Research for motivating employees

Motivation is an employee's intrinsic enthusiasm about and drive to accomplish activities related to work. Motivation is that internal drive that causes an individual to decide to take action.

An individual's motivation is influenced by biological, intellectual, social and emotional factors. As such, motivation is a complex, not easily defined, intrinsic driving force that can also be influenced by external factors.

Every employee has activities, events, people, and goals in his or her life that he or she finds motivating. So, motivation about some aspect of life exists in each person'sconsciousness and actions.

The trick for employers is to figure out how to inspire employee motivation at work. To create a work environment inwhich an employee is motivated about work, involves both intrinsically satisfying and extrinsically encouraging factors. Employee motivation is the combination of fulfilling the employee's needs and expectations from work and the workplace factors that enable employee motivation - or not. These variables make motivating employees challenging.

Employers understand that they need to provide a work environment that creates motivation in people. But, many employers fail to understand the significance of motivation in accomplishing their mission and vision. Even when they understand the importance of motivation, they lack the skilland knowledge to provide a work environment that fosters employee motivation.

Here are thoughts about encouraging and inspiring employee motivation at work.

Factors to Encourage Motivation

These are some of the factors that are present in a work environment that many employees find motivating.

• Management and leadership actions that empower employees,• Transparent and regular communication about factors

important to employees,• Treating employees with respect,• Providing regular employee recognition,• Feedback and coaching from managers and leaders,• Above industry-average benefits and compensation,• Providing employee perks and company activities, and• Positively managing employees within a success framework

of goals, measurements, and clear expectations.

When you think about it, the success of any facet of your business can almost always be traced back to motivated employees. From productivity and profitability to recruiting and retention, hardworking and happy employees lead to triumph.

Unfortunately, motivating people is far from an exact science. There's no secret formula, no set calculation, no work sheet to fill out. In fact, motivation can be as individualas the employees who work for you. One employee may be motivated only by money. Another may appreciate personal recognition for a job well done. Still another may work harder if she has equity in the business.

But you can boil down employee motivation to one basic ideal: finding out what your

employees want and finding a way to give it to them or to enable them to earn it. Here we've gathered some of the best and most interesting motivational techniques used by successful entrepreneurs. We hope they'll motivate you, too.

Motivating your employees is vital to any business. A motivated workforce means a highly productive staff, all of which will helpyou achieve your business goals. And this should be a main objective in your organizational and business plan.

Before you build a motivational strategy, the first step you needto take is to understand what motivates your employees. What drives them to their peak performance will better help you develop programs that both motivate and retain the best employeesfor your business.

While not every employee will be motivated by the same thing, focusing on a list of key motivating programs can help. Your plancan include everything from monetary incentives, rewards and recognitions, building programs that support work-life balance, to simply creating a fun, relaxed office environment. The opportunities are endless and the reward substantial.

Employee incentive programs are one of the easiest ways to incentivize your workforce. While not every program needs to be monetary in nature, should you have limited budgets, the end results are the same; employees become more motivated when they are recognized and rewarded for good work.

Motivating your employees is vital to any business. A motivated workforce means a highly productive staff, all of which will helpyou achieve your business goals. And this should be a main objective in your organizational and business plan.

Before you build a motivational strategy, the first step you needto take is to understand what motivates your employees. What drives them to their peak performance will better help you develop programs that both motivate and retain the best employeesfor your business.

While not every employee will be motivated by the same thing, focusing on a list of key motivating programs can help. Your plancan include everything from monetary incentives, rewards and recognitions, building programs that support work-life balance, to simply creating a fun, relaxed office environment. The opportunities are endless and the reward substantial.

Employee incentive programs are one of the easiest ways to incentivize your workforce. While not every program needs to be monetary in nature, should you have limited budgets, the end results are the same; employees become more motivated when they are recognized and rewarded for good work.

Employees want to feel that they are being heard, and more so in team environments. Encourage feedback. This will help them feel that their opinions matter and they have a role in defining the success of your business.

