. Identifying the goals for the organization is usually done during strategic
planning. Whatever steps you take to support the motivation of your employees (various steps are
suggested below), ensure that employees have strong input to identifying their goals and that these
goals are aligned with goals of the organization. (Goals should be worded to be "SMARTER".
3. Key to supporting the motivation of your employees is understanding what motivates each of them
each person is motivated by different things. Whatever steps you take to support the motivation of your
employees, they should first include finding out what it is that really motivates each of your employees.
You can find this out by asking them, listening to them and observing them.
4. Recognize that supporting employee motivation is a process, not a taskOrganizations change all the
time, as do people. Indeed, it is an ongoing process to sustain an environment where each employee can
strongly motivate themselves. If you look at sustaining employee motivation as an ongoing process, then
you'll be much more fulfilled and motivated yourself.
5. Support employee motivation by using organizational systems (for example, policies and procedures)-don't just count on good intentions
don’t just count on cultivating strong interpersonal relationships with employees to help motivate them.
The nature of these relationships can change greatly, for example, during times of stress. Instead, use
reliable and comprehensive systems in the workplace to help motivate employees. For example,
establish compensation systems, employee performance systems, organizational policies and
procedures, etc., to support employee motivation. Also, establishing various systems and structures
helps ensure clear understanding and equitable treatment of employees.
Steps You Can Take
The following specific steps can help you go a long way toward supporting your employees to motivate
themselves in your organization.
1. Do more than read this article -- apply what you're reading herethis maxim is true when reading any
management publication.
2. Briefly write down the motivational factors that sustain you and what you can do to sustain them
this little bit of "motivation planning" can give you strong perspective on how to think about supporting
the motivations of your employees.
3. Make of list of three to five things that motivate each of your employeesRead the checklist of possible
motivators. Fill out the list yourself for each of your employees and then have each of your employees
fill out the list for them. Compare your answers to theirs. Recognize the differences between your
impressions of what you think are important to them and what they think is important to them. Then
meet with each of your employees to discuss what they think are the most important motivational
factors to them. Lastly, take some time alone to write down how you will modify your approaches with
each employee to ensure their motivational factors are being met. (NOTE: This may seem like a "soft,
touchy-feely exercise" to you. If it does, then talk to a peer or your boss about it. Much of what's
important in management is based very much on "soft, touchy-feely exercises". Learn to become more
comfortable with them. The place to start is to recognize their importance.)
4. Work with each employee to ensure their motivational factors are taken into consideration in your
reward systems
For example, their jobs might be redesigned to be more fulfilling. You might find more means to provide
recognition, if that is important to them. You might develop a personnel policy that rewards employees
with more family time, etc.
5. Have one-on-one meetings with each employee
Employees are motivated more by your care and concern for them than by your attention to them. Get
to know your employees, their families, their favorite foods, names of their children, etc. This can sound
manipulative -- and it will be if not done sincerely. However, even if you sincerely want to get to know
each of your employees, it may not happen unless you intentionally set aside time to be with each of
them.
6. Cultivate strong skills in delegation
Delegation includes conveying responsibility and authority to your employees so they can carry out
certain tasks. However, you leave it up to your employees to decide how they will carry out the tasks.
Skills in delegation can free up a great deal of time for managers and supervisors. It also allows
employees to take a stronger role in their jobs, which usually means more fulfillment and motivation in
their jobs, as well.
7. Reward it when you see it
A critical lesson for new managers and supervisors is to learn to focus on employee behaviors, not on
employee personalities. Performance in the workplace should be based on behaviors toward goals, not
on popularity of employees. You can get in a great deal of trouble (legally, morally and interpersonally)
for focusing only on how you feel about your employees rather than on what you're seeing with your
eyeballs.
8. Reward it soon after you see it
this helps to reinforce the notion that you highly prefer the behaviors that you're currently seeing from
your employees. Often, the shorter the time between an employee's action and your reward for the
action, the clearer it is to the employee that you highly prefer that action. 9. Implement at least the
basic principles of performance management
Good performance management includes identifying goals, measures to indicate if the goals are being
met or not, ongoing attention and feedback about measures toward the goals, and corrective actions to
redirect activities back toward achieving the goals when necessary. Performance management can focus
on organizations, groups, processes in the organization and employees.
10. Establish goals that are SMARTER
SMARTER goals are: specific, measurable, acceptable, realistic, timely, extending of capabilities, and
rewarding to those involved.
11. Clearly convey how employee results contribute to organizational resultsEmployees often feel strong
fulfillment from realizing that they're actually making a difference. This realization often requires clear
communication about organizational goals, employee progress toward those goals and celebration
when the goals are met.
12. Celebrate achievements
this critical step is often forgotten. New managers and supervisors are often focused on a getting "a lot
done". This usually means identifying and solving problems. Experienced managers come to understand
that acknowledging and celebrating a solution to a problem can be every bit as important as the solution
itself. Without ongoing acknowledgement of success, employees become frustrated, skeptical and even
cynical about efforts in the organization.
13. Let employees hear from their customers (internal or external)
Let employees hear customers proclaim the benefits of the efforts of the employee . For example, if the
employee is working to keep internal computer systems running for other employees (internal
customers) in the organization, then have other employees express their gratitude to the employee. If
an employee is providing a product or service to external customers, then bring in a customer to express
their appreciation to the employee.
14. Admit to yourself (and to an appropriate someone else) if you don't like an employee -- Managers
and supervisors are people. It's not unusual to just not like someone who works for you. That someone
could, for example, look like an uncle you don't like. In this case, admit to yourself that you don't like the
employee. Then talk to someone else who is appropriate to hear about your distaste for the employee,
for example, a peer, your boss, your spouse, etc. Indicate to the appropriate person that you want to
explore what it is that you don't like about the employee and would like to come to a clearer perception
of how you can accomplish a positive working relationship with the employee. It often helps a great deal
just to talk out loud about how you feel and get someone else's opinion about the situation. As noted
above, if you continue to focus on what you see about employee performance, you'll go a long way
toward ensuring that your treatment of employees remains fair and equitable.
Ten Tips on Improving Employee Motivation
No matter the size of your company, having a team of motivated, hard-working employees is crucial to
your business success. When people lose their motivation, however, their job performance suffers -they become less productive, less creative, less of an asset to the company.
Here are 10 useful pointers on getting your employees enthused, productive, and ready to give their all:
1.Build a foundation. It’s important to build a solid foundation for your employees so they feel invested
in the company. Tell them about the history of the business and your vision for the future. Ask them
about their expectations and career goals, as well as how you can help them feel part of the team.
When any new employee starts, make sure he or she receives a thorough welcome orientation.
2.Create a positive environment. Promote an office atmosphere that makes all employees feel
worthwhile and important. Don’t play favorites with your staff. Keep office doors open and let folks
know they can always approach you with questions or concerns. A happy office is a productive office.
3.Put people on the right path. Most employees are looking for advancement opportunities within their
own company. Work with each of them to develop a career growth plan that takes into consideration
both their current skills and future goals. If employees become excited about what’s down the road,
they will become more engaged in their present work.
4.Educate the masses. Help employees improve their professional skills by providing on-the-job training
or in-house career development. Allow them to attend workshops and seminars related to the industry.
Encourage them to attend adult education classes paid for by the company. Employees will feel you are
investing in them, and this will translate into an improved job performance.
5.Don’t forget the fun. Once in a while you have put work aside and do something nice for the people
who work for you. Treat the office to a pizza lunch or take everyone to the movies. Reward employees
with an unexpected day off or by closing the office early on a random Friday afternoon.
6.Acknowledge contributions. You can make a huge difference in employee morale simply by taking the
time to recognize each employee’s contributions and accomplishments, large or small. Be generous with
praise.
7.Provide incentives. Offer people incentives to perform well, either with something small like a gift
certificate or something more substantial such as a performance-based bonus or salary increase. Give
out “Employee of the Month” awards. Such tokens of appreciation will go far in motivating employees.
8.Honor your promises. Getting people to give their all requires following through on promises. If you
tell an employee that he or she will be considered for a bonus if numbers improve or productivity
increases, you’d better put your money where your mouth is. Failure to follow through on promises will
result in a loss of trust -- not only that person’s trust, but the trust of every employee that hears the
story.
9.Provide career coaching. Help employees reach the next level professionally by providing on-site
coaching. Bring in professionals to provide one-on-one counseling, which can help people learn how to
overcome personal or professional obstacles on their career paths.
10. Match tasks to talents. You can improve employee motivation by improving employee confidence.
Assign individuals with tasks you know they will enjoy or will be particularly good at. An employee who
is successful at one thing will have the self-confidence to tackle other projects with renewed energy and
excitement.
Methodology
The research design for this study employed a descriptive survey method. The target population of this
study included employees at the Piketon Research and Extension Center and Enterprise Center
(centers). The sample size included all 25 employees of the target population. Twenty-three of the 25
employees participated in the survey for a participation rate of 92%. The centers are in Piketon, Ohio.
The mission of the Enterprise Center is to facilitate individual and community leader awareness and
provide assistance in preparing and accessing economic opportunities in southern Ohio. The Enterprise
Center has three programs: alternatives in agriculture, small business development, and women's
business development. The mission of the Piketon Research and Extension Center is to conduct research
and educational programs designed to enhance economic development in southern Ohio. The Piketon
Research and Extension Center has five programs: aquaculture, community economic development,
horticulture, forestry, and soil and water resources.
From a review of literature, a survey questionnaire was developed to collect data for the study (Bowen
& Radhakrishna, 1991; Harpaz, 1990; Kovach, 1987). Data was collected through use of a written
questionnaire hand-delivered to participants. Questionnaires were filled out by participants and
returned to an intra-departmental mailbox. The questionnaire asked participants to rank the importance
of ten factors that motivated them in doing their work: 1=most important . . . 10=least important. Face
and content validity for the instrument were established using two administrative and professional
employees at The Ohio State University. The instrument was pilot tested with three similarly situated
employees within the university. As a result of the pilot test, minor changes in word selection and
instructions were made to the questionnaire.
