What Is Motivation?

In its simplest form, motivation is the desire to do something, explains the Verywell

Mind website. Unlike a desire to have something (money or fame or success),
motivation is the desire to undertake the process to get what you want. Employees
can be motivated by monetary rewards, peer recognition, awards, personal growth and
self-satisfaction. They can also be motivated to avoid being fired, disciplined, missing
out on a promotion or bonus, or being embarrassed.

If your company doesn’t have a professional HR manager or you don’t use an outside
HR consultant to help with employee management, research ways you can motivate
your employees to perform better and stay with your company longer. You need to
provide them with clear directions, a list of the benefits of doing their jobs well, and
rewards and awards.

Carrot-and-Stick Management
Mule and horse owners often offered their animals a carrot to motivate them to
continue pulling their carts when they stopped walking for some reason. If the animal
didn’t, the owner might hit it with the stick. The carrot-and-stick analogy, as described
by Indeed, is often used by psychologists to explain motivation, including employee
behaviors.

When an employee is motivated for positive reasons, she might enjoy her work more,
feel better about herself, and have a higher regard for her boss and the company she
works for. When she is motivated by fear, she might begin to resent her work and
employer and feel her job is so stressful that she begins looking for a new job.

Create Detailed Job Descriptions

One motivation employees have is receiving a positive year-end review, which can lead
to a bonus, raise or promotion. If employees know precisely what’s expected of them
to get a good year-end review, they are motivated to meet these goals. Ensure your
employees have detailed, written job descriptions to avoid miscommunication and
encourage staff to meet their goals.

Asking your employees to help write their job descriptions can create more productive
positions and increase employee job satisfaction. When employees are valued enough
to be asked for their input, they feel empowered and better about their work.
Recognition Increases Job Satisfaction
Human resources surveys have consistently shown that employees want to be
recognized by their supervisors, companies and peers, according to the Harvard
Business Review. Train your managers to understand the relationships between
motivation, job satisfaction and work performance. Teach them to praise their staff
members verbally when they are doing well.

This can include personal exchanges, like “Great job on your report, Dave,” or group
shout-outs, “Hey team, Juanita found a bug in one of our programs and saved us from
shutting down to fix it.” Remember, for some employees, the ultimate result of
motivation is satisfaction in the quality of their work.

Theories on Motivation in Organizations and Management

ByStacy ZeigerUpdated January 31, 2019

Businesses with unmotivated employees often face low productivity and high turnover
rates. Multiple theories help explain how workers are motivated and provide
suggestions for how to increase motivation in the workplace. Understanding which
theory best fits your employees may help improve your small business by increasing
employee retention rates and improving worker productivity.

Theory X and Theory Y

In the 1960s, Douglas McGregor proposed two theories related to employee
motivation and management. His theories divided employees into two categories.
Theory X employees avoid work and dislike responsibility. In order to motivate them,
employers need to enforce rules and implement punishments.

Theory Y employees enjoy putting forth effort at work when they have control in the
workplace. Employers must develop opportunities for employees to take on
responsibility and show creativity as a way of motivating Theory Y employees. A third
theory, Theory Z, was developed by Dr. William Ouchi. It encourages group work and
social interaction to motivate employees in the workplace.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs contains five levels that often shape motivation styles in
an organization. To motivate employees, an organization must move up the pyramid
of needs to ensure all of an employee's needs are met. The bottom of the pyramid
contains physiological needs such as food, sleep and shelter. Safety makes up the
second level and belonging the third.

The top two levels of the pyramid include esteem and self-actualization. Successful
organizations focus on the top two levels of the pyramid by providing employees with
the necessary recognition and developing opportunities for employees to feel they are
doing valuable work and reaching their potential with the company.

The Hawthorne Effect

Through a series of experiments in the late 1920s, Elton Mayo developed the
Hawthorne Effect. This effect theorizes that employees are more productive when
they know their work is being measured and studied. In addition to this conclusion,
Mayo realized that employees were more productive when provided with feedback
related to the studies and allowed to provide input into the work process. Workers
need recognition for a job well done and reassurance that their opinion matters in the
workplace to be motivated to perform.

Equity Theory of Employee Motivation

John Stacey Adams' Equity Theory argues that employees are motivated when they
perceive their treatment in the workplace to be fair and unmotivated when treatment is
perceived to be unfair. In an organization, this involves providing employees with
recognition for the work they are doing and giving all employees the chance to
advance or earn bonuses and other awards. Managers who play favorites or single out
employees for recognition may face a largely unmotivated group of employees.

How to Motivate an Unresponsive Team Member

ByHolly McGurgan

Unmotivated employees can damage a company. Lower productivity is an obvious

consequence of apathy, but the behavior of unmotivated employees also can affect
others, particularly if the employee is part of a team. Finding a way to motivate a
disinterested employee is key to keeping your team happy and productive.

Talk to Me
1. You’ll never know why your employee isn’t motivated if you don’t talk to him.
Don’t assume he feels he’s underpaid or he doesn’t like the team’s new office
 space. Employees have many reasons for feeling apathetic and not all of them
are obvious. Schedule a meeting with the employee to discuss the matter.
Mention that you’ve noticed that he’s lost his motivation and want to help him.
Keep the conversation calm and friendly. Although you might feel frustrated or
angry with him, showing those emotions can only damage your relationship,
which won’t help his motivation level.

