How to Motivate Your Employees Essay

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Introduction

The need for employee motivation, relationship between employee motivation and success of a firm.

  • Employee Motivation in the 21st Century

Strategies of Employee Motivation

Recommendations on how to motivate employees.

Employees form the most important part of any organization. According to Chopra (2002), employees are the most important assert within an organization. Employees will determine success or failure of an organization based on the approach they give to the various tasks assigned to them.

Employee motivation is therefore, very important in ensuring that employees achieve desired result in various tasks assigned to them in order to ensure an overall success of the firm. Motivated employees tend to give their best effort in all that they do. The work with very little supervision, and do not wait to be directed to perform given tasks. They work with the vision of the organization in their heart, always determined to see success in all that they do.

It is because of this that various firms have come to appreciate the need to have a group of motivated employees. Firms are currently struggling to ensure that they offer their employees the best working environment that will ensure that they are constantly motivated. Employees’ motivation always has a direct impact on the success of the firm in the given industry. This paper focuses on ways in which employees of a given firm can be motivated.

For a long time, labor has not been given its rightful position in many organizations. Many of the managements have not thought of viewing their employees as very important asserts. However, the happenings of the recent past have proven that labor force is one of the most important asserts to any given organization.

When the management lays down objectives to be achieved, it is always the employees who are expected to implement the policies that would bring the desired results. It is this work force that would be expected to turn the policies from paper to reality. Therefore, retention of employees is very important. Employees should be retained within the organization to ensure that the firm’s operations are consistent.

High turnover rate of employees is not healthy for the firm’s prosperity (Anderson, 2004). This is because it does not only affect the smooth implementation of policies within the firm, but also leads to increased cost of training new employees. It is even worse that the employees would go away having learnt the strategies of the firm, making the firm vulnerable to its competitors.

The management should therefore device methods of hiring qualified employees and retaining them within the firm. One of the best ways to achieve this is through motivation. It is through motivation that employees will feel attached to the firm and therefore feel committed to the firm.

Armstrong (2002) says that employees are the implementing arm of the organization. While the top executives formulate the policies to be implemented by the organization, most of their tasks always end in the paper. It is upon the employees to make these blueprints a reality.

In his words, employees are the engine of the organization. When well taken care of and put in a proper condition, they would always give the best of the results to the organization. However, when they are neglected and left to ‘rust’ they will always give leap service and the output will be very disappointing.

Motivating employees within the organization is very important. There is a direct link between employee motivation and success of a firm. It is very important that a firm increases the rate of employee motivation because of a number of reasons. In most of the occasions, policies are always developed to last for one whole year. However, these policies are always units in the larger vision of the firm.

A vision may be developed to be achieved in a time span of say thirty year or so. This duration is long and the firm may not take a direct approach towards achieving this vision. It therefore has to split this vision into yearly strategic objectives. When the year begins, the firm would plan with its current work force.

When some of the employees leave along the year because of lack of motivation, it would be a blow to the success of that year’s strategic objectives. The firm would be forced to look for a replacement and train them and make them understand the objectives to be achieved (Barrows & Powers, 2008). This is time consuming and costly venture that would reduce the success of the organization.

Changing the employees on a yearly basis is not good either. This is because in so doing, the vision of the firm will be lost. It will not be possible to realize the vision because every year, the firm would be forced to start with new employees who may not understand the vision, and how it was developed in the first place. This minimizes chances of achieving expected goals within the organization.

Retaining employees through proper motivation is another way of cutting cost. It is always necessary to train new employees to the firm on how to manage various forces that affect the organization. It would cost the management time and money to ensure that new recruits understand the working environment and are able to perform what is expected of them. Retaining employees would eliminate this cost.

It is also easier to form a community that understands itself with a workforce that last for over five years within the firm. Everyone would know exactly what is expected of him or her, and therefore the task of directing them would be much easier. This can only be possible if the employees feel motivated within the firm.