Results and Discussion
The ranked order of motivating factors were: (a) interesting work, (b) good wages, (c) full appreciation
of work done, (d) job security, (e) good working conditions, (f) promotions and growth in the
organization, (g) feeling of being in on things, (h) personal loyalty to employees, (i) tactful discipline, and
(j) sympathetic help with personal problems.
A comparison of these results to Maslow's need-hierarchy theory provides some interesting insight into
employee motivation. The number one ranked motivator, interesting work, is a self-actualizing factor.
The number two ranked motivator, good wages, is a physiological factor. The number three ranked
motivator, full appreciation of work done, is an esteem factor. The number four ranked motivator, job
security, is a safety factor. Therefore, according to Maslow (1943), if managers wish to address the most
important motivational factor of Centers' employees, interesting work, physiological, safety, social, and
esteem factors must first be satisfied. If managers wished to address the second most important
motivational factor of centers' employees, good pay, increased pay would suffice. Contrary to what
Maslow's theory suggests, the range of motivational factors is mixed in this study. Maslow's conclusions
that lower level motivational factors must be met before ascending to the next level were not confirmed
by this study.
The following example compares the highest ranked motivational factor (interesting work) to Vroom's
expectancy theory. Assume that a Centers employee just attended a staff meeting where he/she
learned a major emphasis would be placed on seeking additional external program funds. Additionally,
employees who are successful in securing funds will be given more opportunities to explore their own
research and extension interests (interesting work). Employees who do not secure additional funds will
be required to work on research and extension programs identified by the director. The employee
realizes that the more research he/she does regarding funding sources and the more proposals he/she
writes, the greater the likelihood he/she will receive external funding.
Because the state legislature has not increased appropriations to the centers for the next two years
(funds for independent research and extension projects will be scaled back), the employee sees a direct
relationship between performances (obtaining external funds) and rewards (independent research and
Extension projects). Further, the employee went to work for the centers, in part, because of the
opportunity to conduct independent research and extension projects. The employee will be motivated if
he/she is successful in obtaining external funds and given the opportunity to conduct independent
research and extension projects. On the other hand, motivation will be diminished if the employee is
successful in obtaining external funds and the director denies the request to conduct independent
research and Extension projects.
The following example compares the third highest ranked motivational factor (full appreciation of work
done) to Adams's equity theory. If an employee at the centers feels that there is a lack of appreciation
for work done, as being too low relative to another employee, an inequity may exist and the employee
will be dis-motivated. Further, if all the employees at the centers feel that there is a lack of appreciation
for work done, inequity may exist. Adams (1965) stated employees will attempt to restore equity
through various means, some of which may be counter- productive to organizational goals and
objectives. For instance, employees who feel their work is not being appreciated may work less or
undervalue the work of other employees.
This final example compares the two highest motivational factors to Herzberg's two-factor theory. The
highest ranked motivator, interesting work, is a motivator factor. The second ranked motivator, good
wages is a hygiene factor. Herzberg, Mausner, & Snyderman (1959) stated that to the degree that
motivators are present in a job, motivation will occur. The absence of motivators does not lead to
dissatisfaction. Further, they stated that to the degree that hygienes are absent from a job,
dissatisfaction will occur. When present, hygienes prevent dissatisfaction, but do not lead to
satisfaction. In our example, the lack of interesting work (motivator) for the centers' employees would
not lead to dissatisfaction. Paying centers' employee’s lower wages (hygiene) than what they believe to
be fair may lead to job dissatisfaction. Conversely, employees will be motivated when they are doing
interesting work and but will not necessarily be motivated by higher pay.
The discussion above, about the ranked importance of motivational factors as related to motivational
theory, is only part of the picture. The other part is how these rankings compare with related research. A
study of industrial employees, conducted by Kovach (1987), yielded the following ranked order of
motivational factors: (a) interesting work, (b) full appreciation of work done, and (c) feeling of being in
on things. Another study of employees, conducted by Harpaz (1990), yielded the following ranked order
of motivational factors: (a) interesting work, (b) good wages, and (c) job security.
In this study and the two cited above, interesting work ranked as the most important motivational
factor. Pay was not ranked as one of the most important motivational factors by Kovach (1987), but was
ranked second in this research and by Harpaz (1990). Full appreciation of work done was not ranked as
one of the most important motivational factors by Harpaz (1990), but was ranked second in this
research and by Kovach (1987). The discrepancies in these research findings supports the idea that what
motivates employees differs given the context in which the employee works. What is clear, however, is
that employees rank interesting work as the most important motivational factor.
Implications for Centers and Extension
The ranked importance of motivational factors of employees at the centers provides useful information
for the centers' director and employees. Knowing how to use this information in motivating centers'
employees is complex. The strategy for motivating centers' employees depends on which motivation
theories are used as a reference point. If Hertzberg's theory is followed, management should begin by
focusing on pay and job security (hygiene factors) before focusing on interesting work and full
appreciation of work done (motivator factors). If Adams' equity theory is followed, management should
begin by focusing on areas where there may be perceived inequities (pay and full appreciation of work
done) before focusing on interesting work and job security. If Vroom's theory is followed, management
should begin by focusing on rewarding (pay and interesting work) employee effort in achieving
organizational goals and objectives.
Regardless of which theory is followed, interesting work and employee pay appear to be important links
to higher motivation of centers' employees. Options such as job enlargement, job enrichment,
promotions, internal and external stipends, monetary, and non-monetary compensation should be
considered. Job enlargement can be used (by managers) to make work more interesting (for employees)
by increasing the number and variety of activities performed. Job enrichment can used to make work
more interesting and increase pay by adding higher level responsibilities to a job and providing
monetary compensation (raise or stipend) to employees for accepting this responsibility. These are just
two examples of an infinite number of methods to increase motivation of employees at the centers. The
key to motivating centers' employees is to know what motivates them and designing a motivation
program based on those needs.
The results presented in this paper also have implications for the entire Cooperative Extension Sysyem.
The effectiveness of Extension is dependent upon the motivation of its employees (Chesney, 1992;
Buford, 1990; Smith, 1990). Knowing what motivates employees and incorporating this knowledge into
the reward system will help Extension identify, recruit, employ, train, and retain a productive workforce.
Motivating Extension employees requires both managers and employees working together (Buford,
1993). Extension employees must be willing to let managers know what motivates them, and managers
must be willing to design reward systems that motivate employees. Survey results, like those presented
here, are useful in helping Extension managers determine what motivates employees (Bowen &
Radhakrishna, 1991). If properly designed reward systems are not implemented, however, employees
will not be motivated.
Ignite the Two Fires of Employee Motivation
Driving your small business to higher levels of performance and profits requires two types of employee
motivation. The workplace environment can be shaped to create a motivating workforce. Before you
can build motivation within your company, you must understand employee motivation.
Successful business owners accept responsibility for the atmosphere of the workplace. In any market
and economy, small business has the greatest opportunity to create a caring, motivating environment.
Using "command & control" style management is not effective in creating a motivating workplace. What
is effective is tapping into the two forms of employee motivation; intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.
 Intrinsic Employee Motivation: The word intrinsic means within or internal. This is the form of
motivation you have within yourself that comes from a passion or interest in doing a job well done.
Extrinsic Employee Motivation: This force of motivation comes from the external and relies on
recognition and rewards.
Most small business miss the two-sides of motivation when designing employee motivation programs.
Take the time to ignite both forms of motivation and watch your staff performance grow by leaps and
bounds.
Three Ways to Ignite Intrinsic Employee Motivation
Purpose: How does your company change the lives of others? Focus on creating a small business culture
with a strong mission statement. People want to be part of something bigger.
Belief: Help your employees believe in what your company sells. Make certain all staff members have a
chance to experience your services and/or products.
Passion: Hire Right. Match job descriptions to candidates' passions. If your company requires a market
researcher, hire someone who has a passion for research. The job will provide all the intrinsic employee
motivation for passion-centered staff members.
Three Ways to Ignite Extrinsic Employee Motivation
Rewards: Customize your rewards. Listen to what is important to your employees. Money is not
everything. Family time off or tickets to a major sports event may be more meaningful.
Recognition: Ensure recognition is timely. Being awarded for a major client sale at the end of the quarter
may be fine but provide some immediate recognition after the deal.
Growth: A workplace full of opportunities for employees to grow and expand their knowledge is a
motivating company. Place employee development at the top of your list for employee motivation and
the benefits your small business will exceed your expectations.
Benefits of High Employee Motivation
creates a workplace and culture of high achievers
Improved business and staff productivity
Reduced employee turnover. It is important not only to attract talent to your firm but to also keep the
talent.
Decrease in sick days and absenteeism.
Employee motivation is the responsibility of your company. Employees will never have the same level of
commitment and motivation as the owner of a small business. Once you grasp this concept than you can
move towards taking action to building a caring and employee motivating business.
Are Your Employees Having Fun Yet?
Are you having fun as a manager or is it a lot of work? Is your team enjoying themselves? How often do
you hear laughter flowing through the workspace?
We get so busy doing the work that we forget how important it is to enjoy the people we work with.
Everyone is there to do a job and that’s fairly obvious to most people. Yet, as their manager, you need to
know that happy employees are productive and definitely more loyal to you and the company.
Fun comes in different formats: planned fun events such as company picnics, holiday parties or special
launch events. Then there is the spontaneous fun experience…the manager brings in bagels and
muffins…just because.
Both kinds of fun build employees productivity, though the “every day type of fun “adds more value to
the overall happiness of your employees.
Question: Do you say “we have so much work to do, that it is impossible to fit in a fun event during the
day.” If you were to create a 10-minute fun experience for the staff, would the work really suffer? I
don’t think so! It’s all a matter of “priority” that fun is for you and your team.
