Motivation is a psychological feature that drives people toward a desired goal, and sustains goal directed behaviours. Knowing what motivates your employees is the first step toward creating a happier, more productive, healthier work environment and culture. Figuring this out however, isn’t easy.

The Importance of Motivation

Motivation is the driving force behind productivity, passion, and action. Thus, motivated employees will get more work done, will have higher job satisfaction, and add real value to the organisation. No amount of skill can make up for a lack of motivation – a skilled employee who lacks that driving force will not be invested or passionate about their work. Conversely, motivated employees lead to increased productivity and therefore increased levels of output.

Without a motivated team of employees, companies put themselves in a very risky position.

Benefits of Motivated Employees

1. Increased productivity and thus output. This point can’t be overstated. A company can triple their output due to an engaged, motivated employee.
2. Increased employee commitment. When employees are motivated to work, they will generally be more passionate and dedicated to the tasks before them, thus putting in their best efforts.
3. Improved employee satisfaction. Motivated employees usually means satisfied employees. A satisfied employee is more likely to positively develop their own skills, contribute to the team, build the company, and remain at the company.
4. Ongoing employee development. Motivation can facilitate an employee reaching their goals, leading to further skill development. Additionally, once an employee realises that their extra efforts resulted in meeting goals, they will see a clear link between the two, which will likely further motivate them to perform at a high level.
5. Improved employee efficiency. Employee efficiency is not solely determined by skill, experience, or general abilities. Rather, it is a balance between their capability to perform the task and their willingness to want to perform the task. If an employee is eager to perform the task at hand and has the ability to do so, they’re more likely to complete the task efficiently and at a higher standard.

How to Motivate Employees

One of the hardest jobs as a leader is knowing how to motivate employees. It’s crucial that senior management knows what motivates their staff and takes steps to implement a motivational program. It’s important to remember that there will be variances in what motivates people, and some motivations will be passive, ongoing things, while others may take the form of rewards and recognition. That said, scientific studies have shown that the following things motivate the majority of people in the workplace:

1. Make your business a pleasant place to be.

This is easier said than done and is achieved over time. A starting point is having a nice office space – your employees will spend most of their week in this office, so take the time and effort to make it comfortable and welcoming. It should be well-lit, aesthetically pleasing, well-kept, and regularly reviewed for improvements.

2. Ensure Management is supportive, open, and honest

Bad management is one of the top reasons an employee leaves a business – people often quit their bosses, not their jobs. Clear and honest communication with senior management is the foundation of any positive workplace culture. Ensure your senior management open with a ‘door open’ policy, are always communicating with their team, and are creating a positive environment for their team. Ultimately, if you’re a good person to work for, your employees will be more loyal. There is plenty of reading material available on the subject, so if you’re new to management, do some reading and be the best manager you can be to your staff.

3. Offer Employee Rewards

Incentive and reward programs will always be a winner with employees, as it’s a tangible way of showing your appreciation for well-performing staff. This can come in many forms, including:

• Commission structure
• Bonus incentives
• Profit sharing opportunities
• Gamified incentives and competitions

If people know they will rewarded and recognised when they perform well, they will be more likely to do a good job, see things through, and commit long-term to the business.

4. Give Employees Room to Grow

We already touched on this, but stunted career growth is the number one reason employees leave their company. Money, incentives, bonuses, rewards, recognition, culture – it all comes second to career progression, especially for your top performers. If your employees know there is room to grow in the future (even if it’s not immediately available) they will develop long term goals, which will motivate them to stay dedicated and perform well. Moreover, letting your employees know there is room for progression will make them feel more trusted and respected by company leadership, which is another huge motivating factor in and of itself.

5. Share Positive Feedback

Feeling fulfilled by your work is great, and is one of the key job satisfaction factors. Work satisfaction comes from a variety of places, and positive customer/client feedback is one of them. If a client or customer expresses appreciation for an employees work, share it with your employees! Everyone loves to hear that their hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed, that it’s appreciated in some small way, and it will give employees a deeper connection to the business.

No one said that motivating your employees would be easy! However, if you put the time and effort into knowing your employees & what they want, you can put together a detailed, strategic plan for motivating them. If you’re able to do this well, your business will reap the rewards.