How to Motivate the People of an Organization

What is Motivation

Organizational success and academic activities both depend on motivation. The specific causes of the conduct are related to the demands of the person and the repercussions of their actions.

Motives are manifestations of an individual's needs. In contrast, incentives come from outside the person.

Definition of Motivation

• “Motivation is defined as the performance of an activity because it is perceived to be instrumental in achieving valued outcomes” (Teo, Lim, & Lai, 1999).
• “Motivation is defined as the power that triggers action that follows” (Cheng, & Cheng, 2012).
• Furthermore, “Motivation can be defined as everything that drives and sustains human behavior” (Gard, 2001).
• “Motivation may be defined as the degree to which individuals commit effort to achieve goals that they perceive as being meaningful and worthwhile”
• “Motivation can be defined as the desire to achieve some” goal (Hays, & Hill, 2001).
• Additionally, “Motivation is generally viewed as a process through which an individual’s needs and desires are set in motion” (Rakes, & Dunn, 2010).
• “Motivation is defined as the inner urge that moves or prompts” (Resnick, 2007).

The above is some of the different definitions of “motivation” by different authors. It has been able to show us different applications of

motivation. How you assess these information is your making. We would conclude by adding that “motivation is the inner desire to do what needs to be done even when you do not feel like doing that”.

 

           

According to the Famous Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: 

 

Abraham Maslow (1970) suggested that humans have a hierarchy of needs ranging from lower level needs for survival and safety to higher level needs for intellectual achievement and self-actualization.

Maslow’s Hierarchy

Maslow called four lower level needs-for survival, then safer; followed by belonging, then self-esteem. When these needs are satisfied, the motivation for fulfilling them decreases. He labeled the three higher level needs, intellectual achievement, then aesthetic appreciation and finally, self-actualization being needs. 

 

When they are met, a person’s motivation does not cease, instead it increases to further fulfillment. Unlike the deficiency needs, there being needs can never be completely filled. 

 

The strive for improvement is always there in the individual. Maslow’s theory has been criticized because the people do not always appear to behave as the theory would predict. Sometimes, people get motivated by many different needs; at the same time. All the needs are inter-related. 

 

How to motivate employees of an organization

Everyone agrees that it's far better to have a team of motivated, engaged people at your workplace. The business will be more productive and more profitable.

But exactly how to get and, just as importantly, keep your employees motivated can be easier said than done.

People are different and what inspires one person may not motivate another. For some, it

may be money, while others want rewards or recognition. Others find all the motivation they need within themselves and just get on and perform.

In short, there is no one-size-fits-all method for motivating employees, boosting performance levels, and creating a happy, thriving work environment. You need to utilise a number of different techniques.

Here are ten tips to help you create an effective employee motivation strategy that will help keep your people happy and focused on doing their best.

Top 10 ways to motivate your employees:

1. Make your business a pleasant place to be.

Nobody likes to spend hours loitering in a dull, dark area. Workplaces that are aesthetically beautiful, well-lit, practical, and enjoyable make work much more enjoyable. The first step is to check that everything is in good condition and that your tools are up to date. This entails replacing your glacially slow point-of-sale system with one that is quick, adaptable, and free to use, as well as your Cold War-era back office computer.

2. Be a respectful, honest and supportive manager.

Although it might seem obvious, poor management is one of the main causes of employees leaving their jobs. The underlying principles here are respect, integrity, assistance, and open communication. However, there is much more you can do to excel as a mentor and leader.

Effective management, like any other skill, requires information and practice, so if you're new to the whole management thing, it's worth reading some books on the subject. Start by looking at Amazon's best-selling business management books or visiting Square's blog's personnel management section. The bottom line is that loyal employees will follow you if you're a good boss.

3. Offer employee rewards.

If there is a good reason for it, they will stick with your company. In order to maintain staff motivation, it is worthwhile to implement an incentive program. Here are some advantages you might consider including:

• A quarterly bonus.
• Private healthcare.
• Offering to pay for additional credentials or qualifications.
• Profit-sharing in your company.