You’re the manager…you set the tone of a working environment…will there be fun or not? Fun energizes
your team. Start small and build your “fun” muscles.
Here are some fun ideas that you can bring back to your team:Create “fun specialists” that generate fun
ideas…you can have an opinion here.
Food is always a great way to bring people together. Bring in bagel and muffins in the morning, put out
some candy, pop some popcorn or pizza for lunch. Whatever your budget, you can always find a goody
to share.
One company had employees from different countries. They had a potluck luncheon where everyone
brought in a special ethnic dish to share with others.
Have someone organize a Friday night after work gathering
Birthday fun….bring in a balloon or whatever fun idea you have to recognize a person’s birthday. Or
have a birthday card passed around for everyone to sign and then give it to the “birthday” person.
New hire gathering. One company of 20 people scheduled a half-hour before the close of the day for a
“cookies and drinks” event. Everyone introduce himself or herself to the new person, sharing with the
new person one fun fact about themselves. Lots of laughter going on here and the new person felt
it…..what a great way to introduce this person to the team. By the way, the new person also had to offer
one fun fact about them.
·Schedule spontaneously a “random acts of kindness” day where everyone has to do one kind thing to
someone that day without them knowing…bring in lunch, or as the day closes, come together over some
goodies to celebrate a great day.
Creating a fun workplace and thought this would be great material in your own brainstorming:
Here are some zany ways to celebrate:
Christmas in July Un birthday Parties Bad Hair Day PJ Day Come Dressed as Your Favorite Holiday Day
Elvis Day Polka Dot Day Dress Your Boss Day Foreign Language Day (speak only in a foreign language or
with a fake accent) Crazy Hat Day Clash Day. Dress up or Down Day. Tie Day. Mismatched Sock Day.
Backwards Day. Movie Theme Day (pick a favorite).
Have fun today!
Understanding Employee Drives and Motivations - The First Step Towards Motivation at Work
Soon to be completed and published: A practical step-by-step guide on the subject for managers,
supervisors, trainers, and human resources directors. List yourself here to be advised when the book will
be ready for sale.
However large or small a company or business is, it is employees at all levels that can make or break it.
This holds true not only for the people we hire on a regular basis, but also for temporary and contracted
workers. It is as important to research and study the needs, drives, and expectations of people we hire
or employ, and aim at responding to and satisfying those, as it is with regard to customers.
In actual fact, considering the role each "employee" plays in a company's success, analyzing and
planning an adequate response to employees' motivations deserves first place in the order of business.
Before going any further, let us shift our approach from grouping people under the generic category of
"employee" to individual human beings and term them as "hired workers" or "working partners". This is
what they are. We must acknowledge them as human beings with individual needs, drives,
characteristics, personalities, and acknowledge their contribution to the business success.
Though each person has specific needs, drives, aspirations, and capabilities, at varying degrees of
intensity, people's basic needs are the same, as illustrated by Abraham Maslow in the following model:
Self-Actualization
Ego
Social Needs
Safety Needs
Physiological Needs
MASLOW'S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS
Maslow explains the Hierarchy of Needs as applied to workers roughly as follows:
Physiological Needs
Basic physical needs: the ability to acquire food, shelter, clothing and other basics to survive
Safety Needs
A safe and non-threatening work environment, job security, safe equipment and installations
Social Needs
Contact and friendship with fellow-workers, social activities and opportunities
Ego
Recognition, acknowledgment, rewards
Self-Actualization
Realizing one's dreams and potential, reaching the heights of one's gifts and talents.
It is only when these needs are met that workers are morally, emotionally, and even physically ready to
satisfy the needs of the employer and the customers.
Worker motivation must also be viewed from two perspectives:
1. Inner drives
2. Outer (external) motivators.
A person's inner drives push and propel him/her towards an employer, a particular job, career, line of
study, or other activity (such as travel or recreation). It is these drives that Maslow delineates in his
hierarchy of needs, and which we must understand and internalize, use as guidelines in our efforts to
help employees feel motivated.
The outer (external) motivators are the mirror image the employer or outside world offers in response
to the inner drives. In order to attract the "cream of the crop" of available workers, same as in his/her
dealings with customers, the employer not only tries to satisfy these basic needs, but to exceed them taking into consideration additional extraordinary needs individual workers have.
Most workers need to:
1. Earn wages that will enable them to pay for basic necessities and additional luxuries such as the
purchase of a home, or travel
2. Save for and enjoy old age security benefits
3. Have medical and other insurance coverage
4. Acquire friends at work
5. Win recognition
6. Be acknowledged and rewarded for special efforts and contributions
7. Be able to advance in life and career-wise
8. Have opportunities for self-development
9. Improve their skills, knowledge, and know-how
10. Demonstrate and use special gifts and abilities
11. Realize their ideal(s).
The employer responds to those needs by offering and providing:
1. Employment
2. Adequate pay
3. Assistance to workers for their special needs (such as child care arrangements, transportation, flexible
work schedules)
4. Job security (to the degree possible)
5. Clear company policies
6. Clear and organized work procedures
7. A stable, just and fair work environment
8. A safe work environment
9. Medical coverage and other benefits
10. An atmosphere of teamwork and cooperation
11. Social activities
12. Reward and recognition programs
13. Incentive programs
14. Open lines of communication (formal and informal)
15. Systematic feedback
16. Training and development programs
17. Opportunities for promotion
18. Company/ business information
19. Information on customer feedback
20. Sharing of company goals and objectives
21. Information on the market situation and industry
22. Future expectations
23. Plans for the future
24. Guidance and mentoring.
It is important that the employer discover other extraordinary needs applicants have before hiring them
and know beforehand whether he/she can satisfy those needs or not. An employee may have:
· Family responsibilities and be unable to work shifts, overtime, or weekends
· Heavy financial responsibilities which he/she can meet only by working at two jobs, leading to
exhaustion, "sick leave", and deficient work performance
· A desperate financial need for additional overtime and weekend remuneration
· Premature expectations of swift promotions.
Some other needs the employer can expect, for which company policies should be planned accordingly:
· If the company is in a remote location, all employees will have a need for more social activities
· Many single people look for dates and spouses at work
· Some women may not be ready to work late shifts unless the employer provides transportation back
home
· Some workers may have a problem with drug or alcohol abuse.
In addition to needs and drives, adult workers have expectations from their employer - they expect:
· A knowledgeable, experienced, expert employer
· Clear and fair policies, procedures, and employment practices
· Business integrity
· Clear job descriptions
· Two-way communications
· Effective management and supervision
· Positive discipline
· Good company repute
· Good customer relations
· Company survival
· Opportunities for personal growth
· Company growth
· A share in the company's success.
Business owners and managers are under constant scrutiny by the people they hire. Adult workers care
beyond the salary - they care to know to whom they entrust their fate, reputation, and security. They
consider their work as a major factor that shapes their lives and the lives of those dear to them. Hence
the scrutiny. Once they feel confident that the employer and their place of work is what they wished for
and expected, they are ready to contribute above and beyond "the call of duty".
Most of these needs, expectations and aspirations are unexpressed - it is up to the employer to develop
a good system of company communications, employee relations, training and development that will
lead to an environment of openness, cooperation, teamwork, and motivation that will benefit all the
parties involved.
Motivational theory
Employee motivation theory –team building activities, workshops, inspirational quotes, and the power
of positive experience
Alignment of aims, purpose and values between staff, teams and organization is the most fundamental
aspects of motivation. The batter the alignment and personal association with organizational aims, the
better the platform for motivation.
Where the people find it difficult to align and associate with the organizational aims, then most
motivational ideas and activities will have a reduced level of success.
Motivation is a complex area. It’s different for reach person. See the personality materials for useful
explanation about different motivational needs.
Motivational receptiveness and potential in everyone changes from day to day, from situation to
situation, Get the alignment and values right, and motivational methods work better. Motivational
methods of any sort will not work if people and organization are not aligned. People are motivated
towards something they can relate to and something they can believe in. Times have changed. People
want more. You should view the following motivational methods and ideas as structure, activities and
building blocks, to be used when you have a solid foundation in place. The following is a cohesive
alignment of people’s needs values with the aims and purpose of the organization.
Motivational methods and theory - assuming people and organization are aligned
Motivational and inspirational quotes, poems, posters, motivational speakers and stories, team building
games and activities, all develop employee motivation for sales and business staff in all kinds of
organizations. Motivational and inspirational experiences improve employees' attitudes, confidence and
performance. Good leadership demands good people-motivation skills and the use of inspirational
techniques. Motivational methods are wide-ranging, from inspirational quotes and poems, to team
building games and activities, as ice-breakers, warm-ups and exercises for conferences, workshops,
meetings and events, which in themselves can often be helpful for staff motivation too. See the
motivation principles and template for staff motivation questionnaires and surveys. Motivation is an
essential part of life coaching processes and techniques too. Motivated people perform better - see
McGregor's XY Theory for example. People playing games or competing in teams learn about each other,
they communicate better and see each other in a new light. Mutual respect grows. See the Johari
Window theory for example. People often enjoy events which include new non-work activities,
especially when bosses and superiors take part in the same teams as their junior staff, which also helps
cohesiveness and 'can-do' culture. Inspirational quotes, stories and poems all help motivation too.