Employee Motivation in the 21 st Century

The core of this research is to determine how best a firm can motivate its employees. Having categorically looked at the importance of motivating employees, it is prudent to determine ways through which a given firm can ensure that its grip on its employees is not shaken.

However, there are some factors that must be considered before determining how best a firm can motivate its employees. It is an acceptable fact that for a firm to motivate employees, it must start by employing some of the best talents that would help it achieve its goals.

As such, it is important to understand how best a firm can recruit new employees. After recruiting the best of the employees, as per the measures that have been put in place, it is also important to appreciate that not all of them would leave up to the expectations (Chuang & Liao, 2010).

As such, it would again be appropriate to determine who to retain because a firm can only retain the best of the workforce in order to be in a position to achieve the maximum. It is upon the determination of the best workforce to retain that a firm can now develop the best ways to motivating such employees.

To ensure that there is a constantly motivated workforce, it would require the management to employ the right strategies that would ensure that it succeeds in this. It may appear as a simple task of making employees happy. However, it goes beyond this.

To motivate employees within the firm, there are a series of strategies that a firm should employ in order to ensure that employees are constantly satisfied. The secret behind this retention lies in ensuring that the employee is satisfied and feels challenged with the present task. This will cause the drive in him to want to come tomorrow and beat the challenge. The recommendations below gives a detailed strategy of how to employ the right individuals to the firm, and how such individuals should be retained, once employed.

This has been the core of this research. The researcher was interested in determining how best to motivate employees within a given firm. According to Griffin and Moorhead (2009), the secret behind the motivation of employees within a firm is through understanding their special needs. Human being by nature wants to be appreciated. This way, they feel that their effort is recognized. They feel motivated, and this way, they are in a position to perform better within the firm. Motivation comes in various forms.

  • Promotion in the place of work. People always feel so much appreciated if they are made to raise a step or two in their workplace. However minimal this rise may be, it would be appreciated by the employees and this would make them work harder in order to be given even higher ranks the firm. They would remain in the firm with the hope that one day they would rise to the highest position in the firm
  • Giving employees financial incentives. Although there are many factors that would encourage an individual to get employment, the ultimate goal is to earn good salaries that would enable him or her be in a position to take good care of the family. Financial incentives are some of the best ways through which a firm can ensure that they make employees feel that their efforts are appreciated. It would motivate them to work harder and will not make them think of leaving the firm.
  • Personal appreciation from the management team would be a high motivation to the employee. It would go a long way in ensuring that the employee is motivated within the firm.
  • Public praises. It is important that when an employee performs exceptionally well, the management should praise such employees publicly. Such public praises will make the employees attached to the firm.
  • High involvement and clear communication. The management should always ensure that employees are involved. They should be made to feel that they are responsible for every task they have to undertake. This way, they would always want to see their departments excel, a fact that may make them stay motivated within the organization.
  • Team building seminars. One of the best way of motivating employees and ensuring that they work as a team is by organizing team building seminars. Though such seminars, employees would form very strong bonds amongst themselves and with the firm. As such, they would not think of leaving the firm for another because the bond would always keep them together.
  • The management should also foster trust. The employees should have trust in employees. They should be made to feel that the management is caring. The management should always ensure that they keep trust by always honoring their promises.
  • Challenging experience. Human being, under a normal circumstance, work best when provided with challenging tasks. They feel that they have something to accomplish tomorrow, because they feel that today’s work is not satisfactory. Such an employee would always be thinking of ways to beat the deadlines other than engaging in unconstructive tasks because of lack of motivation.

Employees are very important to an organization. Success of organization will start by having employees who feel that there is need to succeed. Success can be achieved with motivated employees. Motivated employees will always work as a team and be committed to their tasks in order to foster success to the organization.

There are various ways of ensuring that employees are constantly motivated within the organization. One of the ways through which this can be achieved is through promotion at workplace. The employees feel that they are valued in the firm. Another prominent way of motivating employees is through good remuneration. This makes them feel that the firm cares for their families. There are many other motivational methods that ensure that employees work within the expected limits.