Set a positive tone. The tone of any company begins at the top and trickles down; it’s your job to inspire your employees to have and create a positive environment. This can be accomplished by employing simple techniques from asking your receptionist to greet everyone with a smile, to encouraging employees to express their ideas openly.

The importance of employee motivation cannot be down-played. Ultimately when employees are motivated this increases productivity, lowers turnover, and improves overall performance.

http://www.americasjobexchange.com/employer/employer-articles/employee-motivation

Introduction to Motivation

At one time, employees were considered just another input into the production of goods and services. What perhaps changed this way of thinking about employees was research, referred to as the Hawthorne Studies,

conducted by Elton Mayo from 1924 to 1932 (Dickson, 1973). This study found employees are not motivated solely by money and employee behavior is linked to their attitudes (Dickson, 1973). The Hawthorne Studies began the human relations approach tomanagement, whereby the needs and motivation of employees become the primary focus of managers (Bedeian, 1993).

Motivation Theories

Understanding what motivated employees and how they were motivated was the focus of manyresearchers following the publication of the Hawthorne Study results (Terpstra, 1979). Five major approaches that have led to our understanding of motivation are Maslow's need-hierarchy theory, Herzberg's two- factortheory, Vroom's expectancy theory, Adams' equity theory, and Skinner's reinforcement theory.

According to Maslow, employees have five levels of needs (Maslow, 1943): physiological, safety, social, ego, and self-actualizing. Maslow argued that lower level needs had to be satisfied before the next higher level need would motivate employees. Herzberg's work categorized motivation into

two factors: motivators and hygienes (Herzberg, Mausner, & Snyderman, 1959). Motivator or intrinsic factors, such as achievement and recognition, produce job satisfaction. Hygiene or extrinsic factors, such as pay and job security, produce job dissatisfaction.

Vroom's theory is based on the belief that employee effort will lead to performance and performance will lead to rewards (Vroom, 1964). Rewards may be either positive or negative. The more positive the reward the more likely the employee will be highly motivated. Conversely, the more negative the reward the less likely the employee will be motivated.

Adams' theory states that employees strive for equity between themselves and other workers. Equity is achieved when the ratio ofemployee outcomes over inputs is equal to other employee outcomes over inputs (Adams, 1965).

Skinner's theory simply states those employees' behaviors that lead to positive outcomes will be repeated and behaviors that lead to negative outcomes will not be repeated (Skinner, 1953). Managers should

positively reinforce employee behaviors that lead to positive outcomes. Managers should negatively reinforce employee behavior that leads to negative outcomes.

Motivation Defined

Many contemporary authors have also defined the concept of motivation. Motivation has been defined as: the psychological process that gives behavior purpose and direction (Kreitner, 1995); a predisposition to behave in a purposive manner to achieve specific, unmet needs (Buford, Bedeian, & Lindner, 1995); an internal drive to satisfy an unsatisfied need (Higgins, 1994); and the will to achieve (Bedeian, 1993). For this paper, motivation is operationally defined asthe inner force that drives individuals to accomplish personal and organizational goals.

The Role of Motivation

Why do we need motivated employees? The answer is survival (Smith, 1994). Motivated employees are needed in our rapidly changing workplaces. Motivated employees help organizations survive. Motivated employees are more productive. To be effective, managers need to understand what motivates

employees within the context of the roles they perform. Of all the functions a manager performs, motivating employees is arguably the most complex. This is due, in part, to the fact that what motivates employees changes constantly (Bowen & Radhakrishna, 1991). For example, research suggests that asemployees' income increases, money becomes less of a motivator (Kovach, 1987). Also, as employees get older, interesting work becomesmore of a motivator.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to describe theimportance of certain factors in motivating employees at the Piketon Research and Extension Center and Enterprise Center. Specifically, the study sought to describe the ranked importance of the following ten motivating factors: (a) job security, (b) sympathetic help with personal problems, (c) personal loyalty to employees, (d) interesting work, (e) good working conditions, (f) tactful discipline, (g) good wages, (h) promotions and growth in the organization, (i) feeling of being in on things, and (j) full appreciation of work done. A secondary purpose of the study was tocompare the results of this study with the

study results from other populations.

