Mentors, coaches, and business psychologists have been helping companies effectively motivate employees for years. Still, some people ask themselves whether it is worth spending time motivating the team and how to do it effectively.
Many businesses were in a tough situation during the pandemic outbreak, and some even had to confront the prospect of imminent bankruptcy. It’s easy to comprehend why you wouldn’t have much more power to motivate your staff now that we’re on the verge of another COVID-19 surge and serious inflation tearing down the worldwide economy.
There was not much opportunity to cultivate motivation during the pandemic, and if we feel guilty about it, we may certainly eliminate it. Encouraging words are insufficient to motivate someone. You must do so intelligently and strategically, which implies having room for many activities rather than simply telling people they’re doing a great job. Motivation entails a long-term commitment and requires constant updating and attention. As a result, when the supervisor opts to motivate, he or she should plan ahead of time and have the proper tools at hand.
A motivated employee – what does it mean?
Motivated employees feel their work has a purpose, that what they do matters, and is valuable. Such employees understand that a lot depends on their efforts, so they strive to do tasks well. Moreover, motivated employees believe in the significance of their job and think it’s meaningful.
In other words, a motivated employee is both happier and more satisfied with his job. In groups where the level of enthusiasm for working is high, work just gets better since people are kinder to one another, and there is a good mood free of frustration, complaints, or unhealthy competition between persons.
Such an organizational culture helps to create a good atmosphere in and outside the organization by encouraging employees to perform at their best. It allows you to take full advantage of personnel’s skills and retain them for longer. According to business psychologists, when teams invest in motivation, which means less money is spent on recruiting new workers.
Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
An employee’s motivation can be divided into two categories: external and internal.
Intrinsic motivation is a psychological need to progress, try new things, and act. This implies that someone wants to grow because it makes him feel better about himself. Internal desire is considered more durable and consistent than external desire.
Extrinsic motivation means reinforcing the intrinsic one with external rewards, such as a raise, additional gratification, and the specter of promotion.
Both motivators should be stimulated when encouraging a staff member. It creates a synergy, resulting in the most powerful and long-lasting motivation. Importantly, inspiration should be beneficial. Motivating an employee negatively, for example, by implying that if they do not try, they will suffer some loss, and produce needless discomfort and stress.
Why is motivating employees so important?
This is the most frequently asked question during workshops on motivation. On the one hand, the answer seems obvious – a motivated employee is more dedicated to his company and more effective. But these aren’t the only pros of being motivated.
1. Creative approach to tasks
A motivated employee is a person with high self-esteem. He feels safe and comfortable at work. In such favorable conditions, people generate new ideas and release their creativity.
On the other hand, demotivated employees won’t look for innovative solutions and creative solutions. Lack of motivation and pressure will prevent an employee from going “outside the box”. Moreover, even the most ambitious employees will lose enthusiasm for their work without motivation.
Remember that creativity is the foundation of progress. We must provide the employee with positive emotions and enthusiastic feedback, and they’ll release their potential. Employees want to feel that their views are valued, important to the employe, and that their work is respected and considered. Even if an employee’s intentions are later misunderstood, a positive, motivational attitude will give them the impression that it is worthwhile to attempt again in the future.
2. Higher productivity
Motivation is priceless in increasing productivity. It makes your employees want to develop and expand their knowledge and competencies. Without motivation, productivity often comes close to the minimum needed to survive and not get fired. A motivated employee often wants to give more than is expected of him, feels more responsible for the tasks he has to perform, and approaches them with much greater commitment.
3. The company’s image
Motivation has a huge impact on the quality of contacts with customers. Usually, they can feel whether the employee wants to work or not, whether he likes his job or talks to them because he has to.
Employee motivation and customer satisfaction are really close together. If we want to make our customers happy and attach them positively to the brand, we must not forget to behave similarly towards our employees.
4. Reducing staff turnover
Finally, it is worth mentioning that motivated employees tend to stay with the company for longer. If they feel good at work, have a good opinion of their employer, and believe their work is appreciated, they are much less likely to look for another job or turn to freelance. Because as the study shows, over half of the freelancers claim that no money would motivate them to come back to traditional contract positions. Better safe than sorry!
Short bio: Maciek Kubiak, the Head of People at PhotoAiD. While being a digital native with a passion for people, I work as a builder of rewarding employee experiences that make everyone’s life easier.