Anderson, T. (2004). Research Methods in Human Resource Management. London: Chattered institute of Personell Management Publishing.

Armstrong, M. (2002). Employee Rewards. Trowbridge: CIPD Publishing.

Barrows, C., & Powers, T. (2008). Introduction to Management in the Hospitality Industry. Hoboken: John Wiley and Sons.

Chopra, S. (2002). Motivation in Management. New Delhi: Sarup & Sons.

Chuang, C., & Liao, H. (2010). Strategic Human Resource in Service Context: Taking Care of Business by Taking Care of Employees and Customers. Personell psychology , 63(1), 153-196.

Griffin, R., & Moorhead, G. (2009). Organizational Behavior: Managing People and Organizations. Mason: Cengage learning.

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IvyPanda. (2018, December 11). How to Motivate Your Employees. https://ivypanda.com/essays/how-to-motivate-your-employees/

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IvyPanda . (2018) 'How to Motivate Your Employees'. 11 December.

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1. IvyPanda . "How to Motivate Your Employees." December 11, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/how-to-motivate-your-employees/.

Bibliography

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How to motivate employees: Key factors, strategies, and examples

Elle Holder

By Elle Holder

12 min read

How to motivate employees: Key factors, strategies, and examples

Not everyone has a green thumb or even cares about plants and gardening. But I’d bet that everyone knows what happens to a plant that’s never watered — it doesn’t flourish. In fact, it will eventually die. 

So, if you’ve got any questions or doubts on how to motivate employees, remember the plants. Motivation is just like water — it will help your employees flourish by impacting their productivity, job satisfaction, and their overall performance.

Employees who are motivated are more likely to be engaged, committed, and even willing to go the extra mile for their managers and the organization as a whole. The contrast? Stop watering or motivating your employees and they’ll begin to wilt. Their morale decreases, the quality of their work will drop, and you’ll face higher turnover rates.

This article will introduce employee motivation in a bit more depth, discuss several factors that influence it, strategies on how to motivate your employees, case studies of real companies that have successfully motivated their employees, challenges you may face, and finally how to measure and evaluate employee motivation.

Let’s begin.

Table of contents

Understanding employee motivation Key factors influencing employee motivation Strategies for motivating employees Case studies of successful employee motivation Overcoming challenges in employee motivation Measure and evaluate employee motivation Conclusion

Understanding employee motivation

Employee motivation has been described as the internal drive and enthusiasm that employees bring to their work, and it encompasses several factors that drive them to optimal performance. At its core, it refers to the internal and external forces that influence an employee’s willingness, enthusiasm, and their level of persistence when it comes to pursuing organizational goals and objectives.

Definition of employee motivation

Employee motivation is a complex psychological process that drives an employee’s behavior towards achieving work-related goals. It includes both intrinsic (internal) and extrinsic (external) factors that encourage employee engagement, commitment, and satisfaction.

The role of motivation in employee performance

If you’re wondering how to motivate employees — or if you should even bother — consider this. Motivated employees are more likely to demonstrate higher levels of job satisfaction, engagement, and productivity. They’ll typically exhibit greater initiative, creativity, and problem-solving abilities, all things that will lead to improved performance outcomes and organizational effectiveness. On the flip side, motivated employees are less likely to be repeatedly absent and they’re less likely to quit.

Common misconceptions about employee motivation

Unfortunately, employee motivation is often understood or oversimplified. Instead of digging deep into the complexities of how to motivate employees, some employers believe that motivation depends solely on monetary rewards or incentives. And although extrinsic rewards can influence behavior in the short term, if you want sustainable motivation , it will require a deeper understanding of your employees’ intrinsic needs, values, and goals.

