Motivation in the Workplace
Motivation in the Work Place
Motivation in the Work Place
What is motivation? According to Kendra Cherry in her article What is Motivation?, it’s defined as “the process that initiates, guides and maintains goal-oriented behaviors” (Cherry, 2013). In the Essential Manager’s Manual, it’s defined as “the will to act” (Heller & Hindle, 1998). So what we need to know is what creates motivation; what happens that sparks action and greatness in the workplace? Before greatness is achieved, basic needs must be met, these consist of a salary that meets your financial needs and adequate working conditions that allow you to perform your job functions successfully, to name a few. Once these basic needs are met, employers must find ways to inspire more than just the minimum in their employees. To do this, companies must dig deep to understand their employees; to foster motivation, employers must understand what motivates particular types employees, use recognition as a means of encouragement and promote a comfortable environment of self-motivation.
Individual Motivators
As one can imagine, each person has something that makes them tick, something that inspires their inner greatness. In a question posed to friends on Facebook, some individual motivators were identified, for Cassandra Koenig job interest was the biggest key that inspires her, loving what she does and connecting with her work encourages her to reach her full potential (Koenig, Simpson & Munds, 2013). Mindy Simpson finds that a manager that is a team player motivates her employees to do their best, she explains “what motivates the people that work for me is knowing that I’ll do any job I ask them to do. And they know that I, as the boss lady, always work as hard as they do” (Koenig, Simpson & Munds, 2013). More simply, and an increasingly popular answer was echoed by Jacalen Munds who said that most days, a simple “Good Job!” goes further than anything else. So how can managers find
Motivation in the Work Place
What is motivation? According to Kendra Cherry in her article What is Motivation?, it’s defined as “the process that initiates, guides and maintains goal-oriented behaviors” (Cherry, 2013). In the Essential Manager’s Manual, it’s defined as “the will to act” (Heller & Hindle, 1998). So what we need to know is what creates motivation; what happens that sparks action and greatness in the workplace? Before greatness is achieved, basic needs must be met, these consist of a salary that meets your financial needs and adequate working conditions that allow you to perform your job functions successfully, to name a few. Once these basic needs are met, employers must find ways to inspire more than just the minimum in their employees. To do this, companies must dig deep to understand their employees; to foster motivation, employers must understand what motivates particular types employees, use recognition as a means of encouragement and promote a comfortable environment of self-motivation.
Individual Motivators
As one can imagine, each person has something that makes them tick, something that inspires their inner greatness. In a question posed to friends on Facebook, some individual motivators were identified, for Cassandra Koenig job interest was the biggest key that inspires her, loving what she does and connecting with her work encourages her to reach her full potential (Koenig, Simpson & Munds, 2013). Mindy Simpson finds that a manager that is a team player motivates her employees to do their best, she explains “what motivates the people that work for me is knowing that I’ll do any job I ask them to do. And they know that I, as the boss lady, always work as hard as they do” (Koenig, Simpson & Munds, 2013). More simply, and an increasingly popular answer was echoed by Jacalen Munds who said that most days, a simple “Good Job!” goes further than anything else. So how can managers find
References: Cherry, K. (2013, June 05). What is motivation?. Retrieved from http://psychology.about.com/od/mindex/g/motivation-definition.htm Harrison, K. (n.d.). Why employee recognition is so important. Retrieved from http://www.cuttingedgepr.com/articles/emprecog_so_important.asp Heller, R., & Hindle, T. (1998). Essential Manager 's Manual. (1st ed.). New York, NY: DK Publishing. Koenig, C., Simpson, M., & Munds, J. (2013, June 05). What motivates you at work? [Online forum comment]. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/alex.mayfield.12/posts/10152883601035603?comment_id=41214843&offset=0&total_comments=31¬if_t=feed_comment Rau-Foster, M. (n.d.). Motivation is an inside job. Retrieved from http://www.workplaceissues.com/motivate.htm Socialcast. (n.d.). The power of recognition in the enterprise. Retrieved from http://infographiclist.com/2012/03/20/the-power-of-recognition-on-the-enterprise-infographic/ Swallow, E. (2013, Jan 25). Are startup employees motivated by money?. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericaswallow/2013/01/25/startup-employee-motivation/ The gender divide. (2012). Retrieved from https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-hgJf0O6tCwU/UZFf8mDiqHI/AAAAAAAAD4s/2AlJq4mg0KM/w544-h824-no/Objectives-of-Employee-Motivation.jpg