How to Motivate Employees

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How to Motivate Employees

August 13, 2003Author: David J. Bowman
Source: TTG Consultants

How To Motivate EmployeesWITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK
It's an age-old management question: how to motivate employees for higher productivity; how to get them to produce over and beyond established budgets, without spending a lot of money. Fortunately, there are several solutions.

First, we must remember that not all employees have a great need for money. To some, money is not the most important element in life. Indeed, we all have different needs. And, since we often are motivated when these needs are satisfied, we all have different motivators. It's management's job to determine, and then satisfy, these needs. This process will create productivity, without busting the budget.

In my consulting practice, I've found that - besides money - there are eight primary employee needs which, when satisfied, become motivators for higher productivity.

The first of these is the need for personal growth and development.To satisfy this need, management must match employees' interests, strengths and skills with the job to be done. If there is no match, or if it's minimal, interest in the job may wane, and so will productivity. 360º assessment of needed job core competencies, duties and responsibilities, compared with incumbent capabilities can help to ensure need fulfillment, motivation and productivity. Additionally, many employees - particularly generations "X" and "Y" - feel work should be more than mere drudgery. They look on it as only a part of the total life experience, and like life itself, it should provide for their personal growth and development. If these needs aren't met in the work environment, these employees may be less than fully motivated and productive, and often will move on, to develop themselves elsewhere.

The second of these is the need for challenging work. Those with this need want to exercise their talents to attain success. They're self-motivated, so management must provide challenging assignments in order for them to consistently produce. And, they must be allowed to learn from failure. When a project flops, rather than assigning blame, supervisors must discuss with those responsible what was learned from the experience - so the failure won't happen again. What was the cause? Was the timing bad? Were there enough resources? What about incorrect information? Management's proper handing of occasional failures can be a motivator for future higher productivity.

The third need is for recognition. When employees have done a good job, particularly when they've succeeded in a challenging assignment, nearly all want to be recognized for doing so. When this doesn't occur, the result often is de-motivating (a "what's the use, nobody cares" attitude). But, when honestly and genuinely offered by supervisors and other management, praise and recognition can be one of the greatest motivators of all.

The fourth need is for authority. Those with this need like to lead, direct, influence and control others. They should be given project decision-making opportunities, which may motivate them to produce with maximum effort.

Number five on my list of employee needs is interaction and affiliation. People with these needs should be with others, and must find the social aspects of the workplace to be a valuable and rewarding experience. To motivate these employees, provide opportunities to work on teams, as well as to participate in group projects and meetings.

The sixth primary need for satisfaction is independence. Some employees need freedom to set their own schedules, to make their own decisions and to work without interference from others. These are the people who want to work rather strange hours. Often, those in creative functions and the arts are highly motivated and produce great things when this need is fulfilled.

The seventh need to be satisfied is predictability. Many people are motivated when they have job security. A predictable environment, steady income and health benefits, as well as a pleasant, safe, harassment-free, non-confrontational workplace are adequate to satisfy, motivate and create productivity in those with this need.

The eighth employee need for management to satisfy in order to enjoy motivated productivity is fairness. To satisfy this need, there must be equality of work, pay, hours and treatment. For these employees, favoritism becomes a de-motivator, and it may lower productivity substantially.

Of course, money can motivate too! But, be careful. Sometimes, individual cash awards for excellence can cause a reduction in teamwork (and thus productivity), since some employees may concentrate on their own personal cash gains. It's often wise to balance individual awards with those for team success. And, unless cash bonuses and incentives are awarded for the right reasons and in a fair and equitable way, de-motivation and lower productivity of individuals and teams may occur.

Top management can help their bottom lines by coaching supervisors on the benefits of assessing employee needs, and then satisfying them. The result can be a motivated workforce that creates higher productivity and greater profits.