Powerful positive imagery stimulates visualization in the conscious and sub-conscious brain, which
encourages self-motivation, developmental behavior, confidence and belief. Playing games enables
people to experience winning and achieving in a way that their normal work might not. People become
motivated to achieve and do better when they have experienced the feelings of success and
achievement, regardless of context. This is why fire-walking and outward-bound activities have such
powerful motivational effect. All of these ideas, and more explained below, contribute to improving
motivation, inspiration and performance. Here is the theory of how team building games, activities like
juggling develop motivation, positive images in quotes and stories, inspirational posters, quotations,
motivational speakers, team workshops and brainstorming, etc., all help to strengthen relationships,
build understanding, increase motivation and improve performance:
How games and other inspirational references and activities help motivation and motivational training
Work and business-based training commonly concentrates on process, rules, theory, structure and logic,
all of which tend to develop and use the left-side of the brain. However, modern successful
organizations rely just as heavily on their people having well-developed 'soft' skills and attributes, such
as self-motivation, confidence, initiative, empathy and creativity, which all tend to use the right-side of
the brain. For more information about brain type and bias see the Benziger theory section, for example.
Using games and activities like juggling helps to unleash right-side brain skills, because these activities
necessarily draw on a person's intuitive, spatial and 'feeling' capabilities - found in the right-side of the
brain.
Also, using activities and references that take people out of their normal work environment creates new
opportunities for them to experience winning, achievement, team-working, learning and personal
development, in ways that are often not possible in their usual work context. Experiencing these
positive feelings is vital for the conscious and sub-conscious visualization of success and achievement,
essential for broadening people's horizons, raising their sights, setting new personal standards and
goals, and increasing motivation. The use of role playing games and role play exercises is an especially
effective motivational and visualization technique, despite people's normal aversion to the practice (see
the role playing games and activities tips to see how to manage role-playing activities successfully).
Inspirational references, stories, quotes and examples also help the life coaching process.
Ice-breakers and warm-ups for motivation
When a group or team of people assembles for a conference, or training course, there is always a feeling
of uncertainty and discomfort. Even if people know each other, they feel uncomfortable in the new
strange situation, because it is different. Mankind has evolved partly because of this awareness to
potential threats and fear of the unknown. Games and team building activities relax people, so that they
can fully concentrate on the main purpose of the day, whatever it is, rather than spending the morning
still wondering what everyone else is thinking. See the stress theory section for examples. Activities and
games are great levelers - they break down the barriers, and therefore help develop rapport and
relationships.
Building confidence for motivation
Learning something new and completely different liberates the mind. Facing a challenge, meeting it and
mastering it helps build confidence.
Motivational team building
When you break down barriers, misunderstandings, prejudices, insecurities, divisions, territories and
hierarchies - you begin to build teams. Get a group of people in a room having fun with juggling balls or
spinning plates and barriers are immediately removed. Teams unite and work together when they
identify a common purpose - whether the aim is the tallest tower made out of newspapers, or a game of
rounder on the park. Competition in teams or groups creates teams and ignites team effort.
Motivational coaching and training motivation
Learning to juggle or some other new activity demonstrates how we learn, and how to coach others.
Breaking new tasks down into stages, providing clear instructions, demonstration, practice, time and
space to make mistakes, doing it one stage at a time..... all the essential training and coaching
techniques can be shown, whether juggling is the vehicle or some other team-building idea, and the
learning is clearer and more memorable because it is taken out of the work context, where previously
people 'can't see the wood for the trees'. Games and activities provide a perfect vehicle for explaining
the training and development process ('train the trainer' for example) to managers, team leaders and
trainers.
Personal motivation styles and learning motivation
Everyone is different. Taking part in new games and activities outside of the work situation illustrates
people's different strengths and working style preferences. Mutual respect develops when people see
skills and attributes in others that they didn't know existed. Also, people work and learn in different
ways, see the Kolb learning style model and Benziger thinking styles model for examples.
Continual development and motivation
Learning and taking part in a completely new activity or game like juggling demonstrates that earning is
ongoing. The lessons never finish, unless people decide to stop learning. Juggling the basic 'three ball
cascade' pattern doesn't end there - it's just a start - as with all learning and development. Master
juggler Enrich Rastelli practiced all the daylight hours juggling ten balls. Introducing people, staff or
employees to new experiences opens their minds to new avenues of personal development, and
emphasizes the opportunity for continuous learning that is available to us all.
Improving empathy and communications for motivation
"Seek first to understand, and then to be understood." (Steven Covey). See the Seven Habits Of Highly
Effective People summary and review.
To communicate we must understand the other person. Empathy and intuitive skills are right-side brain.
Conventional classroom training or distance learning do nothing to address this vital area. Juggling and
playing spontaneous or creative games definitely promote development and awareness in the right-side
of the brain, which we use when we communicate and understand others. Team activities and games
promote communications and better mutual understanding - essential for good organizational
performance (see the Johari Window model and theory).
Motivation and creativity
Creativity and initiative are crucial capabilities for modern organizational effectiveness. Juggling and
other games activities dispel the notion that actions must be according to convention and that response
can only be to stimulus. Successful organizations have staff that initiate, create, innovate, and find new
ways to do things better, without being told. Using mind and body together in a completely new way
encourages pro-active thought and lateral thinking, which opens people's minds, and develops creative
and initiative capabilities. See the brainstorming process, which integrates well with team building
activities and workshops. See also the workshops process and ideas.
Motivation for problem-solving and decision-making
Problem-solving is integral to decision-making - see the problem-solving and decision-making section.
Learning to juggle or taking part in new challenging stimulating activities uses the intuitive brain to solve
the problem, the same part that's vital for creatively solving work problems. People who can solve
problems creatively can make decisions - and organizations need their staff and employees to have
these abilities.
Physical activity is motivational
Team building activities like juggling, construction exercises, or outdoor games, get the body moving,
which is good for general health and for an energetic approach to work. A minute of juggling three balls
is 200 throws, the equivalent of pumping over 20 kilos. Physical activity also provides significant stress
relief, and stress management is part of every organization's duty of care towards its employees. People
concentrate and work better when they have had some light exercise and physical stimulus. Physical
activity energizes people and reduces stress and tension. See details on the stress section.
Team building workshops are empowering and motivational
See the section on workshops. Workshops are good vehicles for team building games and activities, and
also great for achieving team consensus, collective problem-solving, developing new direction and
strategy, and to support the delegation and team development process (see the Tannenbaum and
Schmidt Continuum for example).
Team building games and activities are motivational
Learning new things - even simple skills like plate-spinning - help to build confidence, promote teamworking and unleash creativity. Taking part in workshops and brainstorming sessions are empowering
activities. Combine all three and it's even more effective for team building, development and
motivation. See particularly the 'Hellespont Swim' case study and exercise.
If you think about it, all manner of left-side-brain conventional training and business skills can be
integrated within an innovative, participative right-side-brain activity-based approach, to increase
interest, participation, involvement, retention and motivation.
Saying thanks is hugely motivational
Saying thanks and giving praise are the most commonly overlooked and under-estimated ways of
motivating people. And it's so easy. Saying thanks is best said naturally and from the heart, so if your
intentions are right you will not go far wrong. When you look someone in the eye and thank them
sincerely it means a lot. In front of other people even more so. The key words are the ones which say
thanks and well done for doing a great job, especially where the words recognize each person's own
special ability, quality, contribution, and effort, whatever. People always appreciate sincere thanks, and
they appreciate being valued as an individual even more. When you next have the chance to thank your
team or an individual team-member, take the time to find out a special thing that each person has done
and make a point of mentioning these things. Doing this, the praise tends to carry even greater meaning
and motivational effect.
Motivational quotes - using inspirational quotations and sayings is motivational
Inspirational quotations, and amusing maxims and sayings are motivational when used in team building
sessions, conferences, speeches and training courses. Inspirational quotes contribute to motivation
because they provide examples and role models, and prompt visualization. Inspirational quotes
stimulate images and feelings in the brain - both consciously and unconsciously. Powerful positive
imagery found in motivational quotations and poems is genuinely motivational for people, individually
and in teams, and can help to build confidence and belief. Inspirational examples motivate people in the
same way that the simple 'power of positive thinking', and 'accentuate the positive' techniques do people imagine and visualize themselves behaving in the way described in the quotation, saying, story or
poem. Visualization is a powerful motivational tool - quotes, stories and poems provide a very effective
method for inspiring and motivating people through visualization, imagination and association. See the
stories section, and 'If', Rudyard Kipling's famous inspirational poem.
Here are a few motivational quotes, relating to different situations and roles, for example; achievement,
management, leadership, etc. When using quote for motivation it's important to choose material that's
relevant and appropriate. Motivational posters showing inspirational quotes or poems can be effective
for staff and employee motivation, and in establishing organizational values. There are more quotations
about inspiration and achievement on the quotes section. These quotes all make effective motivational
posters, and are excellent materials for motivational speakers:
Motivational quotes
"We cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them." (Albert Einstein)
"It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit." (President Harry S
Truman)
"In the midst of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer." (Albert Camus,
1913 - 1960, French author & philosopher)
"If you're not part of the solution you must be part of the problem." (the commonly paraphrased version
of the original quote: "What we're saying today is that you're either part of the solution, or you're part
of the problem" by Eldridge Cleaver 1935-98, founder member and information minister of the Black
Panthers, American political activist group, in a speech in 1968 - thanks RVP)
"A dream is just a dream. A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline." (Harvey Mackay - thanks Brad
Hanson)
"I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life
as by the obstacles overcome while trying to succeed." (Booker T Washington, 1856-1915, American
Educator and African-American spokesman, thanks for quote M Kincaid, and for biography correction M
Yates and A Chatterjee)
"Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they've got a second. Give your
dreams all you've got and you'll be amazed at the energy that comes out of you." (William James,
American Philosopher, 1842-1910 - thanks Jean Stevens)
"Whatever you can do - or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it." (Johann
Wolfgang von Goethe, German writer, 1749-1832 - thanks Yvonne Bent)
"A dwarf standing on the shoulders of a giant may see farther than the giant himself." (Didacus Stella,
circa AD60 - and, as a matter of interest, abridged on the edge of an English £2 coin)
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." (Sir Isaac Newton, 1676.)
