Business Ideas & Updates

In today’s challenging work environment, managers would like all members of their team to contribute their best effort toward achieving the organization’s objectives. Managers would like a simple solution for motivating employees. Unfortunately, there are few easy answers. This article reviews some myths and provides suggestions.

Dispel common myths about motivation

Some believe that there are certain people who cannot be motivated. That is simply not true. We are all motivated to do what we perceive to be in our best interests. The trick is to align the interests of the organization with those of the employee. The best way to do this is to establish goals for the employee, which, if achieved, will support the overall effort of the organization.

Another common myth is that managers can motivate employees. The fact is that managers cannot motivate people; people have to motivate themselves. People are motivated by different things. While money is a good motivator, it can go only so far.

Focus on motivational truths

The first truth related to motivation is goal alignment. I used to have a boss who said that employees full of energy doing the wrong things are worse than slow-moving employees doing their best on the right things. You need a structure to channel the energy toward appropriate results.

It is important to clearly define what you are trying to accomplish, measure progress toward that goal, and reward success in a timely manner. Clear expectations and timely feedback tend to motivate and energize people.

Incentive pay systems offer limited success

While money may not be the only motivator, it is the reason many people work. Incentive pay systems generally provide a short-term payoff for achieving certain results. In the long term, however, they can lose their effectiveness because they generate feelings of entitlement. People want the payoff without increasing their contribution. 

The other challenge with incentives is that they are most effective using easily-measured performance criteria. They are not able to reward intangible but difficult-to-measure factors, such as customer service, dedication, loyalty, or problem-solving ability. There is also the risk of over-rewarding people for results over which they have little control.

Provide stimulation, challenge, appreciation, and continuous learning

The key to long-term motivation and performance is to keep people stimulated, challenged, and feeling appreciated, while in a continuous learning mode. It is the combination of a lot of little things managers do that makes people motivated. 

If you need help in your organization determining what to do to bring about better motivation, give us a call at 02 9011 5220.