Methodology

The research design for this study employed adescriptive survey method. The target population of this study included employees at the Piketon Research and Extension Center and Enterprise Center (centers). The sample size included all 25 employees of the target population. Twenty-three of the 25 employees participated in the survey for a participation rate of 92%. The centers are inPiketon, Ohio.

The mission of the Enterprise Center is to facilitate individual and community leader awareness and provide assistance in preparingand accessing economic opportunities in southern Ohio. The Enterprise Center has three programs: alternatives in agriculture, small business development, and women's business development. The mission of the Piketon Research and Extension Center is to conduct research and educational programs designed to enhance economic development in southern Ohio. The Piketon Research and Extension Center has five programs: aquaculture, community economic development, horticulture, forestry, and soil and water

resources.

From a review of literature, a survey questionnaire was developed to collect data for the study (Bowen & Radhakrishna, 1991; Harpaz, 1990; Kovach, 1987). Data was collected through use of a written questionnaire hand-delivered to participants.Questionnaires were filled out by participants and returned to an intra-departmental mailbox. The questionnaire askedparticipants to rank the importance of ten factors that motivated them in doing their work: 1=most important . . . 10=least important. Face and content validity for the instrument were established using two administrative and professional employees at The Ohio State University. The instrument waspilot tested with three similarly situated employees within the university. As a result of the pilot test, minor changes in word selection and instructions were made to the questionnaire.

Results and Discussion

The ranked order of motivating factors were: (a) interesting work, (b) good wages, (c) full appreciation of work done, (d) job security, (e) good working conditions, (f)

promotions and growth in the organization, (g) feeling of being in on things, (h) personal loyalty to employees, (i) tactful discipline, and (j) sympathetic help with personal problems.

A comparison of these results to Maslow's need-hierarchy theory provides some interesting insight into employee motivation.The number one ranked motivator, interesting work, is a self-actualizing factor. The number two ranked motivator, good wages, is aphysiological factor. The number three rankedmotivator, full appreciation of work done, isan esteem factor. The number four ranked motivator, job security, is a safety factor. Therefore, according to Maslow (1943), if managers wish to address the most important motivational factor of Centers' employees, interesting work, physiological, safety, social, and esteem factors must first be satisfied. If managers wished to address the second most important motivational factor of centers' employees, good pay, increased pay would suffice. Contrary to what Maslow's theory suggests, the range of motivational factors are mixed in this study. Maslow's conclusions that lower level motivational factors must be met before ascending to the

next level were not confirmed by this study.

The following example compares the highest ranked motivational factor (interesting work)to Vroom's expectancy theory. Assume that a Centers employee just attended a staff meeting where he/she learned a major emphasiswould be placed on seeking additional external program funds. Additionally, employees who are successful in securing funds will be given more opportunities to explore their own research and extension interests (interesting work). Employees who do not secure additional funds will be required to work on research and extension programs identified by the director. The employee realizes that the more research he/she does regarding funding sources and themore proposals he/she writes, the greater thelikelihood he/she will receive external funding.

Because the state legislature has not increased appropriations to the centers for the next two years (funds for independent research and extension projects will be scaled back), the employee sees a direct relationship between performance (obtaining external funds) and rewards (independent research and Extension projects). Further,

the employee went to work for the centers, inpart, because of the opportunity to conduct independent research and extension projects. The employee will be motivated if he/she is successful in obtaining external funds and given the opportunity to conduct independent research and extension projects. On the otherhand, motivation will be diminished if the employee is successful in obtaining external funds and the director denies the request to conduct independent research and Extension projects.

