Motivation in the workplace
Published on Apr 09, 2016
Created for a Master's in Leadership course.
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PRESENTATION OUTLINE
MOTIVATION IN THE WORKPLACE What do workers really want?
The motivational culture of a workplace can have a dramatic impact on the people who work there and the effort they produce.
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Motivated people have
- enthusiasm
- drive
- ambition
- initiative
- determination
If people are motivated, they have enthusiasm, drive, ambition, initiative, and determination to do their best.
Without motivation, everyday tasks become tedious, and everyone suffers.
Without motivation, everyday tasks become tedious, and everyone suffers.
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How does
motivation,
or lack of it,
affect you?
How does motivation, or the lack of it, affect you?
Just a few more minutes...
Does it take a lot to pry you out of bed in the morning to make the 30 minute drive to work and start another day?
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Ready for a new day!
Or do you jump up in anticipation of the great things you’ll accomplish during your day because it’s Friday, and you get to work from home?
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Déjà vu again?
When you’re at work, do you feel like you’re experiencing déjà vu, completing the same tasks over and over again without hope of anything better?
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Challenge accepted!
Or are your days filled with new challenges and new learning experiences that push you to new heights?
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"There's a problem..."
Do you cringe when you get an email or phone call from your boss because it’s usually bad news?
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We are all part of the team!
Or do you look forward to conversations and connections with your boss and coworkers because you know you are a valuable member of their team?
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Untitled Slide
Is payday just another day when you pay bills and budget what’s left for the monthly trip to the grocery?
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BONUS TIME!
Or is payday like a surprise party because it’s monthly bonus time, and you never know how much that extra perk is going to be?
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Let the gripe session begin!
Are your weekly team meetings just a huge gripe session and a time when the boss calls you out for the mistakes you’ve made over the last week?
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You did a great job!
Or is the meeting a time when people get recognized for their accomplishments, and you get to shower praise on a coworker who went the extra mile for the team?
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Which scenarios
do you identify with?
Which ones would you like to identify with?
Which of these scenarios do you identify with? Which one would you like to identify with?
Chances are you’d really like a great salary, a flexible work schedule, the opportunity to learn and grow as part of a team, input and feedback that helps you do a better job, and a pat on the back when you do a great job.
Chances are you’d really like a great salary, a flexible work schedule, the opportunity to learn and grow as part of a team, input and feedback that helps you do a better job, and a pat on the back when you do a great job.
INCENTIVE
If you had those things, would it be an incentive to work harder and give more on the job?
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WORKPLACE MOTIVATORS
- money
- flexibility
- opportunity for growth
- good communication
- recognition
Research into what motivates people in the workplace confirms that there are at least five major factors that contribute to a happy, productive culture on the job: money, flexibility, opportunities for growth, communication, and recognition. These five motivators are the backbone of a healthy organizational culture.
To illustrate, let’s take a look at two friends who work in neighboring offices.
To illustrate, let’s take a look at two friends who work in neighboring offices.
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SAM
Inspiration Savings and Loan
Sam works at Inspiration Savings and Loan. He is a loan officer helping small business owners get the funding they need to get started or expand their companies. He’s always got a smile for anyone who drops by his office, and he is in charge of the bank employees’ birthday club.
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DAVE
Lackluster Bank and Trust
Dave is employed at Lackluster Bank and Trust next door. He’s a loan officer too, but his coworkers think he’s a grouch. His cubicle is isolated in a corner, and he rarely leaves it to talk to anyone. He would love to start a birthday club, but his bank manager feels it wouldn’t be productive for business.
Though Sam and Dave work in similar jobs, there are some striking differences. One is happy with his employer and his work; the other seems bored and unproductive. Let’s look closer at Sam and Dave and see if we can pinpoint how money, flexibility, opportunities for growth, communication, and recognition affect their motivation on the job.
Though Sam and Dave work in similar jobs, there are some striking differences. One is happy with his employer and his work; the other seems bored and unproductive. Let’s look closer at Sam and Dave and see if we can pinpoint how money, flexibility, opportunities for growth, communication, and recognition affect their motivation on the job.
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DAVE has a *Decent Salary
*401K
*Health insurance
*Small raise
*NO stocks or bonuses
Dave makes a decent salary for a bank employee. Though he has no stock options or bonus potential, he’s happy with his 401K and his health benefits that allow him to see a doctor for only a $50 copay. He just got a raise too, giving him a whopping $25 more on each paycheck, but that’s before taxes.