Another misconception is the assumption that all employees are motivated by the same thing. In reality, motivation is highly individual and is influenced by personal experiences, preferences, and perceptions. With that in mind, an effective motivation strategy should be tailored to address the diverse needs and motivations of individual employees within your organization.

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Key factors influencing employee motivation.

Employee motivation is influenced by several factors that shape an individual’s attitude, behavior, and ultimately their performance in the workplace. Understanding these factors will help create a motivating work environment that maximizes employee engagement and productivity. 

Here are six key factors that can significantly influence employee motivation:

Feeling that work matters : Employees are motivated when they understand the significance of their contributions to your organization’s goals and overall mission. When their work is meaningful and aligned with their own set of values, they feel a sense of purpose and fulfillment.

Recognition and rewards : Acknowledging an employee’s efforts and achievements through rewards, praise, or incentives will boost morale and reinforce positive behavior. Recognition can come in various forms, including verbal appreciation — sometimes a simple thank you is enough — monetary bonuses, or opportunities for advancement.

Opportunities for growth and development: Some employees will be motivated when they have opportunities to learn new skills, take on challenging projects, and or advance their careers within your organization. Investing in training, mentorship programs, and career advancement pathways can demonstrate a commitment to your employees’ professional development and foster a culture of continuous learning.

Work-life balance : Maintaining a healthy balance between work responsibilities and personal life is important for an employee’s well-being and motivation. If you can offer flexible work arrangements, such as remote work opportunities, flexible scheduling, or even generous time off policies, this helps to enable employees to manage their work commitments while giving them time to attend to personal priorities and obligations.

Effective communication and feedback : Clear, transparent communication and regular feedback are essential if you want to develop trust, collaboration, and engagement among your employees. Providing constructive feedback helps employees understand your expectations and identifies areas for improvement. Additionally, your employees will feel valued and supported in their roles.

Positive work environment : A positive work environment is characterized by trust, respect, and camaraderie, all of which enhances employee morale and motivation. Cultivating a culture of inclusivity, teamwork, and open communication leads to a sense of belonging and commitment among your employees, driving higher levels of engagement and performance .

Strategies for motivating employees

If you want a high-performing and engaged workforce, you need to motivate your employees. Fortunately, employers can implement various strategies to inspire and incentivize employees to perform at their best.

Let’s address five effective strategies on how to motivate employees:

Set clear expectations and goals : Clearly defining roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations will help your employees understand what’s expected of them and provides a roadmap to their success. Clear goals give an employee a sense of direction and purpose, motivating them to strive for achievement.

Provide regular feedback and coaching : Regular feedback and coaching sessions create an opportunity for managers to recognize an employee’s strengths, address areas for improvement, and provide guidance on how to excel in their roles. Constructive feedback will help employees track their progress, stay motivated, and continuously improve their performance.

Encourage employee autonomy and empowerment : Empowering employees to make decisions and take initiative leads to a sense of ownership and accountability. When you give employees autonomy over their work processes and projects it enables them to leverage their skills and creativity, leading to increased motivation and engagement.

Create a culture of appreciation and recognition : If you want to boost morale and motivation , you need to recognize and appreciate their efforts and contributions. Simple gestures such as verbal praise, handwritten notes, or employee recognition programs can go a long way in showing your employees that their work is valued and appreciated.

Offer opportunities for skill advancement and career advancement : Provide employees with opportunities for learning, skill development, and career advancement, as this demonstrates a commitment to their professional growth and success. Offer training programs, mentorship opportunities, and career development paths — this encourages them to invest in their development and stay motivated.

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Case studies of successful employee motivation

Wondering how other companies motivate their employees? Here are three examples:

Example 1: Google’s employee recognition program

Google is known for its innovative and comprehensive employee recognition programs . Most recently, one notable initiative is their peer-to-peer recognition program called Googler-to-Googler (g2g).