Identify the Cause

1. Listen to the employee without interrupting when he tells you why he’s lost
motivation. He might tell you he feels unmotivated because he isn’t part of an
interesting new project. If he thrives on working with new technology, the
company’s disinterest in purchasing the latest computer software might affect
his enthusiasm for his work. Things outside of work might affect his motivation
level too. If he spends sleepless nights caring for a newborn or is undergoing
chemotherapy, he might find it difficult to find enough energy to devote to work.
Some employees might volunteer the reason for the problem, but you might
need to ask a series of questions to draw out the cause from more reticent
team members.

Make It Better
1. Once you’ve identified why your team member isn’t motivated, you can make
changes that will help engage him. If he feels that he only works on boring
projects while other team members are assigned more interesting tasks, rotate
assignments so that he can do the type of work that he finds rewarding. If a
personal problem or illness affects his motivation, find ways to make his life
easier. A new father might benefit from a more flexible work schedule that
allows him time to get more sleep in the morning. If an employee feels that his
hard work isn’t recognized, thank him regularly, announce staff achievements at
meetings or offer small rewards for achievements, such as gift cards or prime
parking spots.

Don't Stop
1. As a manager, you’re used to solving problems and moving on to the next issue.
Don’t approach motivation the same way. Keeping motivation levels high
requires constant attention. Let employees know how what they do benefits the
company and keep them informed about company news, both positive and
negative. If employees feel they play an important role in your company,
 engagement levels might rise. Keep in mind that the way you behave can affect
your employees. If you’re not enthusiastic about your work, you can’t expect
your employees to be motivated. Dale Carnegie Training suggests that you be
careful with what you say and do and how you word things. Your employees will
be watching you and modelling their behavior on yours.

What Is Motivational Theory in an Organization?

Even if your small business has only a handful of employees, you will want to learn
what makes each one tick so that you can motivate your staff to be as productive as
possible. While you might think everyone will work harder for a small bonus, some
workers might prefer recognition or promotions.

Learning about and understanding some basic organizational motivational theories

will help you better manage your staff and train your mangers to be better leaders as
your company grows in the future.

Carrot and Stick

One of the most well-known psychology theories about workplace motivation is about
reward vs. punishment. Both of these are workplace incentives. The incentive is either
to earn a reward or avoid punishment. The phrase “carrot and stick” refers to someone
hitting a horse or donkey with a stick if it doesn’t move, or offering it a carrot to get it
to move forward.

With employees, different carrots will usually motivate them to work better (if not
harder or more), while negative reinforcement often backfires. Sometimes, offering a
reward (such as Friday off if they hit their sales goal by Thursday) can backfire if the
employees see no Friday off as a stick. Balance your use of carrots and sticks, almost
always using carrots with staff.

Awards and Rewards

Rewards refer to items with a monetary value, such as a bonus, commission, gift
cards, extra paid time off, etc. Companies that don’t have extra cash for rewards can
offer awards, such as employee of the month, your birthday off, a shout-out in the
company newsletter, a new title or other recognition. Vantage Circle cites a Deloitte
study that found that 85 percent of professionals a motivated by a simple “thank you”
from their bosses.
Self-Fulfillment Motivation
Many employees leave a company if they don’t feel they are moving upward. One way
to motivate your staff is with career development and succession-planning
opportunities. Career-development opportunities might include your company paying
for the tuition of staff members who take classes that are relevant to their job. Or, you
might offer to pay for the certification test of employees who want to add credentials
to their resume.

You can send employees to workshops, conferences and trade shows, or offer in-
house training. Let employees know that you are interested in their progression to
management by teaching them soft skills, such as time management, interpersonal
communications, conflict resolution, project management and leadership.

Corporate Social Responsibility

One way to motivate people to want to come to work for you and stay with you is to
give them a company they can be proud of. Many younger workers want to work for
companies that have green business practices, donate to local charities, offer good
health benefits, have a diversity committee and follow other socially responsible
policies.

As a small business, you might not be able to afford all of these, but you can ask your
employees to do activities like join a trail-clearing project, or create a recycling
committee or offer a company match against what employees donate to a local
charity. Research different ways in which you can start pursuing corporate social
responsibility  to motivate your workforce.

The Role of a Reward in Employee Motivation

ByKristen HamlinUpdated March 20, 2019

We’ve all heard the expression about the carrot and the stick when it comes to
motivation. In short, by dangling a carrot in front of a rabbit’s face, it’s possible to
motivate them to follow a specific path with the ultimate goal of getting the reward –
the carrot. However, while employees are in general motivated by the same thing – a
paycheck – that’s not the only proverbial carrot that drives people to work hard and do
well.
Employee rewards and recognition programs that acknowledge employee
contributions to the company’s goals and show appreciation for their efforts are
necessary for a high-performing workplace, happier employees and reduced turnover.

Rewards and Productivity

Simply put, the importance of a rewarding employees in an organization is that it
spurs people to work harder and be more productive. There is a saying that “people
will always work harder when they know they are appreciated,” and research backs it
up. According to one survey, 79 percent of employees say that recognition makes
them work harder, and 78 percent are more productive after being rewarded.

