|
What Motivates Employees?
2004-07-01
| | If asked most would say the best way to motivate employees is "pay them more money."
There is an old saying that money does not motivate employees, however, the absence of money de-motivates employees. The pre-dominate research on this matter concludes that employees routinely identify money no higher than three or four when asked to rank the top five employee motivators.
The following are some other ways to motivate your employees.
| | | | Challenging Work |
Employees like challenging work. Therefore, it is incumbent on employers to find ways and means to create jobs, tasks, responsibilities that provide employees with a challenge. This can easily be accomplished through job enrichment or job enlargement practices to mention a few. In its simplest form it requires imagination in the area of job design to assemble a group of tasks and responsibilities that stretch the employees abilities and capabilities regarding the work they are responsible for. In most instances the best way to determine what challenges them is to ask them. | | | | Autonomy |
Once employees are provided with a challenging job, they would much prefer to be allowed to go and do the job without the need for close supervision and stringent rules and regulations that encumber them from being able to do the best job they can do. In other words provide them with the freedom and latitude to do the job with the accompanying responsibilities and accountabilities. | | | | Support |
What is often missing in this area is Supervisory support. Employees prefer regular and ongoing support from their Supervisors to assist and direct them in dealing with difficult, demanding or unusual tasks. Supervisors are able to coach and assist the employee in helping them select a preferred solution to an issue if several alternatives are available. This has the further advantage of providing job growth for the employee as well.
Feedback & Reward
Employees are mature adults and like anything else they need and deserve regular feedback and recognition for the jobs they are doing. This also provides an opportunity for the Supervisor to assist the employee in enabling them to be the best they can be. Reward in this instance can be a letter to the employee's file for a job well done and/or recognition amongst their peers and colleagues it doesn't always have to be financial.
Be imaginative in the areas of challenging work, autonomy, support and feedback and reward. Employees can be truly motivated at less cost for longer periods of time by using your imagination in these areas. Remember, the motivation effect of money wears off pretty quickly when these other motivators are not present. |
Contact:
 | Paul R. Hawn, President, Hawn & Associates Inc. | | Suite 507, 421 Bay Street, Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 1X3 | | info@Hawn.ca | | http://www.Hawn.ca |
[ Back ]
|
