Motivation At Work | How to Reconcile Well-Being and Efficiency in the Professional Environment?
It is unanimously recognized in team management, universally and at all times, that motivation at work presides over all individual and organizational success.
It is the necessary fuel allowing the employee to achieve both professional and personal fulfillment and the organization to gain in performance and productivity.
This article explains the underlying reasons for employee motivation and the levers to strengthen it.
Summary
1- What is work motivation?
2- Where does motivation come from?
3- The Three Masons: A Parable About Work Motivation
4- Motivation and involvement at work: What’s the difference?
5- The 3 forms of motivation
6- The 3 work motivation theories
7- 7 good reasons to motivate your employees
8- How do we measure motivation at work?
9- 9 criteria to motivate your employees
10- 2 major signs to detect a lack of motivation at work
Conclusion
1- What is Work Motivation?
According to Deloitte’s latest report, “exploring workforce trends 2020,” employees prioritize well-being at work more than managers.
Before defining work motivation, let’s first realize these four inherent truths of human behavior.
2- Where Does Motivation Come From?
People’s behavior is impacted by their physical, mental, and emotional attributes.
Indeed, the aptitudes, attitudes, needs, and objectives specific to each individual greatly influence their behavior.
A cause triggers all human behavior.
All human behavior is, in fact, committed to a goal.
Behind every human behavior, there is, at the base, a motive that we call need.
Based on these facts, we will determine what “motivation at work” means.
That said, work motivation is the process that regulates employee engagement:
In an activity, project, mission and
Towards a specific goal.
Moreover, deep down in the employee, it follows the triggering of a particular need that stimulates and maintains this state of mobilization.
Etymologically speaking, the word “motivation” comes from the word “motif,” itself derived from the Latin word “motives,” which means “mobile,” and “mover,” which corresponds to “move” in French.
It means anything that sets in motion, drives, and converts energy into action.
Therefore, motivation represents the psychic force that generates energy in the person that encourages him to want to achieve an objective, allowing him to satisfy a specific need.
3- The Three Masons: A Parable About Work Motivation
This is the story of three masons:
Three masons worked hard under a burning sun on a construction site far from the city.
A man passing by comes to meet them.
Coming to stand near the first, he asks him:
Hello sir. Are you all right? What are you doing there?
The worker replies:
” You see. I am laying bricks, one by one… And so it goes all my days. »
Approaching the second, our man questions him:
“Hey sir, what are you doing? »
The worker says:
“Well, I’m building a wall. »
Addressing the third, he inquires:
“What are you doing, sir? »
The Mason replies:
” Oh! I am building a marvelous palace. It will be very pleasant to live there. Hey, people who pass by will be able to stop, for a moment, to admire its splendor and beauty!
Now, it’s up to you, who are reading me, to answer this question in “comments” at the end of the article:
“In your opinion, which of the three masons is the most motivated in his work? And why? »
4- Motivation and Involvement at Work: What’s the Difference?
1- Motivation At Work
Motivation at work constitutes the set of forces and conditions that push the employee(s) to act to achieve well-defined objectives.
This undoubtedly results in a gain in effectiveness and efficiency. This will obviously improve individual and collective performance within the organization.
2- Involvement at Work
On the other hand, involvement at work represents not only the commitment to what is requested but also the identification of the person or teams with their jobs and the organization.
Thus, employees (s) feel serenity, well-being, and happiness at work.
The efforts allocated will be spontaneous, sustained, and prolonged.
Since the beginning of the industrial era and over the years, researchers in the sociology of work have always continued to design and develop motivation methods and techniques intended for managers, planning to motivate teams to work harder and produce more.
Since then, three main approaches have been adopted by managers to mobilize energies and cultivate enthusiasm and well-being at work.
5- The 3 Forms of Motivation
1- A Motivational Classic – Stick or Carrot?
This method is based on the following postulate:
People are by nature lazy and lazy. They don’t like to work. They have an innate distaste for work.
This is why we must stay behind, scare, control, and punish them.
This approach, long adopted in the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, has been abandoned by modern industry since the end of the 2nd World War.
2- Extrinsic Motivation: Give and Take
This method is based on material rewards as a source of motivation for teamwork.
Therefore, employees who have earned substantial benefits and taken advantage of good working conditions would feel more happiness at work, have more loyalty to the organization, and produce more than expected.
3- Intrinsic Motivation
This approach emphasizes the interest of designing rewards around:
It is unanimously recognized in team management, universally and at all times, that motivation at work presides over all individual and organizational success.