Employees are encouraged to nominate their colleagues for demonstrating outstanding work or for embodying Google’s values. Recognized employees receive rewards, such as monetary bonuses or personalized gifts, and their achievements are celebrated publicly within the organization. This program leads to a culture of appreciation and collaboration, motivating employees to strive for excellence and recognize each other’s contributions.

Example 2: Microsoft’s employee development initiatives

Microsoft invests heavily in employee development through a variety of initiatives, including extensive training programs, mentorship opportunities, and career development resources. The company offers access to online learning platforms, internal training sessions, and professional certification programs to help employees enhance their skills in advance their careers.

Additionally, Microsoft encourages employees to participate in cross-functional projects and rotational assignments to gain diverse experiences and expand their expertise. These development opportunities empower employees to take ownership of their career growth and build a culture of motivation and engagement.

Example 3: HubSpot’s flexible work arrangements

HubSpot, a leading provider of inbound marketing and sales software, prioritizes flexibility and work-life balance for its employees. They’ve built a hybrid company that allows for three flexible work options — at home, at the office, or flexible.

Employees have the freedom to manage their work schedules and locations based on their personal preferences and responsibilities. HubSpot also promotes a results-oriented culture, with a focus on outcomes rather than hours worked. This approach empowers employees to achieve work-life integration, leading to higher job satisfaction, lower stress levels, and increased productivity.

Overcoming challenges in employee motivation

A discussion on how to motivate employees wouldn’t be complete without also addressing its challenges. Employee motivation can face several challenges, ranging from individual issues to more systemic obstacles. However, if you want to maintain a motivated and engaged work force, these challenges must be overcome.

Here are four key challenges to employee motivation and strategies on how to address them: 

  • Deal with demotivated employees:
  • Identify the root causes of their motivation, such as a lack of recognition, unclear expectations, or limited opportunities for growth
  • Provide individualized support and coaching to help employees rediscover their sense of purpose and reignite their passion for their work
  • Create a supportive work environment where your employees feel valued, heard, and empowered to voice their concerns and seek solutions
  • Address burnout and stress:
  • Promote a work-life balance by encouraging your employees to take regular breaks, set boundaries, and prioritize self-care
  • Implement stress management programs and resources, such as mindfulness sessions, wellness workshops, and provide access to mental health support services where needed
  • Review workload distribution and make sure that tasks are allocated appropriately, as this will prevent burnout and overload
  • Create a culture of open communication and psychological safety that allows employees to feel comfortable when they discuss what’s stressing them or look for help when needed
  • Manage conflicts and foster teamwork:
  • Be proactive when it comes to addressing conflicts in interpersonal issues by means of constructive dialogue, mediation, and conflict resolution techniques
  • Facilitate teambuilding activities, workshops, and training sessions to help strengthen communication, collaboration, and trust among team members
  • Clarify roles, responsibilities, and expectations to minimize misunderstandings and promote accountability within your team
  • Encourage a culture of mutual respect, empathy, and appreciation for your team’s diverse perspectives as this will create a cohesive and inclusive team dynamic
  • Sustain motivation in remote or virtual teams:
  • Establish clear communication channels and guidelines to help facilitate collaboration and interaction among your remote team members
  • Provide virtual team building activities, social events, and online forums to help promote engagement and camaraderie
  • Make full use of technology and digital tools to help streamline remote work processes

Measure and evaluate employee motivation

If you want to understand the effectiveness of your motivation strategies and identify areas for improvement within your organization, then it is important to assess their motivation. 

Here are three methods you can use to measure and evaluate employee motivation:

Key metrics for assessing employee motivation:

  • Employee engagement scores : Measure the level of emotional commitment and enthusiasm your employees have toward their work and your organization. You can do this through regular surveys or pulse checks.
  • Turnover rates : Monitor the rate at which your employees leave the organization, as high turnover rates may indicate underlying issues with employee motivation, job satisfaction , or organizational culture.
  • Performance metrics : Track individual and team performance indicators, such as productivity, quality of work, and achievement of goals.
  • Absenteeism in attendance records : Keep track of how often your employees are absent. Attendance patterns often engage employee motivation and job satisfaction levels.

