Among the many challenges facing the owner or manager of a business is employee motivation. Face the fact, businesses run on people. People bring their challenges to work every day. Some are highly motivated and turn in a great days work without much management intervention. Others are dragging along the bottom, barely earning their pay. Wherever they fall in the spectrum, employee motivation is a major concern for managers and owners.
The number one complaint that employees express is a lack of recognition for their efforts. From the employee point of view even their best efforts can seem invisible to management. Worse, they may see themselves as being ignored. True or not, this perception can be a headache for management, holding down productivity and ultimately eating into profit. The intersection of these two points of view presents an opportunity for the imaginative manager to help the business, motivate his employees and bulk up the bottom line. A well designed employee recognition program can do wonders for the morale and outlook of the work force. It does not have to be expensive, but neither can it be so cheap that the employees feel insulted.
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It is progressive, invested and even handed. A progressive program recognizes that an increased level of effort merits an increased reward. As an example, a person who exceeds their sales quota for one quarter might receive a plaque. A person who exceeds it for six months might receive a watch. Perhaps the top performer of the year might receive a diamond bracelet. This is progressive. Beware of focusing on the front row and neglecting the supporting staff. Find a metric that works for the administrative help, the mechanics or janitors or whatever employees you have who make the front row
Employee Motivation: A Powerful New Model? Harvard Business Review. Latham G.P. and Pinder C.C. (2005). The 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary'. Work Motivation Theory and Research at the Dawn of the Twenty-First Century.
In today's complex business environment; traditional approaches like monetary incentives are not the only prime motivators. In addition to expecting financial incentives for their performance, employee's expectations are much more. Appreciation, recognition and opportunities for personal growth; must be catered for to harness maximum productivity. Furthermore in an era where change is imperative for the organisation's survival, highly motivated employees, represent flexibility and show willing to change; a vital component for the success of any organisation.
An area in organizations where both employees and leaders often have difficult with is in motivation. Leaders complain that employees are not doing what they want them to do and employees complain they have no desire or that there is no reason to do many of the tasks they are given in the workplace. Author Herzberg (1968) states that the best way to get someone to do something is to ask him or her. If there is still an issue with motivations, there are other options leaders have.
Employers have an obligation to ensure that information in employee handbooks are current at all times. In complying with federal and state laws, it may require sudden changes, that should be expected on an annual basis. These are mandated changes that the employer generally has no control over and must be implemented whenever the regulation becomes effective. These are standard modifications that personnel are accustomed to; however, employers modifying the handbook at their own discretion is a fair employment practice when conducted in a good faith manner. First of all, the word “discretion” is defined as having a choice and within reasonable bounds.
For an organisation to motivate its employees, it has to understand the factors that motivate people such as needs, motives, drives, goals or incentives.
The key to understanding what employees’ motivations are, and how managers can support them in their aims and objectives, is to understand that different people are motivated by different things. Managers should make a conscience effort to stay in touch with the interest, skills and abilities that their employees possess. Given the opportunity, it is possible that employees can provide valuable information about how to motivate each other to do a better job.
Research has shown that motivation in an employee is an important factor which determines his performance. Motivation is the “driving force within individuals” (Mullins, 2007, p. 285). It is the concerned with finding out the reasons which shape and direct the behaviour of the individuals. The people act to achieve something so that they can satisfy some needs (Gitman and Daniel, 2008). It is important for the manager to understand this motivation of individual employees in order to inspire them and devise an appropriate set of incentives and rewards which would satisfy the needs that they have individually (Kerr, 2003). Once these needs are expected to be met in return for some specific behaviour or action, they would work more diligently to have that behaviour in them and to achieve that objective (Meyer and Hersovitch, 2001). Since it would lead to early and fuller achievement of the company objectives as the individual would work more diligently, it would lead to better organizational performance (Wiley, 1997).
There has always been an issue to get employees motivated for managers and leaders. If the employees are not motivated they will put a minimal amount of energy into their job if any at all. Then again, the ones who feel motivated to work are the ones who are constant, inspired and fruitful, and the ones who produce first rate work that they eagerly take on. Motivation surfaces, in present theories, within needs, principles, objectives, meanings and expectations. Since motivation is from the inside it should be nurtured and direct the motivation that the employees encompass by the managers.
Employee motivation has always been a central problem in the workplace, and, as an individual in a supervisory position, it becomes one’s duty to understand and institute systems that ensure the proper motivation of your subordinates. Proper motivation of employees can ensure high productivity and successful workflow, while low worker motivation can result in absenteeism, decreased productivity rates, and turnover. A large body of research has been produced regarding motivation, and much of this research is applicable to the workplace. Due to the nature of man, motivation varies from individual to individual, and, because of this, there is no one system that is the best for ensuring worker motivation in every organizational situation, and, as a product, many theories have been created to outline what drives people to satisfactorily complete their work tasks. Throughout the course of this document, the three main types of these motivational theories will be outlined and examples of each, as well as how these theories can be used to further strengthen and sustain worker motivation....
The job of a manager in the workplace is to get things done through employees. To do this the manager should be able to motivate employees. But that’s easier said than done! Motivation practice and theory are difficult subject, touching on several disciplines.
Employee handbooks are tools which encompass policies and procedures within organizations, explaining in great detail, attendance and personal conduct, benefits and compensation, promotion and demotion procedures, and grievance procedures, to name a few (Policy Manuals, 1992). First, the handbook serves as a guide to establish policies that are expected in the workplace in an effort to protect the right of both the employee and employer (Johnson & Gardner, 1989). All handbooks should disclose the company's Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity policies, as well as safety expectations in the workplace. It is critical that harassment and discrimination policies are clearly defined within the handbook. Next, as a document that both employees and employers are expected to adhere, the
Motivation is the force that transforms and uplifts people to be productive and perform in their jobs. Maximizing employee’s motivation is a necessary and vital to successfully accomplish the organization’s targets and objectives. However, this is a considerable challenge to any organizations managers, due to the complexity of motivation and the fact that, there is no ready made solution or an answer to what motivates people to work well (Mullins,2002).
Dwight D. Eisenhower once said, “Motivation is the art of getting people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it.” Studies have found that high employee motivation goes hand in hand with strong organizational performance and profits. Therefore, managers are given the responsibility of finding the right combination of motivational techniques and rewards to satisfy employees’ needs and encourage great work performance. This becomes a bit more challenging as employees’ needs change from one generation to another. Three of the biggest challenges a manager faces in motivating employees today are the economy and threats to job security, technological advances, and company cultures that primarily focus on the bottom line.
Showing people recognition on their success can leave an everlasting impact on their work ethic. Now, recognition doesn’t always end up motivating people to continue or even try to be better at what they’re doing, but often it can really boost a person’s confidence level. One of the main aspects of recognition as well is that it can do no harm, so why not attempt to recognize positives right? The outcome of recognition is simple to grasp, at the worst little to no effect can happen on an individual, or as a best possible outcome a person can take the recognition and continue to strive to impress and get better at whatever they’re doing. Recognition in the workplace can make employees better in a variety of different ways by motivating them
As white collar, blue collar employees will feel more engaged when their contributions are recognized. Along with monthly and yearly rewards, values-based recognition is needed to make blue collar workers align with the organization's goals and success.