"The most important thing in life is not to capitalise on your successes - any fool can do that. The really
important thing is to profit from your mistakes." (William Bolitho, from 'Twelve against the Gods')
"Out of the night that covers me, Black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be, For
my unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch of circumstance, I have not winced nor cried aloud: Under the
bludgeoning of chance my head is bloody but unbowed . . . . . It matters not how strait the gait, how
charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul." (WE
Henley, 1849-1903, from 'Invictus')
"Management means helping people to get the best out of themselves, not organizing things." (Lauren
Appley)
"It's not the critic who counts, not the one who points out how the strong man stumbled or how the
doer of deeds might have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena;
whose face is marred with the sweat and dust and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes up
short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a
worthy cause and who, at best knows the triumph of high achievement and who at worst, if he fails, at
least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know
neither victory nor defeat." (Theodore Roosevelt, 23 April 1923.)
"The world is divided into people who do things, and people who get the credit. Try, if you can, to
belong to the first class. There's far less competition." (Dwight Morrow, 1935.)
"What does not kill us makes us stronger." (Attributed to Friedrich Nietzsche, probably based on his
words: "Out of life's school of war: What does not destroy me, makes me stronger." from The Twilight of
the Idols, 1899)
"A life spent in making mistakes is not only more honorable but more useful than a life spent doing
nothing." (George Bernard Shaw, 1856-1950.)
"I praise loudly. I blame softly." (Catherine the Great, 1729-1796.)
.
Motivational ideas for sales managers for sales teams
(These principles are applicable to all job roles subject to the notes at the end of this item.)
Motivation of sales people commonly focuses on sales results, but nobody can actually 'do' a result.
What matters in achieving results is people's attitude and activity and the areas of opportunity on which
the attitude and activity is directed.
What sales people can do is to adopt a positive and creative attitude, and carry out more productive and
efficient activity, directed on higher-yield strategic opportunities. By doing these things sales people and
sales teams will improve their results.
However the tendency remains for sales managers, sales supervisors and team leaders (typically under
pressure from above from executives who should know better) to simply direct people to 'meet the
target', or to 'increase sales', or worse still, to pressurize customers into accelerating decision-making,
which might work in the short-term but is extremely unhelpful in the medium-term (when business
brought forward leaves gaps in the next months' forecasts), and damages the long-term (when as a
result of supplier-driven sales pressure, the customer relationship is undermined or ruined).
Instead think about what really motivates and excites people, and focus on offering these opportunities
to sales people and sales teams, on an ongoing basis. Don't wait until you find yourself 25% behind
target with only half of the year remaining, and with targets set to increase as well in the final quarter.
People will not generally and sustainable improve their performance, or attitude when they are shouted
at or given a kick up the backside. People will on the other hand generally improve their performance if
empowered to develop their own strategic capability and responsibility within the organization.
Herzberg, Adams, Handy, Maslow, McGregor, and every other management and motivation expert
confirmed all this long ago.
Sales teams generally comprise people who seek greater responsibility. They also seek recognition,
achievement, self-development and advancement.
So if we know these things does it not make good sense to offer these opportunities to them, because
we know that doing so will have a motivational effect on them, and also encourage them to work on
opportunities that are likely to produce increasing returns on their efforts? Of course. So do it.
If you are managing a sales team try (gently and progressively) exploring with the team how they'd like
to develop their experience, responsibilities, roles, status, value, contribution, within the business.
Include yourself in this. Usually far more ideas and activity come from focusing on how the people
would like to develop their roles and value (in terms of the scale and sophistication of the business that
they are responsible for), rather than confining sales people to a role that is imposed on them and which
is unlikely to offer sustainable interest and stimulation.
All businesses have many opportunities for new strategic growth available. Yours will be no different.
Most employees are capable of working at a far higher strategic level, developing ever greater returns
on their own efforts.
Performance improvement is generally found through enabling people and teams to discover and refine
more productive and strategic opportunities, which will lead to more productive and motivating
activities.
For example: reactive sales people are generally able to be proactive account mangers; account
managers are generally able to be major accounts developers; major accounts developers are generally
able to be national accounts managers; national accounts mangers are generally able to be strategic
partner and channel developers; strategic partner and channel managers are generally able to be new
business sector/service developers, and so on...
Again include yourself in this.
If necessary (depending on your organizational culture and policies seek approval from your own
management/executives for you to embark on this sort of exploration of strategic growth. (If you are
unable to gain approval there are many other organizations out there who need people to manage sales
teams in this way....)
Obviously part of the approach (and your agreement with your people - the 'psychological contract')
necessarily includes maintaining and meeting existing basic business performance target levels. This is
especially so since strategic growth takes time, and your business still needs the normal day-to-day
business handled properly. But people can generally do this, ie., maintain and grow day-to-day
performance while additionally developing new higher-level strategic areas, because genuinely
motivated people are capable of dramatic achievements. The motivation and capacity to do will come
quite naturally from the new responsibility and empowerment to operate at a higher level.
N.B. The principles described above generally apply to most other job roles. People are motivated by
growth and extra responsibility, while at the same time the organization benefits from having its people
focus on higher strategic aims and activities. Be aware however that people in different roles will be
motivated by different things, and particularly will require different types of support and guidelines
when being encouraged to work at a higher strategic level. For example, engineers require more detail
and clarification of expectations and process than sales people typically do; administrators are likely to
require more reassurance and support in approaching change than sales people typically do.
For sure your should encourage and enable people to develop their roles, but make sure you give
appropriate explanation, management and support for the types of people concerned.
Case studies
Severn Trent Water chooses Capital Bonds to ‘Say Thanks’ to employees Background
Severn Trent Water serves over 8 million people in the heart of the UK, supplying nearly 2 billion liters of
drinking water a day in Europe. Since privatization in 1989, Severn Trent Water has invested nearly £5
billion in improving the quality of its service to customers.
As a company, they wanted to enhance the quality of their service to employees by improving employee
satisfaction and motivation.
ObjectivesSevern Trent Water required an employee motivation and incentive scheme that empowered
managers at a local level to recognize individuals for their exceptional contribution to the company,
which directly or indirectly related to improving customer service.
It was essential that the provider that undertook the administration of the scheme did so in a cost
effective manner as the business operates in a tight regulatory environment. It was also important that
rewards offered would appeal to all across the wide spectrum of business processes.
SolutionSevern Trent Water turned to Capital Incentives and Motivation to implement a cheque book
based reward and recognition incentive scheme called ‘Saying Thanks’.
To launch the campaign, each Business Manager was given a ‘Saying Thanks’ branded cheque book with
a range of serial numbered cheques ranging from £25 - £250 with a covering letter and instructions
confirming their reward & recognition budget. The cheques are presented with a personal letter of
thanks at the discretion of the Business Manager, to employees who have provided an exceptional
contribution. The recipients simply return the cheque to Capital Incentives in a pre-paid envelope,
specifying their choice of voucher from a selection on the rear of the cheque.
RewardsSevern Trent Water chose Capital Bond vouchers to provide recipients with unlimited choice as
they can be spent at over 140 famous high street stores from fashion and accessories, home and DIY,
leisure and travel to food and drink.
To complement the Capital Bond voucher and ensure the employees have maximum choice, vouchers
from Argos, Kingfisher, Leisure Vouchers, M&S, Next, Toys R Us and WH Smith were also recommended.
‘Saying Thanks Awards’ are distributed to the recipient in a ‘Saying Thanks’ personalized voucher wallet,
accompanied by a letter of Congratulations.
Capital Incentives & Motivation also manages the administration of the scheme including the
implementation of comprehensive audit procedures for every cheque received the processing of
cheques and the distribution of vouchers; this is supported by provision of detailed management
information.
ResultsThe scheme proves to be an ongoing success according to the Pay & Benefits Manager,:
"The 'Saying Thanks' scheme has helped develop the manager and employee relationship as there is a
significant 'feel good factor' due to the fact the award is a personal one made by the manager. The
scheme has definitely been one of the factors in helping the company improve its customer service
levels reported to the industry regulator. The overall company perception has also dramatically
improved through the introduction of the scheme.
“Employees’ achievements are now recognized upstream in the management hierarchy and as a result
this has increased job satisfaction and increased motivation".
The employees were also impressed with the scheme as one recipient comments - “I always really
appreciate receiving a 'Saying Thanks' award. It's nice to be recognized for doing a bit extra and the
Capital Bonds are useful as they can be spent in so many different ways."
Business Case Studies Royal Bank of Scotland what is motivation?
Motivating through Total Reward
What is motivation?
For many years, management theorists have tried to understand what makes some people work harder
than others. Some of the motivation factors identified by theorists can be seen at work in RBS.
Early theorists on staff motivation always looked at factors outside the individual.
Taylor and the 'piece rate'
Frederick W. Taylor (1911) was the creator of 'scientific management'. He felt that every job was
measurable and each element of a job could be timed. All managers had to do was pay for every item
the workers produced and they would work harder to get more money. This led to a long established
pay scheme called the 'piece rate', where workers received a fixed amount for every unit of output.
Schemes like this are usually associated with manufacturing industries and are not appropriate for a
complex service-led organization like RBS.
Herzberg and 'two-factor' theory
Another theorist, Frederick Herzberg (1959), carried out a large-scale survey into motivation in American
industry. The results of his survey led him to develop a 'two-factor' theory of motivation. Firstly, he
established that if an employee's basic needs (such as a suitable working environment and a basic rate
of pay) were not met, then this creates a source of dissatisfaction. Herzberg termed these 'hygiene
factors'. On the other hand, the presence of less tangible factors, such as the provision of challenging
work and recognition for doing well, can create or increase work motivation. Herzberg termed these
'motivators'.
RBS has put in place several of Herzberg's 'motivators':
· employees get recognition for good work
· they have a collective sense of achievement when the whole business does well
· they gain extra responsibility and advancement through regular performance reviews
· when RBS people do well in their work, the company rewards them.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
The theory of Abraham H. Maslow (1943) on staff motivation is also evident at RBS. Maslow referred to
a 'Hierarchy of Needs' which is usually drawn as a pyramid.