In fact, as more Millennials and Generation Z workers enter the workforce,

the importance of a reward system to increase motivation is becoming even greater.
Although these younger workers want fair compensation and benefits, they also want
meaningful and fulfilling work. Part of what makes work more meaningful is
recognition for a job well done, or more specifically, frequent praise and awards for
their efforts. In fact, Millennials consider rewards as essential to their happiness at
work, meaning that employers have a responsibility to incorporate reward and
recognition programs into their companies if they want to attract and retain younger
workers.

Employee Rewards Make Happier Employees

The fact is, most employers want their employees to be happy. After all, happy
employees are usually productive employees, and happy employees contribute to
higher morale. When morale is high, turnover is low, and the business has a greater
chance of being successful and hitting revenue targets. Research even indicates that
when employees are happy, they are at least 12 percent more productive.

What does this have to do with reward? Well, rewards are an important part of keeping
employees happy and productive. There is a direct correlation between rewards and
employee happiness, with 86 percent of employees saying that they feel happier and
prouder when they are recognized at work, and 85 percent saying that they felt more
satisfied with their jobs.

A large majority – 70 percent – of workers also noted when they were happy at work,
they were happier at home as well. Satisfaction at home is important because it has a
significant impact on employees' ability to do their jobs well and avoid issues with
presenteeism, or not working to full capacity when they are at work.
Happy Employees are More Productive
Motivated and happy employees also contribute to the bottom line – and the
difference is significant. Companies with engaged employees have higher revenues
than those that don’t, to the tune of two-and-a-half to three times greater. Profitability
also increases with employee engagement, with those companies boasting engaged
employees seeing almost one-third higher profitability. Clearly, there is a return on
investment that's inherent in keeping employees satisfied with their work.

Employee Recognition Increases Trust

Beyond keeping employees happy, though, which is key to motivation, employee
recognition also increases trust in the workplace. One survey revealed that 90 percent
of employees who had received some sort of recognition for their work in the previous
month have higher levels of trust in their boss, while fewer than half of those who
hadn’t been recognized said they trust their boss. People want to know that their
efforts are making a difference and aren’t going unnoticed by high-ups. Rewarding and
recognizing employees creates stronger relationships, which in turn spurs motivation.

And finally, as mentioned previously, rewarding employees for their work motivates
them to stay. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the most common
reasons that people leave jobs stems from the fact that they don’t receive any respect
from their boss, or they aren’t trusted to do their jobs. Recognizing and rewarding
employees demonstrates both a respect and appreciation for their efforts. It shows
the employer trusts that they are doing their jobs well, which not only encourages
them to stick around, but also to work harder to give their best efforts.

Rewards Motivate Employees Better Than

Punishment Does
If rewards are such powerful motivators, it would seem to follow that punishment, or
the threat of punishment, could be just as powerful. After all, no one wants to
experience pain, whether it be actual physical pain or the psychological pain that
comes from being humiliated, demoted or even fired.

Research indicates, though, that when it comes to motivating employees to act,

rewards are far more effective than punishments. On the other hand, when trying to
get employees not to do something, such as using company resources for personal
activities, the threat of punishment is actually more effective. This is due to the levels
of dopamine, a so-called “happy hormone,” in the brain associated with the specific
activities.

In short, when you are rewarded for doing something right, like meeting sales goals,
the levels of dopamine in the brain increase. Dopamine levels are also higher when
making appropriate choices (like not taking office supplies home) but decrease when
you are punished, which is something that most people want to avoid.

Rewards Work Better than Punishment

In simple terms, this means that employers are better served to focus on rewarding
employees for their actions rather than threatening punishment if they want to
motivate them. Promising rewards for specific actions triggers the “go” response that
gets people to act in order to receive the words. Trying to scare people into action via
threats about the bad things that are going to happen if they don’t act is likely to
create more fear and anxiety, which can thwart action. Couple that with the natural
human tendency to believe that avoiding pain and suffering is simply a matter of not
doing something (such as not drinking poison to avoid death), and it becomes clear
that punishment is simply not an effective motivator.

Why are some Rewards Ineffective?

If rewarding employees is such a powerful influence on motivation, why is it that so
many employee rewards are so ineffective? Unfortunately, many employee rewards
programs focus on the wrong things, and don’t get to the heart of what really keeps
people moving forward.

In many companies, employee recognition and reward programs are focused on a

major event, usually held quarterly or annually, in which individuals are recognized for
their achievement, often with a plaque or trophy and a bonus check. Although
employees appreciate being recognized for their contributions, companies rarely see
major increases in engagement after these events, and most employees aren’t
focused on pursuing those awards as they go about their days.

Some Rewards are Powerful Motivators

The problem with such reward and recognition programs is that they fail to get to the
heart of what really motivates people. Money is certainly a powerful motivator for
many people, but once the bonus check has been spent, few people continue to
correlate that cash with what they did to earn it. Rewards are effective not because of
what the actual recognition consists of, but because of how they make people feel.

Getting praised for your work creates a feeling that what you are doing is valuable and
has meaning and that you are respected by your managers and peers. Everyone wants
to feel good about their work and what they are doing, and a well-designed rewards
program helps accomplish that.

Designing the Perfect Rewards Program

With reward and recognition serving such an important role in employee motivation,
it’s imperative that employers get it right. Rewards only work when they are
meaningful and address the needs of the recipient. This means recognizing the
internal and external factors at play in motivation and how they influence the effect of
the rewards being given.