It is the necessary fuel allowing the employee to achieve both professional and personal fulfillment and the organization to gain in performance and productivity.
Motivation and Involvement at Work: What’s the Difference?
1- Motivation at Work
Motivation at work constitutes the set of forces and conditions that push the employee(s) to act to achieve well-defined objectives.
This undoubtedly results in a gain in effectiveness and efficiency. This will obviously improve individual and collective performance within the organization.
2- Involvement at work
On the other hand, involvement at work represents not only the commitment to what is requested but also the identification of the person or teams with their jobs and the organization.
Thus, employees (s) feel serenity, well-being, and happiness at work.
The efforts allocated will be spontaneous, sustained, and prolonged.
Since the beginning of the industrial era and over the years, researchers in the sociology of work have consistently designed and developed motivation methods and techniques for managers to motivate teams to work harder and produce more.
Since then, three main approaches have been adopted by managers to mobilize energies and cultivate enthusiasm and well-being at work…
The 3 Types of Motivation
1- A Motivational Classic: Stick or Carrot?
This method is based on the following postulate:
People are by nature lazy and dull. They don’t like to work. They have an innate distaste for work.
This is why we must stay behind, scare, control, and punish them.
This approach, long adopted in the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, has been abandoned by modern industry since the end of the 2nd World War.
2) Extrinsic Motivation: “Give and Take:
This method is based on material rewards as a source of motivation for teamwork.
Therefore, employees who have earned substantial benefits and taken advantage of good working conditions would feel more happiness at work, have more loyalty to the organization, and produce more than expected.
3) Intrinsic Motivation
This approach emphasizes the interest of designing rewards around:
WORK CONTENT
WORK PROCESS
Content of the work itself
Several theories have been developed in this direction.
They describe and list the forces that drive the individual to act.
We Describe Below Two of the Most Used in Management:
1- Maslow’s Theory
2- Herzberg’s Theory
Work Process
Many theories have emerged in this context.
These theories specify how forces interact with the environment to lead the person to behave in particular ways.
Here, too, we choose to deal with Vroom’s theory, widely challenged by management as a motivation technique.
The 3 Work Motivation theories
Let’s start by introducing you first:
Maslow’s Theory
Work motivation Maslow pyramid
Abraham Maslow states that human beings find themselves, throughout their lives, in search of certain very specific objectives which translate, in a way, responses to particular needs felt deep within themselves.
1- These are intrinsic needs that prompt him to act in order to satisfy them.
2- These needs are prioritized and schematized in a pyramid, including:
3- The base represents physiological needs: food, drink, reproduction, sleep, shelter from cold and heat.
4- The above floor describes the security needs: physical security, housing, employment, etc.
5- Then come social needs: having friends, starting a family, belonging to an association, party, or community.
6- Next comes the need for self-esteem: to be recognized, valued, distinguished, and rewarded.
7- The need for self-realization is at the top of the pyramid: self-fulfillment, self-sufficiency, and self-satisfaction.
8- According to Maslow, if a need is not satisfied, the individual is not stimulated by the needs of the following levels.
“A person who has no place to stay will not be motivated by a speech of praise and congratulations. He must first find where to take shelter so that he can then savor the discourse of valorization and recognition”.
Thus, the person is motivated by the need for the next floor only if the needs of the floors below are completely satisfied.
At the same time, when the need is satisfied, it no longer represents a motivating factor.
“Someone who is hungry. Once fed, hunger no longer expresses a source of motivation.
Now let’s see:
Herzberg’s Theory
Frederick Herzberg had conducted a survey of a significant sample of employees, to whom he asked two questions:
“Could you describe the moment when you felt “very good” at work?
“Could you describe the moment when you felt “very bad” at work?
Following this survey, Herzberg established that the levels of satisfaction, well-being, and happiness at work are related to two distinct sets of factors:
Motivating factors and
dissatisfaction factors.
Furthermore, Herzberg found that employees sometimes feel unwell when they need more motivation.
“As an example:
Recognition has been listed as one of the motivating factors that cause the employee to feel joy and enthusiasm within the workplace.
On the other hand, the lack of recognition did not trigger negative feelings about the work among staff. »
In the same way, when the organization corrects the factors of dissatisfaction, the employees do not certainly feel well-being at work.
” For example:
It is clear that poor working conditions have triggered bad feelings among workers about work.
Good conditions, on the other hand, did not automatically generate good feelings about work. »
Thus, the factors of well-being at work, which, in fact, correspond to the content of the work itself (also called content factors), are powerful motivators for the staff.
