Employee motivation is a vital element of any successful organization as per Michael Saltzstein. It has a huge impact on almost every part of the organization. Motivated employees do everything they can to get the job done, improving productivity and serving as models for the rest of the workforce. Unmotivated employees on the other hand do only what is necessary to get by, and they are more likely to start looking for positions elsewhere. Thus employee motivation is a dynamic force that drives employees towards achieving their goals, which in turn leads to the organisation’s long-term success.

Employee motivation is all about how engaged an employee feels jointly with the organization’s goals and how competent he or she feels. Motivation is of two types:

  1. Intrinsic Motivation- This means that an individual is motivated from within. A person has the desire to perform well at the workplace because the results are in accordance with his/her assumption. Research has shown praise increases intrinsic motivation, and so does positive employee feedback.
  • Extrinsic Motivation- Alternatively extrinsic motivation means an individual’s motivation is refreshed by external factors like rewards and recognition. Extrinsic rewards can sometimes support the eagerness of a person to learn a new skill set.

The Importance of Employee Motivation

According to psychologists, self-realization is a very human thing. Moreover, it is a person’s basic nature to cultivate something and see it prosper. Undoubtedly, motivation plays a very important role in a human’s life. Therefore motivated employees endeavor to take up responsibilities, and are innovative and go-getters, states Michael Saltzstein.

Motivated employees ensure:

  • There is a positive atmosphere within the organization.
  • Co-workers are happy and feel safe at work.
  • Make sure clients are happy.
  • They always attain better results than their colleagues.

Motivation, therefore plays a vital part and confirms that employees remain active and present their best towards their organization. Furthermore, a high level of motivation leads to a lower level of employee turnover.

Top Five Ways to Motivate Employees and Drive Results includes:

  1. Create an Agile Work Environment: An extremely powerful way to boost motivation and involvement is by creating an agile work environment. An agile fast environment, describes Michael Saltzstein, refers to fast-paced project management techniques that place value on constant change and adjustment.
  2. Incentivize the Workplace: Providing incentives or rewards for the completion of certain goals is a great way to motivate team members. They feel encouraged to go above and beyond their work. Making their jobs both satisfying and fun is sure to boost employee motivation.
  3. Encourage Workplace Camaraderie: The average full-time adult employee spends 40 hours a week in the same office, with the same people. As a manager, making sure all employees are happy with the people they work with is extremely important to keeping them motivated and productive.
  4. Career-path:  Having a career growth plan with clearly mentioned roles and responsibilities is essential for employees. Therefore, managers should discuss with their employees and prepare a career plan that is transparent and communicated clearly.
  5. Provide Flexibility: The skills of all employees are not the same. Therefore, employers should allow some flexibility within reason, that will motivate all employees and improve results.

Herzberg’s Employee Motivation Theory

Herzberg’s Employee Motivation Theory, says there are two factors to which an organization can adjust to influence the levels of motivation at the workplace. They are:

  • Motivating factors: The presence of motivating factors encourages employees to work harder.
  • Hygiene factors: Hygiene factors, if not present, will discourage employees from doing their best at work. Thus, hygiene factors are the surrounding factors that facilitate employees’ behavior.

Employee motivation is an essential factor in success and productivity. To obtain maximum levels of employee motivation, organizations should invest in building a supportive and encouraging work culture. They must endeavor to provide employees with the necessary resources and support. This will surely drive the organization towards greater glory in the coming times.