The following example compares the third highest ranked motivational factor (full appreciation of work done) to Adams's equity theory. If an employee at the centers feels that there is a lack of appreciation for workdone, as being too low relative to another employee, an inequity may exist and the employee will be dis-motivated. Further, if all the employees at the centers feel that there is a lack of appreciation for work done, inequity may exist. Adams (1965) statedemployees will attempt to restore equity through various means, some of which may be counter- productive to organizational goals and objectives. For instance, employees who feel their work is not being appreciated may

work less or undervalue the work of other employees.

This final example compares the two highest motivational factors to Herzberg's two-factortheory. The highest ranked motivator, interesting work, is a motivator factor. The second ranked motivator, good wages is a hygiene factor. Herzberg, Mausner, & Snyderman (1959) stated that to the degree that motivators are present in a job, motivation will occur. The absence of motivators does not lead to dissatisfaction. Further, they stated that to the degree that hygienes are absent from a job, dissatisfaction will occur. When present, hygienes prevent dissatisfaction, but do not lead to satisfaction. In our example, the lack of interesting work (motivator) for the centers' employees would not lead to dissatisfaction. Paying centers' employees lower wages (hygiene) than what they believe to be fair may lead to job dissatisfaction. Conversely, employees will be motivated when they are doing interesting work and but will not necessarily be motivated by higher pay.

The discussion above, about the ranked importance of motivational factors as relatedto motivational theory, is only part of the

picture. The other part is how these rankingscompare with related research. A study of industrial employees, conducted by Kovach (1987), yielded the following ranked order ofmotivational factors: (a) interesting work, (b) full appreciation of work done, and (c) feeling of being in on things. Another study of employees, conducted by Harpaz (1990), yielded the following ranked order of motivational factors: (a) interesting work, (b) good wages, and (c) job security.

In this study and the two cited above, interesting work ranked as the most importantmotivational factor. Pay was not ranked as one of the most important motivational factors by Kovach (1987), but was ranked second in this research and by Harpaz (1990).Full appreciation of work done was not rankedas one of the most important motivational factors by Harpaz (1990), but was ranked second in this research and by Kovach (1987).The discrepancies in these research findings supports the idea that what motivates employees differs given the context in which the employee works. What is clear, however, is that employees rank interesting work as the most important motivational factor.

Implications for Centers and Extension

The ranked importance of motivational factorsof employees at the centers provides useful information for the centers' director and employees. Knowing how to use this information in motivating centers' employees is complex. The strategy for motivating centers' employees depends on which motivation theories are used as a reference point. If Hertzberg's theory is followed, management should begin by focusing on pay and job security (hygiene factors) before focusing on interesting work and full appreciation of work done (motivator factors). If Adams' equity theory is followed, management should begin by focusingon areas where there may be perceived inequities (pay and full appreciation of workdone) before focusing on interesting work andjob security. If Vroom's theory is followed, management should begin by focusing on rewarding (pay and interesting work) employeeeffort in achieving organizational goals and objectives.

Regardless of which theory is followed, interesting work and employee pay appear to be important links to higher motivation of centers' employees. Options such as job enlargement, job enrichment, promotions,

internal and external stipends, monetary, andnon-monetary compensation should be considered. Job enlargement can be used (by managers) to make work more interesting (for employees) by increasing the number and variety of activities performed. Job enrichment can used to make work more interesting and increase pay by adding higherlevel responsibilities to a job and providingmonetary compensation (raise or stipend) to employees for accepting this responsibility. These are just two examples of an infinite number of methods to increase motivation of employees at the centers. The key to motivating centers' employees is to know whatmotivates them and designing a motivation program based on those needs.