Management is called upon to cultivate these motivational factors, nurture them, and maintain them in the workplace.
Because it ensures effectiveness and efficiency of work and leads the organization to gain in performance and productivity.
Find out here how to improve a team’s efficiency with the Herrmann method.
Moreover, if correct, the dissatisfaction factors related to the work context (also called contextual factors) do not necessarily cultivate staff satisfaction.
The management is invited to clean them to establish a good working environment for the employees.
Vroom’s Theory
It was Victor H. Vroom who developed this theory, called Vroom’s theory or expectation theory.
Unlike those of Maslow and Herzberg, this theory does not emphasize needs.
Instead, it associates the person’s motivation with their expectations and possibilities to achieve them.
Motivation is considered a process resulting from the multiplication of three parameters combined:
Expectation
Instrumentality
Valence
Therefore, motivation is the result of the multiplication of the valence by the instrumentality, which multiplies the expectation:
Motivation = E x I x V
1- What is Expectation?
Expectation expresses the level of competence of the employee in relation to the accomplishment of a project, task, or mission and the probability of carrying out the work.
This is, in a way, to answer the following question:
“Am I able to carry out this project, task or mission? Yes or no ? »
2- What Does Instrumentality Mean?
The instrumentality corresponds to the reward granted by the organization once the work is finalized.
It is, in other words, to answer the questions:
“What do I get out of it? “or
“What’s in it for me? »
3) What Does Valence Mean?
The valence, on the other hand, predicts the value placed on the gratification by the employee.
It is the degree of interest in the reward for the individual.
This is to answer the question:
“Is this reward interesting for me? Yes or no ? »
Example :
Larry, director of the marketing department of a multinational, has just entrusted his assistant Nicole with a project to launch a new specialty aimed at a sector newly prospected by the company.
Nicole hesitates to accept the project. She must learn the prospecting sector’s potential, targets and segments, and prospects’ needs.
Zero expectation. She tells herself she can’t do it. His motivation is weak to say yes to the proposal.
On the other hand, Nicole learned that Larry considers the project minor. And so, even if Nicole makes the effort to pass it, it will not impact her wish to be nominated as product manager.
Null instrumentality. She tells herself that it won’t do her any good.
In addition, according to Larry, the project will allow Nicole to organize exhibitions in favor of certain prospects. Once the project is successful, Nicole will be transferred to the events department as project manager.
This does not meet the desire of Nicole, who sees herself making a career plan in marketing rather than in events.
Valence zero. Nicole needs to be more motivated for the project. She’s going to talk to Larry about it.
7 Good Reasons to Motivate Your Employees:
Motivation at work provides many benefits to both the employee and the employer.
1- Better Quality of Life At Work
Satisfaction corresponds to the positive sensations that the worker experiences at various levels when his expectations about the work are fulfilled.
So, the work is done with pleasure and joy.
The staff feels serenity and happiness at work.
2- Match Job/Professional Project
Motivation comes into play in the development of the professional project of the job seeker.
Once this project has been completed, the new recruit will move heaven and earth to give themselves the maximum chance of success in their dream job.
In the same way, during the process of professional retraining of the employee, the motivation intervenes in the choice of the new trade or new sector to covet.
3) Better Achievement of Objectives
Motivation and well-being at work also come into play when the employee takes responsibility for setting his SMART objectives.
In this way, these goals will be ambitious enough for him to push himself harder and realistic enough that there will be no disappointment or failure.
Similarly, it is omnipresent if it is up to management to dictate objectives to employees.
In this situation, the assigned objectives are easily accepted by the staff.
4- Deployment And Convergence of Efforts
Motivation at work empowers teams to exert intense effort towards the achievement of objectives.
5- Perseverance And Self-Confidence
It presides over the maintenance of attention and effort over time.
On the other hand, motivation at work boosts the self-confidence of employees.
6- Effectiveness And Efficiency
It directs the work towards high dimensions of effectiveness and efficiency.
7- Productivity And Talent Retention
The organization becomes increasingly productive and manages to retain and retain its talents.
How Do We Measure Motivation At Work?
There are several ways to do this:
1- Conduct Satisfaction Surveys:
Periodic satisfaction surveys in the form of questionnaires where the respondent remains anonymous remain an excellent means of measuring the motivational level of the company’s staff.
These surveys take place internally by the human resources department.
For example, they can conduct by an external organization to whom we entrust the emails or the telephone numbers of the employees.