Generally speaking, addressing internal factors is most important when designing

a motivation system. Everyone wants to be recognized for their accomplishments, but
they also want autonomy and increasing responsibility; this gives a sense that they are
contributing value to the organization. External factors, such as bonuses, pay
increases, free meals, parking spots and other perks are always appreciated, but
rather than truly motivating people, they are more effective at preventing
dissatisfaction. In other words, a nicer office space with a window will make the
workday more pleasant, but it’s unlikely to drive you to work harder like a promotion
would.

Base Rewards on the Company's Mission and Goals

The other factor to consider when thinking about rewards for employees to
motivate is that they need to be based on behaviors and accomplishments that are
tied to the company’s stated mission and goals. Without a specific reason for the
reward, it can run the risk of feeling like recognition for simply showing up, and not for
a true contribution. Again, employees want to feel like they are making a difference
and aren’t just another cog in the wheel, so rewards need to be specific and clearly
related to company priorities. This includes recognizing employees for being team
players and contributing to a healthy workplace culture.

Key Reasons for Job Dissatisfaction and Poor Employee

Performance
ByRose JohnsonUpdated November 26, 2018
Many employees feel dissatisfied with their jobs at one point or another. Some
employees leave their jobs for better opportunities, while others choose to stay and
remain unhappy. Dissatisfied employees can negatively affect a company because
they typically lack motivation, perform poorly and possess negative attitudes. These
symptoms have a way of spreading to other employees, infecting entire departments
and the company’s bottom line. Managers who take the time to understand the
reasons for job dissatisfaction can often find the right solutions to turn unhappy
employees into motivated performers.

Being or Feeling Underpaid

One of the primary reasons for job dissatisfaction results from companies
underpaying workers. Underpaid employees often must stretch their dollars further
even for basic necessities. Not only must employees deal with stagnant wages but
perhaps also the high cost of health insurance and rising costs for housing, utilities
and food. The stress of paying bills with limited income causes many workers to feel
dissatisfied with their jobs. Sometimes, employees just feel that they're underpaid
when they may be paid fairly. Research what other companies are paying for the same
jobs and either tell employees they will be getting raises in the next budget, or let them
see the comparisons to know they are, in fact, paid market rates.

Limited Career Growth and Advancement

A lack of career growth and advancement is another reason why workers are
dissatisfied at their jobs. Employees who feel stuck in their job positions are less
motivated to maintain high productivity than those who do not. Workers feel valued
when employers include them in their long-term plans and show their appreciation
through promotions. Employees who move up in an organization and receive just
compensation to reflect their title and responsibility changes usually commit
themselves to the company for the long term. Promote employees where possible,
even enhancing their titles from level one to level two with an accompanying raise.
Give them more responsibility and let them know you're preparing them for
advancement.

Dissatisfied Employees Lack Interest

A lack of interest in the work is another reason why employees are unhappy. Most
employees want to perform job duties that are engaging and challenging. Yet, only 30
percent of workers in the U.S. report feeling engaged and motivated at work, while 18
percent are there in body but feel totally disengaged with their work. It could be that
the work is monotonous, which causes boredom and little incentive to concern
themselves with workplace productivity. Or, workers may feel unfulfilled in their jobs.
Today's workers say if they had to choose, they'd rather have a fulfilling job than a high
paying one.

Having Poor Management

A key reason employees perform poorly in the workplace is poor management. Those
with poor leadership skills tend to offer little feedback on employees’ performances.
Others micromanage and dictate orders to employees instead of motivating them,
causing a decrease in employee productivity. Ask yourself if you could have a
micromanaging style. Often, it just means you want to see the work get done well. It's
important to let your workers be the ones to do the work well, however. If you notice
yourself jumping in too often, step back and ask the employee how he plans to tackle
this task. Give him your feedback, but don't hover, do the work yourself or redo it later.
Lead employees to the best practices and let them enjoy the fulfillment that comes
with accomplishment.

Not Being Heard

Communication is key to employee satisfaction, but employees say management
doesn't listen to them. Few feel they have any opportunity to speak their mind, and
those that do say the company never takes employees' ideas seriously anyway. Tell
employees often what you appreciate their involvement. They're the ones "in the
trenches," and they may truly have good ideas for improvements. Employees don't
always need a raise to feel fulfilled. Knowing that management values their input, and
shows it by implementing some of their ideas, can be just as fulfilling as a higher
salary.

How to Evaluate Performance & Provide Positive Feedback

BySteve Milano

There are as many theories about effective employee evaluations and providing
feedback as there are human resources gurus, but two common themes often emerge
as essential tools. Using objective benchmarks to critique staff members and
balancing the amount of positive and negative feedback you use will help you educate
your employees without crushing their spirits.
Performance Evaluations
1. The most effective way to provide objective performance evaluations is to set
measurable goals and communicate them to each employee in advance. Giving
your staff members detailed written job descriptions will keep them and your
managers on the same page as to what each employee should accomplish in
his position. This reduces miscommunications and frustrating surprises that
can pop up during the annual review. Set as many objective measurements for
productivity and efficiency as possible to let employees track their progress
each month and make adjustments based on their results.