The results presented in this paper also haveimplications for the entire Cooperative Extension Sysyem. The effectiveness of Extension is dependent upon the motivation ofits employees (Chesney, 1992; Buford, 1990; Smith, 1990). Knowing what motivates employees and incorporating this knowledge into the reward system will help Extension identify, recruit, employ, train, and retain a productive workforce. Motivating Extension employees requires both managers and

employees working together (Buford, 1993). Extension employees must be willing to let managers know what motivates them, and managers must be willing to design reward systems that motivate employees. Survey results, like those presented here, are useful in helping Extension managers determine what motivates employees (Bowen & Radhakrishna, 1991). If properly designed reward systems are not implemented, however, employees will not be motivated.

http://www.joe.org/joe/1998june/rb3.php/index.php

•• Managing Employees >• Motivation

How to Implement Motivation for Achievement in the Workplaceby Rose Johnson , Demand Media

Managers must instill in employees a sense of purpose.

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Workplace

Motivation directly relates to the achievement of employees in the workplace. Achievement in the workplace deals with the pride and sense of accomplishment employees feel about their jobs and employers. Managers who notice a decline in achievementmust take proactive steps to implement strategies to increase motivation and employee morale. Neglecting to motivate employees results in dissatisfied workers, which hurts productivity and causes employee turnover.

Ads by GoogleDentist Jobs - Now HiringCompetitive Salaries & Amazing Benefits. Join Our Family Today!www.koolsmilesjobs.comRecognize EmployeesEmployee recognition goes a long way toward increasing and maintaining achievement. Employees who are valued for their contributions desire to continue contributingand striving for success. Managers who never thank their employees only cause a decline in motivation. Managers do not need to purchase extravagant gifts as away to motivate employees. A simple thank you for a jobwell done makes an employee feel like a valuable part of the team. Other ways to recognize employees include a paid day off, a card expressing gratitude and flexibility in work schedules. Employee recognition is most effective when employees are earning fair wages and when the recognition is sincere.

Quality of LifeEmployers who emphasize quality of life motivate employees toward achieving high levels of productivity.Many employees worry about how to balance their work duties and personal lives, and these concerns can negatively affect morale and performance. Employers canimplement flexible schedules and give employees the ability to periodically work from home to promote quality of life. Incorporating quality-of-life strategies in the workplace allows employees to remain focused on completing their duties.

Related Reading: Human Resource Development and Motivation in the Workplace

Provide Personalized CoachingEmployees lack motivation when they are not performing well but are unsure of what they are doing wrong. Providing personalized coaching helps employees improvetheir performance and achieve organizational goals. A primary way to help employees improve their performanceis to offer feedback. Unlike an employee appraisal, feedback should occur close to the time an employee completes a task. Managers should provide feedback based on actual performance and not biased opinions. Employees who sense a manager is biased when offering feedback will further lack the motivation needed to achieve goals. When providing feedback, an employer should listen and address the employee’s concerns.

Monetary IncentivesAlthough many nonmonetary techniques work well to motivate employees to achieve, it is hard to ignore therole money plays in employee motivation. Monetary incentives, such as profit sharing and performance bonuses, motivate employees to render quality products,

high levels of productivity and innovative and creativeprocesses. Providing monetary incentives directly benefits the organization because highly productive employees positively impact the company’s bottom line. Employees should receive monetary bonuses based on their performance. Depending on money alone without implementing other employee motivation techniques only motivates employees for a short time.

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/implement-motivation-achievement-workplace-32964.html

Michael S. Broder, Ph.D.Psychologist and author of 'Stage Climbing: The Shortest Path to Your Highest Potential'

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$1,221,791 raised for jobsBusiness leaders and manager at all levels usually agree on one thing: It's a constant challenge to keep others in the work environmentmotivated and productive. This is especially true given the reality that what drives one

person can be quite different than what drives another. Thus, to be effective in creating a maximally productive work environment, it's crucial to understand on an individual basis exactly what motivates each unique person you are trying to influence. So with this in mind, here are several different examples or prototypes of people you might find in the workplace and what's most likely to inspire optimal productivity in each. Believe it or not,these characteristics even correspond with the stages of development as humans by which each individual views his or her career. By understanding what drives each unique member of your team, you can effectively tailor the approach you use to get the most out of each person you'd like to motivate.