Conduct employee surveys and feedback sessions:

  • Employee satisfaction surveys : Conduct periodic surveys to gather feedback from your employees on various aspects of their work experience, including their job satisfaction, motivation levels and their perception of your organizational culture.
  • One-on-one check-ins : Schedule regular check-in meetings between managers and employees to discuss individual goals, challenges, and any areas for improvement. You can use the sessions to provide feedback, offer support, and/or address any concerns that are related to motivation and engagement.
  • Focus groups : Organize focus group discussions with cross-functional teams or departments to dig deeper into any specific issues that may be affecting employee motivation, and then brainstorm potential solutions.
  • Anonymous feedback mechanisms : Set up anonymous feedback channels, such as suggestion boxes or online surveys. This will encourage candid feedback from any employees who may be hesitant to voice their concerns openly.

Analyze performance and engagement data:

  • Performance reviews : Regularly review employee performance data to assess the impact of motivation on individual and team performance. Identify any trends, patterns, and areas for improvement based on the outcomes of your performance reviews.
  • Engagement surveys : Analyze data from employee engagement surveys to identify trends, areas of strength, and any areas that require attention.
  • Use technology : Implement HR analytics tools and software platforms to help gather, analyze, and visualize employee data that’s related to motivation, engagement, and performance. Then use these insights to inform your decision-making and as a driver in your continuous improvement initiatives.

Conclusion 

So what can you learn from our discussion on how to motivate employees? We’ve explored various aspects of employee motivation, including what it is, how it’s influenced, how to foster it, how to overcome challenges, and even several methods for measuring and evaluating it.

In a bit more detail, this included:

  • Make sure your employees are motivated through rewards and recognition, opportunities for growth and development, work-life balance, and more.
  • There are several strategies you can use to motivate your employees, including setting clear goals, providing regular feedback and coaching, encouraging autonomy and empowerment, and creating a culture of appreciation.
  • Some challenges to expect include demotivated employees, burnout and stress, and conflict.
  • Measure and evaluate motivation with key metrics such as employee engagement scores, turnover rates, performance metrics, and even absenteeism and attendance records.

Why should you invest in employee motivation? It’s essential for the success of your organization and for employee well-being, since motivated employees are more productive, engaged, and committed to achieving organizational goals. Ultimately, organizations that prioritize employee motivation are better positioned to thrive in today’s competitive business landscape.

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Essay: How to motivate employees

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How to motivate employees

Executive summary

To attract, motivate and retain good employees, organizations need to define what employees Want from employment relationship. Employee needs is to consider �Total Reward” which is everything an employee perceives resulting from working for the company. Benefits are core elements of Total Reward system. Benefits include health, welfare plans and retirement plans provided by the organizations to protect and ensure employees financial security. Employee benefits have evolved from basic �Fringe Benefits �to a comprehensive range of benefits that strike a balance between employees’ personal and professional lives.

Many studies contend that benefits are the most useful means to attract, motivate and retain employees. Companies having attractive benefits packages have more buying power in the job market. The available literature about employee welfare benefits suggested that people do not work for just a wage or salary and companies offering more voluntary benefits have better chance of attracting qualified people and retaining them. On the other side retention is key challenge in those firms lacking such benefits and where work tends to get routine and monotonous and there is no opportunity for personal growth and development the result would be high rate of employee turnover. Research reveals various reasons why employees want to leave an organization but the most common ones include monotonous work schedule, stress at workplace, lack of career growth, training and development opportunities and nepotism etc.

The existing study is based on employee welfare benefits in Askari Cement a Pakistani based organization and in order to identify employee welfare benefits problems that reduced overall efficiency and effectiveness of the organization survey was done using questionnaires and interviews and data of respondents was analysed. At the end final concluding remarks were given. The study also provided some suggestions and recommendations to the organization for the improvement of employee welfare problems in order to motivate, retain and improve employee performance at workplace.