Positive Feedback
1. To soften the impact on morale of negative feedback you must give employees,
start your evaluations with the positive news. Show the employee where she
performed well, how she did in meeting her goals and what goals she
succeeded in achieving. After you have told her she has made positive
accomplishments, discuss where she can improve. Rather than characterizing
her shortcomings as failures, treat them as areas that need attention and
discuss methods for improvement. Simply telling an employee she missed her
objectives without giving her a chance to explain or discussing how she can
improve can lead to morale problems. Finish your review reiterating the
employee’s successes and providing an action plan going forward to end the
meeting on a positive note.

How to Write Humorous Performance Appraisals

Annual performance reviews are often a time of worry and stress for employees.
Performance reviews provide support for raises, promotions, demotions and even
firings. The annual appraisals are designed to help companies and their employees by
offering a communication tool to increase the level of understanding between
employer and employee, highlight expectations and praise work that's well done. You
can ease the anxiety of annual reviews by slipping in some appropriate humor.

1. 1.

Review each employee's job description. Job descriptions should include the
employee's responsibilities and working relationships with other co-workers. If
 your job descriptions are vague or outdated, update them to accurately reflect
the current jobs at your company. Make notes on how well each employee is
carrying out the duties and responsibilities of her job.

2. 2.

Make a list of the points to include in your appraisals. Although you are going to
add humor to the reviews, you still need to have constructive, detailed feedback
in your appraisals to make them effective. You should include qualitative and
quantitative factors. Qualitative assessments are more subjective and include
your impressions of the employee, such as having an easygoing temperament,
being a hard worker or having a good sense of humor. Quantitative
assessments are more objective and can be measured. A quantitative
assessment may include sales conversion rates, productivity amounts or
awards and recognition from your industry.

3. 3.

Add positive humor to your review. Start your review with a funny anecdote
about the employee or add a reference to a well-known workplace joke. When
using humor, if your jokes involve the employee, ensure that the jokes are not
mocking the employee but are in an affectionate, benevolent tone. You might
want to point out how the one day an employee was late, the company
happened to have a crisis, for instance, to jokingly illustrate how important the
employee is to your company.

4. 4.

Include humorous quotes or anecdotes about the employee from fellow co-
workers. Employees often have closer contact with their peers than with their
managers, and many of them can offer a host of funny tales about each other.
Choose a short, positive story to include in your review and stay away from
insulting jokes or sarcastic remarks made by fellow employees.

5. 5.

Show your review to a fellow manager to get a second opinion on your humor.
Your co-worker should be able to understand the humor and not feel offended
by it. If your joke does not make sense or is borderline offensive, the other
manager should let you know.
Are There Motivational Differences in Genders in the
Workplace?
ByFrances Burks

It's not always clear whether certain things motivate male and female employees
differently. For example, money and other financial rewards potentially have the same
effect on both genders, according to some workplace studies. Nonetheless,
motivational differences may appear among men and women based on how
employers handle the objects of motivation.

Financial Rewards
1. Employers who use money to motivate employees may find that the overall
response from both men and women is nearly the same. Raises, bonuses and
other monetary rewards may only be a short-term motivator for both genders,
according to a 2011 article from the University of Phoenix business school. An
employee's motivation may rise for a brief time after he receives a pay increase.
However, the article notes studies that show employees often increase their
spending after receiving a raise, which consumes their additional pay. That
potentially lowers their motivation to its previous level because their financial
situation remains unchanged.

Acknowledgment
1. Acknowledgment from the boss motivates men and women, but women may
respond more favorably to frequent acknowledgment. For example, "Incentive
Magazine" columnist Roy Saunderson notes advice from a training consultant
who indicated that women like to get verbal and written forms of
acknowledgment for their work more often than men do. However, workplace
recognition that seems bias hampers motivation for male and female
employees. In such cases, Saunderson indicates some workers see certain
employees consistently recognized for their work when they feel they're just as
deserving of such acknowledgment, but they don't receive it.

Training
1. Educational opportunities that can help employees improve their job
performance and advance their careers are motivating to both genders.
Nonetheless, Saunderson notes that women may need to have such
opportunities structured differently for them to raise their job motivation. That's
 because women who are parents or who take care of elderly parents may have
too many care-taking responsibilities to participate in college courses or other
training opportunities. Therefore, Saunderson indicates that women may be
more motivated by skill-development days that allow employees to spend the
workday honing their job skills at classes or workshops. Training during the
workday would prevent women from having to take extra time away form care-
taking duties.

Respect
1. Expressing respect for employees is another workplace motivator. Saunderson
notes that women generally want their employers to show consistent respect
for them and the work they do. However, an article by Karen Haywood Queen on
the Bankrate website draws no distinction among men and women concerning
how respect motivates them to do good work. For example, asking all workers
for their suggestions on improving business operations demonstrates respect
for their input and may increase their overall job satisfaction.

Pros & Cons of Employee Service Awards

1. As a small business owner, you know how important it is to recognize and

reward your most valuable workers. To your customers, your employees are the
business, and happy employees help to create happy and satisfied customers.
Service awards and other recognition programs can be valuable, but it is
important to tread carefully.