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SAM has a *smaller salary
*stocks
*merit bonuses
*health benefits
*makes more money than DAVE.
Sam, on the other hand, has a smaller salary, but he is awarded shares of stock when his bank has a productive fiscal year. When the small businesses he works with are awarded a loan, he receives a small percentage as a bonus which he deposits in his vacation fund account at the bank. He has good health and retirement benefits, and although he hasn’t had a raise in a while, with the merit bonuses and stocks he makes more than Dave does each month. That is why he usually buys the first round when they meet at the bar on Friday nights.
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"Work is about more
than the money.
You can buy a person's time,
but money doesn't buy motivation."
Stephen L. Guinn
While money is an important factor in motivation, it isn’t the most important. We need money to live, but making a decent salary doesn’t motivate Dave to work harder. Sam’s salary is smaller, but he seems happier than Dave because he is rewarded for the work he does. When Sam succeeds, his company succeeds, and he reaps the benefits. It’s a win/win situation.
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DAVE is isolated from his boss and coworkers. He has no idea what goes on outside his cubicle.
Every day, Dave sits in his cubicle, analyzing figures and auditing accounts. He has very little contact with his coworkers, and the only time he hears from his manager is when something is out of balance or a mistake is made on a loan application. Dave has no idea if his company is profitable or not. He just knows that deadlines must be met and goals must be achieved, or he’ll likely be looking for another job.
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SAM has open communication with his boss and coworkers. He's a valued member of their team.
Sam knows his bank is making a profit. He’s been included in the Skype meetings where the upper level leaders outline goals and report on the previous quarter’s results. He knows he’s had a part in their success because they’ve mentioned him by name as an integral part of the team. Any time he’s had an issue or needed some feedback, his manager has been open to chat with him, and they’ve worked together to get things done.
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"Sharing the company's vision and the importance of their piece of the puzzle gives employees a greater sense of purpose."
Harry J. Plack
Communication is one of the most influential motivators on the job. When workers are kept in the dark and not allowed open access to their leaders, they feel like they have no personal value. Dave doesn’t know if the work he does all day has any impact on his company. Meeting his goals is his only objective, and he knows he has to do it or get another job. Sam openly communicates with his managers, and they value his opinions and his work. He knows he is important to them as an employee and a person, and this motivates him to exceed their expectations.
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DAVE has limited vacation and didn't have time to visit Disney or ride Space Mountain.
Dave works five or six days a week, 50 weeks of every year. He’s tried to spread his two weeks of vacation out so he can have a few long weekends to spend with his growing family. Sadly, last year, Dave had to use a week of his vacation to move his mother-in-law into a retirement home in Florida. His boss only allows him to take a week of his vacation at a time, so even though he was just a few miles from Disney World, time ran out before he could visit the Magic Kingdom and ride Space Mountain.
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SAM worked from his hotel and had plenty of time to visit Disney and ride Space Mountain.
Sam’s father-in-law moved into the same retirement home in Florida later last year. Sam was given personal time to help with the move and then allowed to take another week of vacation so he could take his wife and kids to Disney. Sam can work from home a few days a month, so he brought his laptop and signed in from his hotel. He processed paperwork and answered his emails which helped keep his clients’ loans moving forward. With his work done, he was still able to visit the Magic Kingdom and ride Space Mountain four times before it was time to go home.
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"The number one action that companies can take to increase workforce commitment is to recognize the importance of an employee's personal and family life."
Nadya O'Connell
Research has pointed to flexibility as the number one thing that companies can do to increase satisfaction on the job. Sam’s company recognizes the importance of its employees’ personal and family lives, and this commitment is reflected in loyalty. Sam and several of his coworkers have been with Inspiration Savings and Loan for nearly a decade, with no desire to move on. Lackluster Bank and Trust seems to have only one goal: to profit with as little effort as possible. This is evident as Dave is the most long-term employee in the group. Personnel turnover is extreme, and Dave has seen 23 employees come and go in his three years on the job.
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DAVE got an email saying "keep up the good work."
Dave is very good at what he does. He is quick with paperwork, and he’s found accounting mistakes that have saved his bank thousands of dollars. Because he is such a valuable employee, his manager sent him an email explaining how he could increase his productivity by changing a few of his routines. He signed the email with “keep up the good work.” Dave was pleased and kept the email to refer to when things got rough.
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SAM got to be
King for a Day.