According to Maslow, the most basic needs on this hierarchy had to be satisfied before workers could
look to the next level. Basic physical needs were things like shelter, food, warmth and bodily functions.
Next, people had to feel safe in their environment. RBS provides these basic needs wherever it creates
jobs.
Maslow's higher levels of need are less obvious and less easy to describe but of great importance. Social
needs refer to the fact that we want to feel part of something we share in. RBS creates the opportunity
for its community of employees worldwide to share in its common goals and vision for the group. It does
this by rewarding the people who contribute to its success through their commitment and hard work.
RBS provides 'self actualization' by offering recognition, promotion opportunities and the chance to
develop a lifelong career with the Group.
The next level – 'esteem' - refers to our need to feel valued, that what we do matters. The RBS mindset
is that employees can 'make it happen' for themselves. It provides opportunities for all employees
through promotion or training and then recognizes their achievements. Through this RBS employees can
improve their self-esteem.
At the very top of Maslow's hierarchy is our human need for 'self actualization'. This means we work
hard in order to be as good as we possibly can be. RBS meets this by offering recognition, promotion
opportunities and the chance to develop a lifelong career with the Group.
How Auditing Company X Works with Retaining Valuable Employees : Swedish Case study
University essay from Högskolan i Jönköping/IHH, EMM (Entrepreneurskap, Marknadsföring,
Management)
Author: Josip Bogic; Elina Armanto; Maja Cassel; [2008]
Keywords: Retention; Auditing;
Abstract: Today, neither employees nor employers seem to take for granted that a person will stay with
the same firm until retirement. Yet, keeping employees for longer periods is an imp-ortant challenge for
firms. One industry where retention is interesting is the auditing industry in Sweden, this because
certain requirements are needed to become an auditor. Firstly, the employee needs to have a Swedish
university degree, including specific courses within au-diting/accounting. Furthermore, the person needs
practical experience for a specific period of time. Due to these statements the challenge of retaining and
motivating valuable em-ployees is crucial for the auditing firms, which is why we have chosen to do a
case study at Auditing Company X to see how they work with employee retention. We have compared
the findings to our chosen theory, which consist of four categories: the hiring process, in-ternal labor
market and career, motivation and performance, and finally culture and leader-ship. These four
categories are initially based on Leigh Branham?s book: ?Keeping the people who keep you in business:
24 ways to hang on to your most valuable talent? (Bran-ham, 2001).In our conducted case study, at
Auditing Company X, we have been able to conclude that the firm’s retention practices are to a great
extend in line with the theoretical framework. There are some areas that need further attention from
the company, such as an individua-lized reward system and communication between managers and
employees. Even though there are some parts to work on the most important aspects of retention, such
as having a holistic and long-term orientation, Auditing Company X seems to have incorporated this into
their practices successfully.
Retention: An explanatory study of Swedish employees in the financial sector regarding leadership style,
remuneration and elements towards job satisfaction
University essay from Växjö universitet/Ekonomihögskolan
Author: Sanna Paulsson; Linda Lindgren; [2008]
Keywords: retention; remuneration; reward; leadership; leadership style; management; motivation;
employee;
Abstract: Introduction: Companies today are forced to function in a world full of change and complexity,
and it is more important than ever to have the right employees in order to survive the surrounding
competition. It is a fact that a too high turnover rate affects companies in a negative way and retention
strategies should therefore be high on the agenda. When looking at this problem area we found that
there may be actions and tools that companies could use to come to terms with this problem. Research
told us that leadership, remuneration and elements like participation, feedback, autonomy, fairness,
responsibility, development and work-atmosphere is important for job satisfaction and retention.
Object: The main objective is to increase the understanding regarding employee’s retention in relation
to leadership style, remuneration and elements such as participation, feedback, autonomy, fairness,
responsibility, development and work-atmosphere in the Swedish financial
Sector. Method: We wanted to investigate how employee of the Swedish financial sector prefers to be
retained, and how they consider and react to the chosen areas. The survey has a quantitative approach
with a web based questionnaire and includes 129 respondents from banks, insurance and finance
companies. The theoretical framework includes leadership and leadership style, financial as well as nonfinancial remuneration and research done in later years regarding participation, feedback, autonomy,
fairness, responsibility, development and work-atmosphere connected to retention.
Conclusion: The result shows that regarding leadership the respondents prefer leadership based on
relations were they feel appreciation. Both appreciations from the closest manager as well as the
company management influences employee job satisfaction in a positive way. More money was the
most common reason for wanting to change jobs, and when asking how the remuneration system
should be designed, base pay with additional bonus and benefits were preferred. But also non financial
factors such as participation, feedback, autonomy, fairness, responsibility, development and workatmosphere must be taken in consideration to satisfy since they seem to increase employees?
Willingness to stay in the company.
What leaders can do to keep their key employees - Retention Management
University essay from Göteborgs universitet/Företagsekonomiska institutionen
Author: Lisa Hedberg; Maria Helnius; [2007-09-03T08:22:31Z]
Keywords: leadership; recruitment; communication; motivation; key organizational members; retention
management; employee turnover;
Abstract: Background: retention management is a highly topical subject and an important dilemma
many organizations might face in the future, if not facing it already. We believe that the leader plays a
key role in employee retention and retention management. The concept of retention management can
both have a narrow, and a broader significance. Both parts of its significance are generally included in
this thesis. The background of the thesis present a few articles that discuss issues that makes it
important for the organization, and the leaders, to work hard with retention management. The research
is based on the leaders in the Finnish case company Tradeka. Following key questions are intended to be
answered: What are the consequences between leaders actions and employees retention? Which is the
leader’s role when it comes to retaining employees? Purpose statement: The purpose of the thesis is to
investigate and analyze how company leaders today can retain their key employees. How can the
provision of key human resources develop a long-term relationship that makes top employees stay in
the company? The study aims to establish the procedure leaders apply to retain employees. The
purpose is to compare the qualitative study, made at the case company, with findings from the thesis
theoretical framework. Research method: The study is a qualitative, as well as a theoretical study where
empirical findings and theories has been compared. The intention of investigating and using the Finnish
company Tradeka Limited as a case company, is to make the information from the theories more valid,
and also the interest in how retention management works in practice. Eleven qualitative interviews
were conducted at Tradeka?s financial department, both with supervisors and employees to get a
broader view at the phenomenon retention management. Result: Leaders and their skill in creating a
culture of retention, has becoming a key in why people stay and what usually drives them away from a
company. The leader has become the main factor in what motivates people’s decision to stay or leave.
For organizations to keep its key employees their number one priority should be to look at their
management, because people leave managers and not companies. Characteristics in a leader that are of
importance, as the leader plays a key role in retention management is: trust builder, esteem builder,
communicator, talent developer and coach, and talent finder. The leader’s relation to the employees
plays a central role in retaining employees, because employees need to feel involvement, and that their
presence count. When retention is a core value, good things happen for customers, employees, and the
company.
Motivation in practice - case study - sharesave schemes
Profit-share and sharesave schemes have provided good returns for the staff of retailers and other large
groups.
In 2002, Tesco paid out £50 million to just over 100,000 of its workers after holding £38 million-worth of
shares on their behalf for three years in its profit-share scheme.
Since 1999, when the shares were placed in trust for the employees, Tesco's share price had risen by
more than 30 per cent, from 188p to 258p when the scheme matured. Employees were able to keep the
shares or cash them in.
Staff can join Tesco's profit-share scheme after two years' service. The number of shares allocated to
each employee depends on the number of hours they work each week.
During 2002, Tesco, which has 195,000 staff, distributed more than £200 million through sharesave and
bonus schemes.
In February 2002, two Save As You Earn share schemes matured and released £116 million to 37,000
staff who had been saving into the schemes for either three or five years.
Savers who had started the scheme three years before could buy Tesco shares at the 1998 option price
of £1.36, while savers in the five-year scheme could buy at 83p per share. The shares they bought at
these prices were actually worth about £2.35 each.
Those who had saved the maximum £250 per month saw an investment over five years turn into a
maturity value of £49,000, a return of almost three times what they put in.
Savers who put away as little as £10 per month saw the value of their investment soar from £600 to
£1,953 once the savings had been used to buy shares at the end of the five-year term.
By contrast, if these employees had saved the same £10 per month into a savings account paying the
building society average of 4.8 per cent gross per year, each would have £695.96 before tax after five
years.
ATerry Leahy, chief executive of Tesco, said: "The popularity of SAYE has increased dramatically in 21
years as staff recognise the value of the benefit. The most recent three and five-year schemes to be
offered to Tesco staff in October 2001 attracted more than 63,000 applications. This equates to over
one in four staff - more than 66 times the 1981 figure when 942 employees signed up for the scheme."
Most large companies operate share-save schemes for their staff. Under government rules, employees
can save between £5 and £250 per month into a scheme, which can run for three, five or seven years
with an option to buy shares in the company at a price determined at the outset. This price is often the
market price at outset, but companies have the right to discount the market price by up to 20 per cent which Tesco did.
Contributions are paid into a bank or building society account nominated by the employer and interest is
paid at a rate set universally by the Treasury. This year, the rates were 3.67 per cent gross per annum for
three-year schemes, 3.99 per cent for five-year schemes, and 4.07 per cent for seven-year schemes.
Staff makes 36 payments into the three-year scheme, and 60 payments into the five and seven-year
schemes. Their savings are left in the deposit account for an extra two years under the seven-year
scheme.
At the end of the period, the employee has the right to choose whether to buy the shares at the predetermined option price with the savings they have made; or, if the current market price has dipped
below the price at outset, to take the savings in cash, free of tax, instead.