Loyalty Generation
1. Providing awards for outstanding service is one of the best ways to encourage
loyalty on the part of your workers. Employees who feel they are appreciated
and valuable members of the team are less likely to jump ship when a better
opportunity arises. A simple pat on the back or an award certificate for a job
well done makes workers feel valued, and that can foster loyalty, teamwork and
cooperation. According to a 2005 study by the Incentive Foundation, building
employee loyalty plays a major role in a given company's decision to create an
awards and recognition program.

Low Cost
 1. Chances are that every worker on your staff would like a raise, but it is unlikely
the budget allows for across-the-board salary increases. Company awards and
recognition programs provide a low-cost way for business owners to show their
appreciation, without endangering the profitability or growth of the firm.
Employee service awards do not have to be elaborate. Something as simple and
inexpensive as a framed certificate, signed by the president of the company,
can be a reward for a job well done.

Possible Resentment
1. Recognizing the accomplishments and achievements of your best workers can
have some unintended consequences. One of the most significant risks of an
employee service award program is resentment on the part of workers who are
not singled out for praise. Managers need to walk a fine line when the reward
their employees so not to be accused of playing favorites or ignoring the
contributions of other employees.

Longevity Versus Accomplishments

1. Employee service awards that focus solely on how long a worker has been with
the company often miss the mark. While tenure is certainly important, an
employee service award program should recognize achievements, as well as
longevity.

Ten Things That Describe a Perfect Boss

ByBarbara Bean-MellingerUpdated March 01, 2019

If you're trying to be the perfect boss, forget it. That's an unattainable goal, and you'll
always fall short in someone's eyes. Bosses are human, too, and even the best of
them don't handle things well every time. What you're aiming for is nearly perfect – the
boss who knows the secret to motivating each person on his team, who gives great
feedback and makes everyone feel valued. These leaders share a set of traits or skills
that other bosses can learn from.

Positive and Passionate 

While the advice to keep a positive attitude sounds cliche, positive bosses know how
important it is. They do more than start the day with a smile. They keep their positive
attitudes throughout the day, no matter what happens. When an employee goes to
them with a big problem or what seems like a dead end, the bosses don’t say how
disappointed they are in the employee. They say, "Let’s see how we can fix this."
Employees who know that’s how their bosses will respond feel comfortable going to
them.

Great bosses take it further by demonstrating their passion for their work. They love
the company and its culture, its products and services. They love developing their
teams. Their jobs aren’t just jobs to them, they’re a passion, and they want to share
that passion with their teams, so they have it too.

Honest and Empathetic  

Near-perfect bosses are honest about everything. They see secrets and lies as an
unethical waste of time. So, when employees share their progress on a project with a
near-perfect boss, they can expect to hear the boss's honest opinion of their work.
What good is it to have a boss say the work looks fine when eventually it's going to
have to either be redone or accepted as is but recognized as being substandard?

Top-tier bosses have empathy, too. They know how it feels to be in their employees'
shoes, presenting to their bosses and trying to determine the best way to approach a
project. They understand how devastating it can be to have a boss describe work as
awful, and how that might affect morale and the ability to move forward. To avoid that,
they give constructive criticism in an encouraging, rather than demoralizing, way.

Guiding and Supportive

The last thing best bosses do is boss people around. They get it that no one likes
being bossed around and told what to do all the time. Instead of bossing, they guide.
Instead of telling a team what to do, they help figure out what to do. It’s a bit
inaccurate to say they’re great leaders, because with leaders come followers, and
amazing bosses don’t want followers. They want doers, risk-takers and out-of-the-box
thinkers.

Peak-performing bosses guide with encouragement, but not merely the you-can-do-it
kind of encouragement. They give their teams the confidence to think beyond and go
beyond the traditional. They help them develop to their fullest potential by supplying
them with wings and encouraging them to soar.

Motivational and Nurturing

To grow in skills, you have to be motivated. Some high achievers are motivated
internally by their own ambition, but even they need to be motivated by specific goals
and accomplishments, not just by the desire to get ahead.

Though employees don’t always realize it, top bosses are developing them as
individuals and as team members. Even as the team works together for a common
goal, each member may be motivated to do so by different personal goals. Team
members come to the team at different skill levels with different backgrounds and
experiences, so all can’t be nurtured the same way. Ideal bosses know this and
motivate each of the individuals according to their needs so that each team member
can give their best to the team.

Creative and Inspiring

Great bosses are creative. They devise different training methods and development
goals for each employee. They don’t assume that the usual way is the best way.
They’re open to all ideas and receive them with passion. Employees notice this and are
driven to bring creative ideas to the team.

Practically perfect bosses inspire others just by the way they approach problems and
guide their teams. They inspire by admitting their shortcomings and failures and then,
through their optimism, find another way. Their employees are inspired to do the same
even though it is rare that anyone says, “You inspire me!” They may not even be aware
of how often they want to try their boss’s methods. They just know that they like their
work, they like coming to work, and they want to do their best work while they’re there.

How to Have a Happier Workplace

Work can be serious business, but focusing on tasks and goals doesn't have to
preclude having a happy workplace. Satisfied, productive and fulfilled employees are
the key to good morale in a company. Create a sense of shared purpose, with
management and employees working in tandem toward company goals, and reward
people for accomplishments. You don't necessarily have to spend much on rewards
and perks. The goal is to let employees know they are valued, which can help create a
happy atmosphere.