If people know they’ll be rewarded for a job well done, they’ll be more likely to 1) do a good job, and 2) stay to see things through.

4. Give them room to grow.

Giving your staff room to advance within the firm is a significant motivator if your organization is expanding quickly. Yes, there is the enticing promise of more pay, but there is also the psychological benefit of feeling trusted and respected for their work.

Consider which of your employees would be a good fit for a managerial position at the new site if you're opening one. Consider encouraging the individual managing inventories particularly well to take on full responsibility for vendor relations. Giving your top workers room to grow changes their perspective from "this is just a side job" to "this could be a full-time career."

5. Share positive feedback.

It's wonderful to feel satisfied with your effort. In actuality, it's a major aspect of job happiness. You can feel satisfied with your work in a number of ways, such as knowing you brewed the ideal cup of coffee or helping someone feel more confident with a fresh haircut. And be sure to let your staff members know if your consumers show gratitude for these things.

With Square Feedback, doing this is very straightforward. During weekly meetings, many Square salespeople make it a point to share all the encouraging and positive feedback with their staff. Giving your staff the satisfaction of knowing they improved someone's day (or more) strengthens their sense of loyalty to your company.

6. Be transparent.

Having knowledge of how the company is doing increases employee investment. Make it a point to regularly communicate this information with them. With our intuitive Dashboard tool, full of company insights, Square makes this straightforward.

You can share information about how many clients are new vs returning by sending out daily, weekly, or monthly sales reports. Having access to all of this information not only gives your staff a sense of importance inside the company, but it also identifies opportunities for improvement.

7. Offer flexible scheduling.

Both the way we work and how organizations run have changed because to technology. especially in light of the past year, during which working from home has increased in popularity. Nearly 4 million UK employees have flexible work schedules in 2021, thus your company must accommodate this rise to stay a competitive employer.

Therefore, if you want to draw in top talent, you should aim to have a variety of scheduling options, whether you offer a work-from-home opportunity or flex time.

8. Offer food in the workplace.

Is a good meal the secret to keeping employees? Maybe. Nobody works well while they are hungry, after all. A mid-morning snack or a late-afternoon snack can increase your staff members' energy and morale, increasing their productivity all day long. In fact, studies have shown that having free meals available at work can boost employee happiness by 11%.

And it's apparent that food plays a significant role in many workplace cultures when 60% of workers rate meals and snacks among the top three office benefits. It makes sense: You get the feeling that your employer cares about you as a person and not simply what you can do for the company when they pay attention to your bodily requirements.

9. Recognise their achievements.

Sometimes all someone wants is to be thanked for their efforts. Don't be afraid to give an employee kudos if they have been working really hard on a project or if they went above and above to assist a fellow employee. It's not just about the act of acknowledgment; it's also about the underlying idea that if people believe their efforts are valued, they will be motivated to put up even more effort.

Organizations with incentive and recognition programs also had a 31% lower employee turnover rate, as well as 14% greater staff engagement, productivity, and customer service. Therefore, it's crucial that you express your gratitude to diligent workers, whether it's by highlighting their contributions in a meeting, mentioning them in a staff email, or simply saying so in private.

having excellent personnel10. Ask them what they want.

Instead of guessing how to motivate your team, actually sit down with them and find out what they value. Doing the unexpected might be the best thing you can do for your employees, and your company.

Conclusion

 

Any organization's success is based on the effectiveness of its workforce. In order to motivate their employees and improve employee performance, firms create a variety of motivation policies and apply a number of motivational techniques. But a researchable subject is how much these motivational techniques influence employee performance. The review's conclusions supported that. Employee motivation and performance are positively correlated across many different industries and nations. In order to keep employees happy and ensure that they carry out their responsibilities effectively, firms must work to motivate them.

 

References

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Available at:https://www.onlinedailys.com/different-definitions-motivation-different-authors-motivated/[Accessed 27-04-2023]

Available at:https://squareup.com/gb/en/townsquare/how-to-motivate-your-employees[Accessed 27-04-2023]

Available at:http://jhrmls.com/vol-8-no-2-december-2020-abstract-3-jhrmls[Accessed 27-04-2023]