Sam was the top loan originator for the month of February. To show their appreciation, his managers recognized him at the team meeting and asked him to choose one day the following week where he would be celebrated as King for a Day. Sam chose Wednesday, and on that day, his coworkers signed a big banner with inspirational quotes and notes of appreciation. Throughout the day everyone answered the phone with the words “Inspiration Bank and Trust, where we are celebrating Sam Smith day, how can we help you?” Sam really did feel like a king.
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"America's most underutilized resource is recognition."
Dick Kocenivich, Wells Fargo
People, in general, want to be recognized, even in the smallest ways, when they accomplish goals. The need to be appreciated is human nature and by recognizing the achievements of individuals, we show that their hard work is valued. Sam knows his hard work contributes to his bank’s success because he’s been told so by his managers and coworkers. Dave receives very little praise for a job well done, so little phrases like “keep up the good work” are savored. He has amazing skills, but he’s the only one who knows it.
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DAVE was cross-trained to work the teller counter. He has job security.
The bank offers Dave the opportunity to train as a teller. There isn’t an increase in pay for him once he learns the ropes, but it offers him job security in case his position is eliminated. He takes the training, and because he knows how to work the counter, he’s asked to fill in for tellers when they are out sick. This seems to happen on a regular basis, but Dave feels like he's a team player and willingly steps up when he’s needed.
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SAM was given a scholarship to get his master's degree. He has the opportunity for great promotions and growth.
Sam just heard that his bank is offering a scholarship to employees who want to go back to college. He’s thrilled because he knows that a master’s degree will help him eventually join the management team at Inspiration. With his long-term goal in mind, Sam applies and is accepted to the online Leadership program at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Sam’s company covers his tuition and books, and he is given two hours a day to work on his classwork. He knows his managers want to see him succeed, so he works even harder in appreciation.
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"Empowerment is nothing less than recognizing employees' potential and giving them the resources, responsibility, and authority to get things done their way."
Kojo Hazel
Many companies have tuition reimbursement programs and internal training that help their employees thrive. These are the organizations that retain long-term, focused employees and grow from within. Dave’s training will give him an extra skill and a measure of job security, but Sam’s company knows that the more training they can provide, the higher the skill set of their personnel. Sam doesn’t plan to have the company pay for his education and then move on. He has plans to stay and use what he’s learned to better his organization.
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DAVE watches the clock at the end of his day. He feels he's motivated to do his best,
but is he?
Dave really believes he is motivated to do his best, but at 4:55 p.m., he packs his briefcase and watches the seconds tick away until 5:00 when he can leave his cell-like cubicle until 7:00 the next morning.
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SAM stays late because he's dedicated and motivated to do his best.
What motivates SAM?
Sam believes he is motivated to do his best as well. At 4:55, he’s still plugging away on a loan that will help a new daycare center get started. He glances at his watch and realizes it’s time to leave, but he waves at his boss and tells him he just wants to finish the paperwork and then he’ll head home. Staying late isn’t really a problem when he knows he can leave early any time he needs to.
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Untitled Slide
Achieving motivation in the workplace doesn’t have to involve the extreme measures that we saw demonstrated with Sam at Inspiration Bank and Trust, although all organizations should aspire to value their workers in as many ways as possible. Sometimes checking off all five of the motivators just isn’t possible. What is always possible is effort.
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What can you do?
- Find out what really matters to people.
- Be observant.
- Ask questions.
- Listen to feedback.
- Make an EFFORT!
As organizational leaders, we should strive to find out what really matters to our employees, whether it’s money, a flexible work schedule, opportunities for training, better communication, recognition for achievements, or some other motivator.
Be observant, ask questions, listen to feedback, and make the effort. The benefits are happy, motivated employees and a superior workplace culture that people will want to be a part of.
Be observant, ask questions, listen to feedback, and make the effort. The benefits are happy, motivated employees and a superior workplace culture that people will want to be a part of.
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SAM helped DAVE get a job at Inspiration Savings and Loan.
One night over drinks, Dave confided in Sam about his lack of motivation at Lackluster Bank and Trust. Sam had just received word that he was targeted for a promotion since he earned his master’s degree, and he encouraged Dave to apply for his old position.
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Congratulations DAVE!
With a recommendation from his friend, Dave was hired by Inspiration Savings and Loan. He smiles all the time and has recently taken over as leader of the employee birthday club. Thanks to Sam, Dave is now a happy, motivated employee at Inspiration Bank and Trust.
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"If you want to motivate employees and have above average performance, you need to continuously provide meaningful work and opportunities, along with performance feedback, communication and recognition."
Stephen L. Guinn
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