Hiring
 1. When you hire new employees, bring people on board who fit your company
culture and who are enthusiastic about the company goals and mission. Assess
a potential employee's personality through pre-employment tests and
interviews. Personality traits such as optimism, resourcefulness and
cheerfulness can help create smooth working relationships among co-workers.
People who smile regularly tend to contribute to a happy atmosphere in the
workplace.

Don't Micromanage
1. Allow employees the freedom to make decisions and be responsible for their
work. Monitoring every move an employee makes can cause dissatisfaction,
low morale and low productivity. Delegate tasks and trust employees to be
responsible for completing them. People who feel valued and that they are
doing meaningful work contribute to a happy workplace.

Communication
1. Keep the lines of communication open between management and employees.
An open-door policy allows employees to air concerns or complaints before
they become serious issues. Offer a way for employees to make suggestions
for improving the efficiency of the company and make it clear that suggestions
will be considered. Be as transparent as possible about company goals and
initiatives to prevent rumors and speculation from running rampant in the
office.

Flexibility
1. Employees are increasingly concerned about work-life balance and companies
that offer flexibility in working arrangements often find increased levels of
satisfaction among employees. If it is appropriate, consider offering employees
flexible work hours, job sharing, time off to attend family events or the ability to
work from home on certain days.

Rewards
1. While raises and bonuses are traditional ways to reward employees and
shouldn't be overlooked, there are other ways to show workers that they are
appreciated. Celebrating employee accomplishments could be as simple as a
blurb in a company newsletter or a note from a manager thanking the person
 for a job well done. Reward employees for good performance with an extra day
off or celebrate the completion of a project with a company luncheon.

Have Fun
1. People work hard and a few lighthearted moments can help ease tension,
relieve stress and create a happy atmosphere. Throw a party once a month for
every employee who is having a birthday in that month, complete with cake and
ice cream. Take the office out for bowling or to the movies once a month. Offer
an informal breakfast gathering once a week. Put up a bulletin board in the
break room with funny pictures and jokes. Work hard to make your employees
smile and laugh, and they will reward you with a happy workplace.

Extrinsic Motivation Factors

ByChron ContributorUpdated July 24, 2020

Most people have at some time been cajoled into doing something, and most have
done things for a reward. What is involved in these situations is extrinsic motivation.
Conventional psychological theory holds that people have their own interior, or
intrinsic motivations, such as love, happiness and self-worth. But they are also
motivated by factors outside themselves that for either positive or negative reasons
may cause them to take action. Businesses use many forms of external motivating
factors.

Financial Rewards
One of the most common extrinsic motivation examples in the workplace is financial
compensation. Commissions, bonuses, stock options and employee stock plans are
compensatory rewards used to motivate employees. Within the range of extrinsic
motivations, these are "carrots". The drive for money and success can often get
people's feet marching, according to Healthline . Benefits and other types of
compensation could also be included. Financial rewards can be applied to a wide
range of an employees wants and needs, and so is a very flexible and powerful
extrinsic motivator.

Praise and Recognition

Types of extrinsic motivation include praise and recognition. Some people aim to
please. And nothing pleases them more than receiving praise for their hard work. This
extrinsic motivation is one of the strongest, most common motivations in the
workplace. Numerous studies show recognition and praise contribute more to job
satisfaction than financial incentives. Regularly delivering sincere and genuine
compliments is a strong extrinsic motivational method.

Peer Pressure
A teenager – and anyone who has been a teenager – knows all about the power of
groups as extrinsic motivating factors. The pressure to feel accepted and valued can
in fact be a motivator. Perhaps at some point it was a motivator to try cigarettes. Or at
work, it may be the reason people work their hardest – to keep up with their team – or
why they take longer or shorter lunches. If the rest of the kids are doing it. . . .

Consequences and Punishment

When the heat's on, many people take action or step up their performance. Knowing
the boss will be angry or their job may be on the line is a reason many people get their
work done. Is fear the best motivational tool in the arsenal? Psychologists and
management experts debate this. But it is definitely an extrinsic motivation.

Undermining Theory
When it comes to examining intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation, psychologists in the
1970s did a great deal of research and developed undermining theory. Undermining
theory states that using extrinsic motivations when people have intrinsic motivations
to do the same thing can cause dejection. In other words, giving a reward for
something someone wanted to do anyway – or a punishment before the person has
the opportunity to do it – undermines the person's original motivation.

Undermining theory argues rewards and punishments are not preferable to allowing
people's own motivations to come out, consistent with the assertions of Very Well
Mind. This theory is still hotly debated in behavioral psychology circles, but is
sometimes used as an argument against motivation via financial reward or workplace
disciplinary systems.

How to Overcome Workplace Demotivation

ByKate McFarlin

Workplace demotivation can be a serious issue for small business owners. Workers
who are not motivated are inherently less productive and over time will display low
morale and job satisfaction. It is necessary to keep motivation at a high level in order
to improve productivity and help your employees be happier doing their jobs. When
everyone is motivated, everyone wins. Simple motivation techniques can be employed
by managers and small business owners to accomplish this.

1. 1.

Set up a points-based reward system. When employees know they are going to
receive a reward above and beyond their normal salary, they are naturally more
motivated to complete their tasks. Assign specific points to different actions
and when employees reach a certain level they can redeem the points for paid
time off, merchandise or other special offers.