Motivating for success - motivating employees - includes related article on demotivators
Nation's Business, March, 1988 by Sharon Nelton
Motivating For Success
Long ago, when he worked for someone else, H.C. Jackson of San Rafael, Calif., spent 15 or 20 minutes
one day buoying up a group of employees, telling them how good they were and how proud he was of
them. Then his own boss walked in and undid Jackson's pep talk. "You clerks are a dime a dozen," the
boss declared. "I could pick somebody off the street to do your job."
"Everybody was crushed," Jackson recalls. He knew it was impossible to replace his people with just
anybody off the street, he says, "but they didn't know that." It took a long time to repair the damage.
When he was an employee of a Lansing, Mich., company called Stamp-Rite, Wendell W. Parsons
remembers being told he couldn't take time off to travel with his wife to her grandfather's funeral in
Delaware. His immediate supervisor refused without offering a reason. "I didn't have anything
earthshaking that had to be done; it was just this guy who was telling me, 'No, you can't do it,'" says
Parsons.
Though decades have passed, both Jackson and Parsons still feel the sting of these incidents. Now,
however, they are in command, and what they learned so long ago has helped them unlock the secret to
keeping their own employees motivated--in effect, creating winners out of their employees so that their
companies can thrive.
"It's so simple. Treat people the way you want to be treated. Be honest. Be fair," says Jackson, who
started Jackson's Hardware, a company with $10 million in annual sales and over 50 employees, in 1964.
In practice, however, Jackson and other managers who succeed in motivating their workers
demonstrate that applying that simple rule requires hard work. There is no one-minute motivator, they
say, no formula that can be applied easily and left to operate on its own. The person at the top has to
care--genuinely care--about employees, and show that caring by treating each employee as an
individual. Only then will the employee care enough about the company to give his or her best all the
time.
What often seem to be timeworn techniques take on a new life and usefulness when looked at as these
managers see them.
Parsons worked his way through Michigan State University while employed at Stamp-Rite, and now he
owns the company. The $1.5 million-a-year firm makes rubber stamps and identification products such
as nameplates, name tags and signs.
Empathy governs the way he treats his 25 employees, he says, because "I remember what it was like
being the engraver; I remember what it was like being in the steel department and in the label
department." The memories include good ones, like the manager who made it a point to leave the front
office every day and find out how Parsons was. That someone cared enough to make sure he was doing
O.K. made a lasting impact on him, Parsons says.
It's not uncommon to hear business owners and managers complain that employees just don't want to
work or that they have poor attitudes. And laziness and lack of commitment mean low productivity and
a lower bottom line.
But many psychologists, business experts and business people dispute the notion that employees are
unmotivated.
"I think by nature people are interested in doing well, in being effective workers and effective
achievers," says Edward L. Deci, professor of psychology at the University of Rochester, in Rochester,
N.Y., and a specialist in human motivation. In cases where people don't want to work hard, he
maintains, "it's because they've had a set of experiences that have alienated them from work."
Some experts even contend that the manager's job is not to motivate employees at all. "Leaders who
wish to believe that they must continuously scurry about motivating everyone are destined to a
fatiguing, ulcerating career," says Robert Grandford Wright, a professor of organization theory at
Pepperdine University, in Malibu, Calif. "The fact is, we hire only motivated people."
If their motivation wanes, Wright suggests, it's because the leader dampens their spirit. It's the job of
the boss to create a workplace that "nurtures high motivation," he says, a place where motivated people
can flourish.
"People want to feel effective, people want to feel free or autonomous or responsible for them, and
people want to feel involved or related or cared about by other people," says Deci. "What we need to do
is structure the workplace in such a way that people can feel these things when they're doing their
jobs."
What is "motivation" anyway?
"Motivation is excitement about work," Norman M. Scarborough and Thomas W. Zimmerer say in
Effective Small Business Management (Merrill Publishing Company, Columbus, Ohio). While motivation
does not guarantee high performance, they say, "when employees (and owners and managers) are
excited about their work, there is a good likelihood that high performance will follow."
"Motivation is not a sign on the wall that says, 'Gee, let's get motivated,'" says Harvey L. Miller, coowner with his two brothers of Quill Corporation, a mail-order office supply business in Lincolnshire, Ill.
"It has to be a way of life." In his view, creating the right corporate climate is what keeps employees at
their peaks. And it starts even before they are hired.
Motivate Your Employees
Creating a dedicated and motivated workplace isn't just about giving raises. Learn how the best
employers bring the best out of their employees.
Carl La Mell, the president of Clearbrook, a nonprofit organization based in Arlington Heights, Illinois
that specializes in helping children with developmental disabilities, spends his time among a staff that
loves him. Last year, they nominated him for the Best Boss Award given out every year by Winning
Workplaces, an organization that honors small-to-midsize business leaders who inspire intensely
dedicated workforces. When a spokesman from Winning Workplaces called to inform him that he had
won along with 17 others, La Mell’s humble manner had actually prevented him from learning that he
had even made the finalists. “I thought the notification e-mail was spam,” La Mell says with a smile. “I
deleted it.”La Mell’s advice for small business owners seeking to keep their own employees motivated is
simple: “I think it comes down to one word—respect,” La Mell says. “You have to respect everyone’s job
in your organization.” It’s easy to see that La Mell puts his own advice into constant practice. As he
makes his way through the Clear brook offices, he takes the time to talk to each person he passes.
Though he jokes that he’s sometimes too open with his staff, La Mell believes that listening to the advice
of employees and acting on it is one of the best ways to keep a staff motivated. “Even if an idea is bad,
you’d rather have staff give you an idea than not give you one,” La Mell says. “If you create an
environment in which you can’t come up with an idea, you stifle people. It doesn’t matter if the idea’s
off the wall. You could even tell them, ‘You’re off the wall’ and they’ll laugh if you do it with respect and
in the right way.”
Realizing that it was difficult to recognize his employees’ exceptional efforts off-site, La Mell began
giving customer service awards to employees who went above and beyond their job description. Some
nominations come from the families they serve; others come from the staff themselves. “One of the
things that I think is missing in other places is the idea that customer service isn’t just about the
customer,” La Mell says. “It’s also the other departments you deal with.”In addition, he hosts a staff
recognition dinner every year in which he gives out awards based on years of service. At the dinner,
each department puts on a skit and the best skit wins a small award like a free pizza. There are also
holiday parties where employees can win prizes. La Mell has also added financial incentives for
performing well as determined by a performance-based measurement system.
Leaders such as La Mell demonstrate that money is far from the only means of motivating your
employees. In fact, he believes that giving raises is one of the least effective methods. Above all, La Mell
believes that a properly motivated workplace must begin with an enthusiastic and motivated employer
“It starts at the top,” he says. “If you show respect and keep an open environment, then people will
follow your lead.”
A Supervisor's Dilemma: How to Motivate Employees in Today's Economy
Supervisors at all levels and in different types of organizations find it harder than ever to create a loyal
and motivated work team, who will perform according to management and customers' high
expectations.
Gone are the days when organizations were content with average employees who were rewarded with
lifetime job security as a reward for expected performance levels and good attendance. And gone are
the days when employees were content with an average wage, enabling them to satisfy basic personal
needs. Reality has created a new set of rules.
In today's shifting economy, organizations and businesses themselves in a constant struggle for survival,
often sacrificing jobs and employees along the way. As a result, employees' strongest drive also became
one for survival. Trust and loyalty towards employer evaporated into thin air and have been replaced by
economic interests. Employers and supervisors must understand this scenario before attempting to
regain employees' trust, dedication and "love for the job".
It is supervisors who are sandwiched in between. They too are victim of the market realities which bring
frequent company acquisitions, mergers, restructuring and downsizing of operations. Supervisors
themselves fear for their jobs and their future. Yet, to gain some sort of solid footing in the new
environment, they must prove their worth and succeed in achieving company goals. They cannot do so
without their employees' cooperation. They must ignore their own fears and feelings of insecurity,
doubts about the employer's agenda, and deliver a crew of first-class performers. They are judged by
results and results depend on their capacity to lead a dedicated crew of flawless performers. The
pressure is great.
Unfortunately, many supervisors attained their position based on yardsticks other than proven
leadership skills: technical know-how and past experiences unrelated to similar crisis situations. The
problem is further compounded by the fact that, in their quest to cut down on expenses, employers do
not offer supervisors the specialized support and training they need. Supervisors are left to fend on their
own. Their drive to succeed becomes one for survival. Yet, this is a secret they must keep to themselves.
They become avid readers of books and articles on the subject of employee motivation. They conduct
searches on the internet. They join newsgroups to either "listen in" anonymously, ask questions, or
discover the magic key. They try to understand and internalize motivational theories, written for
different economic and market situations.
In the course of their search, they cast aside any awareness or insight they may have had about the root
of the problem and the reasons which led to employees' mistrust and changed behavior. They try to
instill enthusiasm among employees and are taken aback when their best performers suddenly leave or
behave like the rest. In this dogfight for survival in an uncertain future, supervisors are quite often
undermined by
their own assistants who have an eye on their position. Assistants too are driven by a fierce survival
instinct and are not ready to wait for their careers to take its natural course. They do not trust the
future. With the emergence of technology, job positions are being merged and eliminated by the day.
Unless supervisors get backing and commitment from upper management to deal with employees' fear
and loss of trust, there is little they can do. Left to their own resources, all they can hope to accomplish
is crisis management. Business owners and upper management often forget this heavy burden the
supervisor carries. Most of their efforts are focused on economic issues.
They fail to see that supervisors are the unit leaders they send to the battlefield to win the war. They
also fail to see the value of the rank-and-file without whom the war cannot be won. They seem oblivious
to what is happening in the minds and hearts of their people. They are too quick to condemn and
replace. Most supervisors face the dilemma of having to choose between appealing to management for
the help and guidance they urgently need, at the risk of losing their standing or position within the
organization, or trying to run the show on their own.
