What is motivation?

Motivation is the process that initiates, guides, and maintains goal-oriented behaviours. Employee motivation means your employees feel happy to be doing their work, which further translates to increased productivity. That said, there are two main types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is when we are motivated from within, while extrinsic motivation refers to being motivated by external factors.

When looking at the world of work, intrinsic motivation refers to factors such as taking pride in one’s work, while extrinsic motivation involves external factors like an employee’s salary. Both of these factors are very important when looking at motivating your workforce, as you want workers who are happy in their work and want to produce high-quality work. Managers can learn how to motivate their workers by implementing certain programs, as explained below, and by being considerate in how they treat their employees.

How to supply motivation

A workforce usually comprises diverse team members, and it’s important to help motivate your employees. Not everyone will be motivated by the same things, but there are certain ways in which you can cultivate a good work ethic among your workers.

The following is a list of ways in which you can help provide motivation to your employees:

• Employee motivation survey: Creating a survey for your employees to fill out, whereby they can be candid about what types of programs might motivate them, can be very helpful for any organization. This is even more important when you have new employees, or your organization is going through a transition period.
• Employee satisfaction survey: Having employees fill out a satisfaction survey could help you figure out how your employees really feel, without putting pressure on them to address complaints with management, and how to negotiate benefits with them. This also allows your employees to feel as though you really care about them and their happiness, which can be a great intrinsic motivator.
• Recognition for a job well done: People like knowing when they have done a good job and thrive when they know they are appreciated. This can be done on a small scale, such as in a one-to-one conversation, or with an actual reward for impressive work on larger projects.
• Avoid micromanagement: People like to be autonomous at work, as having too much supervision often makes them feel as though they are not trusted. Giving workers the ability to be independent in their jobs can create a positive relationship between management and workers.
• Implement suggestions: If a worker makes a specific suggestion on how to make work better for them, it’s best to implement the change if possible. By implementing changes that employees suggest, it shows that you listen to them and do care about their opinions.

Related: New Hire Onboarding Checklist

Why is having motivated workers important?

Having motivated workers helps ensure that your business is successful. People who are motivated will work harder than those who feel lacklustre about their employment. In other words, it’s easier for people to want to do a good job if they have good reasons for doing so, be they internal or external. This also leads to higher employee retention.

Moreover, when workers feel satisfied at work, they are more likely to stay with your company for the long term, which can bring tremendous benefits to your business. Motivated workers will also work harder to keep your customers happy, which means that you are more likely to have brand loyalty. All of this works in tandem to create a positive work environment. Businesses that are able to create a positive work environment tend to be more successful than others, which is just another reason why having motivated workers is important.

Increasing employee motivation through benefits

When looking at how to motivate your workers, one of the best ways to do so is by offering great employee benefits. When employees feel taken care of, they report high levels of job satisfaction and are more likely to do well in their jobs. The easiest way of doing this is by providing certain benefits that will increase employee motivation. The following is a list of the most requested benefits at work:

Flexible working hours

Having flexible working hours is one of many benefits that can help keep your workers happy. It’s important to realize that not everyone is at their best between the hours of nine to five, so the idea that we should all work during those hours is rather antiquated. Employees feel more freedom at work when companies allow them to work when they want, as long as they get their work done. This can be a huge motivator. Feeling free to work the hours that best suit their lifestyle allows your employees to work more efficiently, as they can deliver their best work based around their own natural rhythms.

For example, some people are naturally more effective in the morning, and by mid-afternoon, they will usually be done with their work. The point is that there’s no point in having people work hours that do not suit their natural routine, as you will not be able to get their best work.

Another reason to have flexible working hours is that many companies work with people located around the globe. Business is no longer only being conducted from 9 to 5, as more and more companies are affiliated with similar businesses and individual contributors from different countries. The world now operates on a 24-hour clock when it comes to business, so it only makes sense to have flexible working hours. In addition to that, by allowing your employees to work when they want, you have an increased ability to collaborate with people around the world. This translates into more thought diversity in your company, in turn making it more likely to succeed.

Learning and development opportunities

Having learning and development opportunities for your employees can be another big motivator for yielding high-quality work. People enjoy being able to add to their skills when working, so providing opportunities for them to do so can help create a positive work environment.

Career development is also known to be a huge factor in creating job satisfaction, so if you are able to implement programs that can provide a learning opportunity to your employees, they will be motivated to work harder, be more efficient at their job, and more likely to stay with your company for a long time.

For example, a lot of companies are now providing Lunch and Learns for their employees. A Lunch and Learn is exactly what it sounds like—someone comes into your office (or virtual office) and provides extra training or information about the industry you are in. If your company has salespeople, for instance, you might invite someone who has experience teaching new types of sales techniques that can increase your sales. Not only is this a benefit for your company, but it also allows your workers to feel as though you are investing in their future.

Another easy way to provide learning and development opportunities for your employees is by creating a mentorship program. By placing younger (or less experienced) employees with those who have many years of experience, you can create a workforce feels bonded and motivated to do quality work. This way, an employee with less experience will be able to learn how to do their job more efficiently and the employee with more experience will be motivated to learn new ways of doing things.

Related: 5 Steps to Creating an Effective Training and Development Program

Friendly office environment

Having an office environment that is comfortable and inviting can be extremely important to motivating your employees to work hard. As a matter of fact, your office environment has a huge impact on how your employees feel about work, as they spend a huge chunk of their waking time there. Employees are usually happier to spend more time at an office when there are small yet thoughtful benefits, such as free coffee and food. Not having to think about where they are going to eat lunch or spend extra money on coffee can be a huge plus to the modern worker.

This has become even more important in the wake of COVID-19, as people have become used to working at home, where they can wander into the kitchen at any time. As offices begin to re-open, it has become vital for companies to add these creature comforts in order to keep their employees happy.

In general, your office should have more of a relaxed atmosphere. When workers feel relaxed, they can work better as they feel less stress. A lot of companies are even adding lounges with comfy couches and free food and beverages to the workplace, as they know this will help their employees feel happy to come back into the office.

The good news is that making these improvements can be done on a small to nil budget but can have a huge impact on employee motivation. With an added emphasis on keeping your employees comfortable, you could ensure worker retention and a higher rate of worker satisfaction in your company.

Related: 10 Recruiting Strategies for Hiring Great Employees