2. 2.

Display motivated behavior. A company owner or a manager needs to be able to

show his team that he is motivated to do his own job. This behavior will
naturally carry over to employees. In a workplace, the actions of the person in
charge will determine the actions of the people below him.

3. 3.

Acknowledge employee excellence. It is only human nature to want to be

recognized for a job well done. Too often managers and owners get busy and
forget that a simple thank-you goes a long way towards motivating employees
to keep working hard. Workers do not want to slave away and never be
recognized for their efforts.

4. 4.

Engage employees in a team atmosphere. It is also human nature to want to be

attached to something that is bigger than ourselves. We all want to feel as
though we are doing something important at our jobs or in our lives. Include
employees in a team atmosphere and stress that they are the backbone of your
company.

5. 5.

Dispel negative attitudes. One powerful demotivator is negativity. When an

employee has a negative personality, he can bring down the entire workforce
with him. Take negative people aside privately and discuss how they can
improve their attitudes and show more positivity in their work. While everyone is
 prone to having a bad day now and then, the overall atmosphere in the
workplace should be a positive one.

Plans to Motivate & Lead Employees in Business

ByGeorge N. Root III

Providing leadership and motivation for your employees is essential in maintaining

morale and productivity. The management team that spends time developing ways to
keep employees inspired to succeed will increase retention. There are many different
plans that managers can use to motivate and lead employees. Experiment with
motivational methods and document them so that you can replicate the ones that are
effective.

Work Duties
1. Employees are often motivated by challenges presented in their everyday work
tasks. The continuous performance of repeated work duties creates apathy and
leads to turnover. A proactive manager is always looking for ways to challenge
employees and motivate the staff by emphasizing accomplishments. It can be
creating new production goals each month and attaching a bonus to each
employee that exceeds goals, or it can be the option to be trained on a different
job to expand an employee's skill set.

Personal Attention
1. When an employee is confident that management is taking an interest in his
career development, then that employee becomes motivated to succeed.
Managers should schedule monthly one-on-one sessions with each employee
to discuss the employee's current job duties and career aspirations. The
manager should keep notes on the performance of each employee so that she
can offer firsthand recommendations rather than counting on the employee to
provide all of the details.

Listening
1. Being a good leader means knowing what your subordinates are thinking. A
good plan to help lead employees is to always listen to what they have to say.
Develop an "open door" policy that encourages employees to provide their input
on any topic that they feel is important. Host weekly staff meetings where
 employees can voice their concerns with the group, and you get to hear what is
on everyone's mind.

Recognition
1. It is easier to lead a motivated group of employees than an unmotivated group.
Leadership and motivation go hand in hand when it comes to publicly
recognizing employees for a job well done. It can be something as simple as
posting a handwritten note on an employee's desk congratulating him for a task
performed, or it can be as elaborate as a monthly ceremony designed to
recognize the top performers in the group. The staff feels appreciated by
management because management takes the time to recognize employee
accomplishments.

Three Factors That Explain Why Employees Become

Unmotivated to Do Their Jobs
ByMichael Batton Kaput

According to a 2009 CareerBuilder.com survey, 40 percent of workers in the United

States said they had trouble staying motivated at work. A variety of factors explain
why employees become unmotivated to do their jobs, but sometimes managers
misidentify exactly what causes their workers to lose their drive.

Recognition
1. According a June 2009 article in Entrepreneur Magazine, money motivates, but
not for long. A much more sustainable form of motivation is recognition for
work well-done. Even if your firm has instituted raises in the past year, you
might still find yourself with unmotivated employees. Turn a close eye to your
firm's recognition of high-performing and consistently reliable employees. That
could be the reason your workers aren't getting as much done as they could be.

Room for Growth

1. Another key factor that motivates employees is having room for advancement,
as well as personal and professional growth. When employees are stuck in
dead-end jobs, no matter how many perks come with it, employers may see a
seriously unmotivated work force, according to Entrepreneur Magazine. While
you can't promote everyone, you can give all workers opportunities for
 advancement and education if they work hard for it. Not only can motivation
increase, but it can lead to better leaders and more educated workers at your
firm.

Work Environment
1. A company's work environment influences employees in a variety of ways. Laid-
back offices to high stress offices affect employees, and which one you have
depends on your business. However, Entrepreneur Magazine points out that an
underlying cause of a lack of motivation in the office is when managers don't
address problems quickly and efficiently. Often, this can be because managers
want to be liked and are afraid of conflict, often leading to not addressing
negative employee behavior. Managers who don't lead decisively and act
quickly are a main cause of unmotivated employees, not a lack of casual dress
day or employee barbecues.

Myths About Unmotivated Employees

1. Many myths abound about employee motivation that might distract managers
from the real problems. Two of the main ones are that some people are
inherently unmotivated and, conversely, that smart people don't need to be
motivated. These claims are not true, and believing in them can lead to an
unmotivated work force. Instead, managers need to pay careful attention to
what motivates each employee. A smart employee may under-perform if they
don't feel challenged in their current position. "Unmotivated" employees may
simply have no interest in a raise, but be intensely productive when performing
meaningful work. Finding what motivates each person in your team is key to
motivating your work force.

https://smallbusiness.chron.com/three-factors-explain-employees-become-unmotivated-jobs-
32780.html