2- Annual Evaluation Interview:
The purpose of the annual interview indeed is to evaluate the individual performance of the staff.
However, it is an excellent time to identify and measure motivation at work within the company.
3- Psychotechnical Tests
A good number of psychotechnical tests make it possible to understand the motivational level of individuals and teams.
4- Local Management
Front-line managers are the best stakeholders who can assess the degree of employee involvement in the work since they are usually very close to their troops.
9 Criteria To Motivate Your Employees
Several methods of motivating employees are implemented by management and human resources:
1- Remuneration System
A well-designed compensation system helps to cultivate employee involvement in their jobs and organization.
1- Respectable salary
2- 13th month salary in a year
3- Individual performance bonuses
2- Response To Security Needs
Some companies decree job security as a reward for their loyal employees.
Also included in this section are staff rest periods, sick leave, health and work accident insurance, the retirement savings system, etc.
3- Response To Social Needs
Creation of project teams, weekly meetings, organization of annual staff trips to friendly places, organization of company-specific sports teams, team building activities, etc.
All of these are examples of management responses to meeting the social needs of staff.
4- Work Organization
The work to be done must be redesigned in such a way as to grant:
Responsibilities to staff
Possible autonomy in its implementation, and
A possible freedom of action in its execution.
5) Promote the Meaning and Value of Work
Management needs to communicate the importance of work in the company.
It must reflect the impact of everyone’s work on the team, the department, the company, the community, the city, the country, and the world.
Thus, the staff will value what they do, take care of it, and improve it.
6- Recognition of Achievements And Efforts
Recognition should be part of the corporate culture.
Each time a job is done, an objective is achieved, and a project is finalized. The management must make the effort to recognize these achievements clearly and happily.
It cultivates self-esteem, it mobilizes teams to redouble their efforts, and it develops self-confidence within individuals.
7- Expansion And Enrichment of Tasks
These two motivation systems allow employees to improve their performance in carrying out missions and activities and, in addition, develop new skills necessary for them to manage future evolving work positions.
7.1- Expansion of Tasks
It is the managerial action by which the employee is granted new activities with new responsibilities.
Giving responsibility for a project to an employee while controlling it is an example of job enlargement.
Similarly, task delegation is a form of task enlargement.
7.2- Job Enrichment
It is the action by which the management entrusts the worker with a new project with new responsibilities while leaving him almost freedom of decision and movement.
“Example: Assign the employee difficult and specialized tasks that will allow him to develop his professionalism and expertise.
8- Communication And Feedback
An almost daily, permanent, and continuous communication policy between manager and employee helps build solid bridges of mutual trust between the two parties.
At the same time, feedback from the manager after the employee has completed part or all of a mission or project is an excellent way to correct any imperfections that may arise along the way quickly.
9- Management Style
The managerial style that generates involvement at work is known as “participatory management” or “proximity management.”
This managerial style succeeds in promoting staff participation in problem-solving and decision-making.
It leads to motivation at work and employee loyalty to the organization.
2 Major Signs to Detect a Lack of Motivation at Work
Several methods, some of which were cited a little earlier in the chapter “how to measure motivation,” have been described to detect a lack of motivation.
Here, I will invite you to take advantage of your daily observations of the behavior of your staff.
Indeed, a person’s recurrent behavior can inform us about his motivational level and a fortiori on his lack of motivation at work.
1- Constructive Behaviors Revealing A Lack of Motivation
Here are some seemingly constructive behaviors. On the other hand, we must ask ourselves if it is not a lack of motivation that is at stake:
The person who discusses everything or else
Conversely, the person who accepts everything without the slightest opposition or discussion
The person who only focuses on hobbies: breaks, welcoming all walk-in visitors, answering all calls and emails.
2- Destructive Behaviors Indicative of Lack of Motivation
The person becomes aggressive
She looks for justifications and excuses, most of the time
He pins his problems on others
Evokes unreal requests
Withdraws socially
Repeated sick leave.
Conclusion
Throughout this article, we have certainly become aware of the immense interest of motivation at work in the creation of a good quality of life at work.
1- In the culture of happiness and well-being that spreads within individuals and the organization,
2- In promoting the meaning and value of work and life, in the effectiveness and efficiency it grants to staff,
3- In the achievement of individual and collective objectives, in the accomplishment of the performance and productivity of the organization.
4- In short, in success in life!
5- The success of the individual and that of the company!
What do you think?
Share your thughts in the comments.
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