Motivational theories that can assist in understanding the issues
To help guide supervisors in their search for solutions for employee motivation, here are brief
descriptions of the motivational theories worth studying:
Abraham Maslow's theory of Motivation based on Needs: Self-Actualization, Ego, Social Needs, Safety
Needs, Physiological Needs
As applied to the workplace, we can translate it as follows, starting with the basic essentials:
PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS - Job security, basic physical needs: the ability to acquire food, shelter, clothing
and other basics to survive
SAFETY NEEDS - A safe and non-threatening work environment, job security, safe equipment and
installations
SOCIAL NEEDS - Contact and friendship with fellow-workers, social activities and opportunities
EGO - Recognition, acknowledgment, rewards
SELF-ACTUALIZATION - Realizing one's dreams and potential, reaching the heights of one's gifts and
talents.
Douglas McGregor's Theory X and Y, whereby he links employee motivation to the way managers
express themselves through attitude, behaviour and organizational policies, and his encouragement to
manage through democratic involvement rather than unilateral authority.
Frederick Herzberg's two-dimensional theory, distinguishing between "Hygiene Factors" and
"Motivational Factors". He explains the hygiene factors (company policy, supervision, interpersonal
relations, working conditions and salary) as those elements of the work environment which do not by
themselves cause motivation but whose absence lead to job dissatisfaction; while the motivational
factors (achievement, recognition, the work itself, responsibility and advancement) do in effect cause
increased job motivation.
William Ouchi's Theory Z, based on the model of Japanese management and the theory that workers
want to have a close, cooperative and participative working relationship with the people they work for.
Ouchi's motivational theory is also built around people's individual value and the role they have in
determining the organization's success.
All the theories make sense. Though expressed from different perspectives, they carry the same
underlying message: Clarify objectives, get well organized in management, know your employees well,
extend to them respect and acknowledgment, discover their assets and resourcefulness, use these
democratically to accomplish your goals, share goals with them, and reward them for their contribution
in achieving these goals.
It sounds logical and simple, but requires the commitment of upper management, an investment in
time, effort and money for actual application. In a situation where upper management is not too ready
to invest along those lines, the supervisor is left to his own resources. He has the challenge of turning
the situation around on his own. With a clear objective, adequate preparation, organization, and
systematic implementation, he not only comes out the winner, but also leads to a win/win situation
between management and employees.
Growth through problem-solving
The best supervisors can do when embarking on such a project on their own, is to adopt a problemsolving approach. To the extent possible, they must distance themselves from their own personal
interests and study the situation objectively. If they feel comfortable approaching upper management,
they can ask for outside coaching assistance. If not, they can try doing it on their own with ’learning’
attitude. Instead of wasting energy on frustration, they can use their time to study and analyze the
organization, upper management's motives and strategies, employee morale, performance, needs and
expectations.
They can draw a plan on how management goals and employee goals can meet half-way or, in the best
of situations, merge. Bearing in mind that action plans by themselves do not appeal to upper
management unless translated into the costs involved, supervisors are well advised to study and write
down all the pros and cons, and costs involved. The work must be thorough. In the course of their
problem-solving, supervisors must remember that the uppermost thought and question of any party to
a proposed solution is "What's in it for me?". The proposal they submit must answer this all-important
question, even if not articulated.
The supervisor grows and becomes a better leader through the problem-solving process. It motivates
him towards successful accomplishment. At this stage, it would be wise for the supervisor to examine
the changes he himself is going through, the new skills he acquires, his thoughts and emotions towards
employees and the organization.
Can the same learning process be applied to employees?
If the supervisor presents them with a problem to solve, will it create this excitement and selfless drive
for successful achievement regardless of the existing work environment? Will their thoughts and efforts
be directed towards constructive solutions rather than defensive and disruptive action? The supervisor
can test this notion by sharing with employees a work performance problem, inviting them to solve it as
a team.
If the discussion is held in a cooperative fashion, inviting their input, he would be surprised to witness in
them a change of attitude and eagerness to display their knowledge and capability. The supervisor will
discover that employees give their best when treated as intelligent adults and are invited to participate
in policies and decisions which affect their lives and the business itself.
Employees often come up with solutions which escape management. They care for the company's
success. However, this success must not be at the sacrifice of their own well-being and security but must
be interwoven with their personal and professional goals.
Driven by the survival instinct, and motivated to find solutions, employees' creativity now comes into
play. They make suggestions for business growth, untapped markets, and unexplored opportunities such
as possible new products and services. The supervisor discovers a wealth of resources among his
employees. He gains their involvement and commitment. From supervisor, he turns into a leader. In the
process he also succeeds in regaining their trust. They now expect him to influence upper management.
To maintain this trust, the supervisor acknowledges input and gives credit where due. When presenting
a winning idea to management, which may translate into increased profits for the company, he makes
sure to single out the employee or group of employees who suggested it.
He can suggest developing the idea further with the involvement of those who offered it. He can make
sure the employees in question are acknowledged and rewarded. This results in high employee
motivation and even leads to additional input by others. Employees now realize that they themselves
can do something to help secure their place of employment. Upper management realizes the value of
their employees. Through this example, management's stance may change to one of sharing and joint
problem-solving.
Whatever their level of education, the people who perform the actual work come across situations
which trigger thoughts for improvement. Supervisors must realize this, and so should upper
management. They should also realize that company secrets are hard to keep. The busy grapevine keeps
even the lowest ranking employee informed of higher-up decisions and plans. Instead of letting fears
and doubts pervade the workplace, managers and supervisors can share future planning with employees
and help prepare them for opportunities and different scenarios.
In his book Job Shift - How to Prosper in a Workplace without Jobs, William Bridges explains the
employment and training needs of the new economy. He says that the traditional concept of "job", as
related to a specific position within a company, is fast disappearing, being replaced by temporary team
projects and task forces with specific mandates. He advocates cross-training and advises employers to
work together with labor unions to create a multi-skilled work force who can dynamically respond to
company and market needs.
William Bridges goes even further, recommending that employers train employees in business
management and entrepreneurship. Their understanding of business principles will help them
contribute effectively to the company's success. Should they lose their job, it will also help them
establish their own independent businesses to provide contracting services to the organization for which
they worked. His reasoning is that through this investment companies will gain efficient, loyal
contractors, attuned to the needs of the company. This concern for, and investment in, future scenarios
will ingrain unshakable trust and loyalty towards the company.
Before embarking on such a course, supervisors and managers must discover the specific qualifications
and shortcomings of all employees. Some of them may be born leaders, coaches, facilitators, mediators,
or may perform best when given clear directives and placed in "active" roles. Shortcomings can be
remedied. The entire philosophy here is to share and help each other's survival and growth. The
approach is a caring one, as expected in a family setting. In the long run, it works out for the best
interests of all parties.
Organizations may not be ready yet for such a heavy commitment in employee training and a sharing of
responsibility for the future. However, this philosophy has its merits and can inspire the supervisor in his
quest for solutions within the present work environment. If convinced of the need to care for
employees' future, the supervisor will find the solution which will best fit the organization and its
people.
He will succeed in influencing management thinking one step at a time. Employees will sense this and
will acknowledge him as leader. He will find his motivational problems resolved. Employee motivation is
closely related to the quality and style of leadership. By creating a "caring" and participative
environment, the supervisor succeeds in motivating his employees even when the organization is not
yet ready to face work force realities.
Conclusion
Motivation is an important concept that has been receiving considerable attention from academicians,
researchers and practicing HR managers. In its essence, motivation comprises important elements such
as the need or content, search and choice of strategies, goal-directed behavior, social comparison of
rewards reinforcement, and performance-satisfaction.
The increasing attention paid towards motivation is justified because of several reasons. Motivated
employees come out with new ways of doing jobs. They are quality oriented. They are more productive.
Any technology needs motivated employees to adopt it successfully.
Several approaches to motivation are available. Early theories are too simplistic in their approach
towards motivation. For example, advocates of scientific Management believe that money is the
motivating factor. The Human Relations Movement posits that social contacts will motivate workers.
Mere knowledge about the theories of motivation will not help manager their subordinates. They need
to have certain techniques that help them change the behavior of employees.
One such technique is reward. Reward, particularly money, is a motivator according to need-based and
process theories of motivation. For the behavioral scientists, however, money is not important as a
motivator. Whatever may be the arguments, it can be stated that money can influence some people in
certain circumstance.
Being an outgrowth of Herzberg’s, two factor theory of motivation, job enrichment is considered to be a
powerful motivator. An enriched job has added responsibilities. The makes the job interesting and
rewarding. Job enlargement refers to adding a few more task elements horizontally. Task variety helps
motivate job holders. Job rotation involves shifting an incumbent from one job to another. This reduces
boredom and disinterest.
OB Mod uses the reinforcement principle of B.F. skinner to give the management a powerful technique
to change employee behavior. Several reputed organizations in a America have used OB Mod
programmes successfully to achieve positive results.
Recommendation
Motivation is essential for each and every organization because its helps in avoiding the frustration and
it also create the healthy work environment. . This concern for, and investment in, future scenarios will
ingrain unshakable trust and loyalty towards the company. The word motivation stands for movement.
Every manager should have both interest and concern about how to enable people to perform task
willingly and to the best of their ability. Motivation is essential for any company because employee is
Asset of company. Motivation is important for the growth of employees as well as growth of the
organization.
Motivated employees help organizations survive. Motivated employees are more productive. To be
effective, managers need to understand what motivates employees within the context of the roles they
perform. Motives can only be inferred, but not seen. The dynamic nature of needs offend poses
challenge to any manager in motivating his or her subordinate. An employee, at any given time, has a
various needs, desire, and expectations. Employees who put in extra hours at work to fulfill their needs
or accomplishment may find that these extra hours conflict directly with needs for affiliation and their
desire to be with their families.