What is it that motivates you to wake up every day and go to work? Financial security can’t be the only thing driving your productivity at work. Some people enjoy interacting with their colleagues at work, while others cherish the learning they gain from working in an organization. But do you think this is enough to help people stay engaged in their roles?
Smart managers know that employee engagement and job satisfaction are crucial for workplace success. As a result, you’ll see organizations allocating budgets for team outings, retreats and other forms of entertainment, therefore implementing a motivation system. Want to know more about boosting employee motivation? Read on!
What Is A Motivation System?
Motivation is the process by which someone gets inspired to do something and put effort into achieving something. For example, you may be feeling low but a pep talk from your coworker can reenergize and motivate you. We often view motivation as a personality trait but it’s primarily the result of interaction between individuals. Three key factors define motivation:
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Intensity
It reflects the amount of effort that you put into achieving something. The more motivated you are, the higher your willingness to perform will be. This factor reflects how hard you try.
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Direction
You can arrive at desirable outcomes only when you have the right direction. For example, you may be motivated to meet your project deadlines on time but unless you establish milestones, you won’t be able to succeed.
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Persistence
This a measure of how long you can keep putting effort in the right direction. For instance, you may start a new project with a lot of enthusiasm but you need to remain persistent until you meet your targets, whether they are short-term or long-term goals.
A motivation system in an organization is a management tool that encourages employees to adopt certain behaviors and practices. It works on the principle that motivated employees give their best to the organization.
The Top Features Of Motivation In Management
The more you motivate employees, the more productive and efficient they will be. Recognizing the various features of motivation will help you identify how you can energize, maintain and influence behavior in your organization. Some features of motivation are:
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It’s A Never-Ending Process
As humans, we have innumerable wants and needs. Keeping motivation alive isn’t easy because of this never-ending process. You need to determine the changing expectations of your team and provide opportunities that will benefit them as well as the organization. However, this doesn’t mean that you overthink their priorities and expectations.
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Goals Are Powerful Motivators
There is a wide misconception that monetary benefits and perks are the only way to implement a motivation system for employees. While bonuses and raises are irresistible incentives, they’re not the only tools to motivate employees in the long run. In fact, goals and objectives can be equally effective in pushing people to work harder. It isn’t wrong to say that goals and motivation are inseparable.
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Fear Is Not Motivation
You may have noticed that your team performs better when there is fear looming. That’s another misconception! People do pursue goals with more rigor when they are afraid of failing, but working with stress and fear has harmful long-term effects. Job satisfaction is likely to plummet and employees may end up quitting your team or the organization altogether. Always provide constructive criticism and keep biased emotions at bay.
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Motivation Isn’t Manipulation
Motivation refers to the joy or contentment you experience when needs are fulfilled. Manipulation isn’t motivation—where you convince others of your ideas and opinions. Always understand the needs and wants of others and work with them to find appropriate solutions. If you try to manipulate your employees, it won’t work in the long run.
Before you implement different tools of motivation in your organization, understand what your team wants by understanding how it functions. Harappa Education’s Managing Teamwork course will help you gauge your team’s expectations. You’ll learn how to encourage collaboration and motivate everyone to participate. This unique team management course will equip you with all the right tools to foster team culture. Don’t just be a leader, be a motivational one!
Explore topics such as Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, What are the Functions of Management, The Importance of Employee Engagement, McClelland’s Theory of Needs & The Reinforcement Theory of Motivation from Harappa Diaries and drive productivity at your workplace.