Some people are principally motivated by the simple belief that their job is secure and the reassurance that their work won't become too hard or overwhelming. When motivating someone like this, accept their limitations and avoid pushing them toward advancement (which may feel to them like more of a threat than a reward, whether or not they admit it). Assuming that their work is satisfactory, however, continue toassure them of their security by maintaining consistency in their tasks, so they remain capable of sufficiently doing their jobs.

For others, the structure itself that exists

within a company or organization is a perfect ongoing motivator for those who thrive in environments with clear and perhaps even rigid rules, procedures and guidelines. Doing what is expected, not making waves and staying on "the good side" of the authority is what keeps them going on a day-to-day basis as well as their power to "rule" their subordinates. Military type operations and certain large companies are good examples of where these people thrive. For theseemployees, provide positive reinforcement for following procedures and rules or doing things "by the book." However, like the first group, avoid pushing them out of their comfort zones.

For many, it's the opportunity to impress othersor receive praise or validation, since their primary motivator is actually to gain recognition or approval from others. While you might correctly assume that practically everyonelikes the approval of others, some people actually need it to flourish and don't do as well when they aren't feeling validated. So takethe time to recognize that these individuals aredoing a good job, for example, in the form of awards (such as, "employee of the month", etc.) to help them feel appreciated and as though theyare part of a "family" that appreciates both thejob they do and them as people . Any way you canconvey the message to "keep up the good work" can have a huge impact.

In our society compensation via salary, perks orother tangible rewards and benefits is obviouslythe most common form of motivation offered; and for some employees, it's enough to motivate themmaximally. Such employees or coworkers respond best to such things as raises, bonuses, time offand better benefits.

Notice that it's the employer -- managers or company policy -- that provides all of the motivators discussed so far. However, those who fall into the next two categories distinguish themselves by the fact that the principal way they are motivated is intrinsically or from within. In other words, they are most satisfied by doingand being challenged by what they love and feel passionate about. As a manager or supervisor, itis crucial to recognize such individuals for theunique abilities and inner drive to perform them that they can contribute to your mission, since they see their work as a calling and their work environment as a place to be creative and to apply their unique gifts and talents. They need enjoy their work and fit best in an environment which values their contribution. When these needs cease to be met, they will be most likely to burn out and seek a new assignment or environment where they can once again thrive. They feel best about their work and themselves, when given the opportunity and freedom to apply their unique magic to the task. My advice to managers regarding these individuals is to

resist any micromanaging and remember that they bring the lion's share of their own motivation to the table. The only other things they need are the opportunity, some broad direction, the resources to get the job done and a way to measure the impact of their contribution. I believe that anyone who is willing to do what ittakes to let their passion be the guiding force in their career can join this category. When I coach people on career change, I teach them manyways to access this part of themselves.

The highest level of self-motivation comes from the opportunity to serve a purpose greater than oneself. This may be the commitment to play an important role in serving a cause one believes in or solving an important problem -- that's much larger than oneself. For these employees, the satisfaction of bettering the lives of others, changing some aspect of the world or simply giving back is what actually motivates them. In other words, they are beyond self-gratification in this part of their lives and enjoying their work is far less important. When motivation appears to dwindle, it could be a sign that the work is done and/or another mission is ripe. At times they should also be reminded of the big picture, and how the impact of their contributions serve something larger.

So the next time you're struggling to find a wayto further one of your employee's ability to

thrive in the workplace, explore what he or she might really be needing -- on an individual basis -- to give you the best they've got. Consider the various possibilities. The key is to know what makes each employee 'tick.' Of course, in the real world, most of us seek all of these motivators from time to time, but knowing a given person's default position will go a long way toward both retention and helping them to serve your mission the best. I offer many more ways to both identify these and other motivational categories for any specific individual or group and how to apply proven strategies for maximum results in the work setting as well as other areas of life in my newbook. As a business leader, never forget the power Stage Climbing: The Shortest Path to Your Highest Potential that a highly motivated team can deliver.

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