Introduction

Objectives:.

The objective of this chapter is to provide readers some basic information about the organization, the business of the organization, problems in the organization, its location and information about the country where the organization exists.

Introduction to the country

At the time of independence in August 1947 only one or two units were producing grey cements in Pakistan. But during 1948-58 the number of units was increased to six. During Ayub khan era the economy became stable and construction activities increased. And during 1958-68 three more units were added. During period of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto all industrials units including cement industry were nationalized and there was no increase in units during 1971-77. At the arrival of General Zia ul Haq decentralization of industries boosted the investments. Housing and constructions picked up and the demand for cement increased and number of units increased to 23 and finally to 24. Since independence production capacity per annum increased from half a million tonnes to more than 10 million tonnes per annum as a result of new manufacturing facilities and expansion by exiting units. In total 23 units 4 units are in the public sector while 19 units are in the private sector. Two of 4 in public sector had to close its operations because of tough competition and high production costs. Cement units are located in every province of Pakistan. The selected organization which is �Askari Cement” has two units located at Wah (Punjab) and at Nizampur (NWFP) Pakistan.

Background of the company

Askari Cement Ltd is located in Pakistan. The company has been registered as an ISO 9001-2000 certified organization and has the credit of being the first in cement industry to get ISO 9001. It has two units based at Wah (North Punjab) and at Nizampur (NWFP).Because of highest production capacity at both plants Askari Cement has consistent availability and a big supply chain in the provinces and country as well. Askari cement is used by mega projects of national importance such as Ghazi Brotha Hydro Power Project, Pakistan Housing Authority schemes and Pakistani Railways etc.

History of the company

Askari cement factory is successor of associated cement company. The first cement plant in the area now constituting Pakistan. The first plant was set up by Bombay based company (Associated Cement Company) in 1921 with a capacity of 120 tonnes per day and was enhanced to 300 tonnes per day in 1950. In 1972 the company was nationalized and put under control of state cement corporation of Pakistan in 1974. In the year 1991 its name was changed to WAH Cement Factory. In 1994 during privatization scheme it was acquired by Army Welfare Trust in 1996. After acquisition by Army welfare trust it changed name of the brand to Askari Cement. Askari Cement has the credit of being the first in cement industry to get ISO 9001, and now first to get the ISO-14001 Environmental Friendly standards certification in Pakistan. Another plant was started in 1993 by the Army Welfare Trust in North West Frontier Province at Nizampur which started production in 1996.

Statement of problem

Pakistan is a developing country with barely a budding industrial infrastructure. The industries are facing different sort of external hazards such as political instability, economic instability, energy crises and internal factors such as lack of advanced technologies, skilled workers, training facilities and conducive work environment etc.

One important factor that reduces the efficiency and effectiveness of organizations in Pakistan is high rate of employee turnover. Looking deep in to the problem and linking it with the available literature proposes an implied possibility of lack of employee welfare benefits. Welfare includes everything done for the comfort and improvement of employees apart from wages such as monitoring of working conditions, infrastructure for health insurance, accidental and unemployment benefits for workers and their families, education for children and post retirement benefits.

Most of the organizations in Pakistan rarely provide overall competitive packages to its employees, which results in low productivity, retention and some time high rate of employee turnover. A well defined and comprehensive personal development policy for the employees should be in place in organizations to increase productivity and reduce employee turnover. According to social-exchange theory, the more valuable the activity of another is to a person, the more valuable the approval he gives in return. This view implies that firms offering more voluntary compensation should have a better chance of attracting or retaining good workers to contribute their skills and knowledge. A lot of studies contend that benefits are a useful means to motivate, retain and attract qualified employees. (Tsai & Wang, 2005)

The Research is based on the case study of �Askari Cement” located in Pakistan. In Recent years the company management did not concentrate on employee welfare problems such as lack of competitive packages, poor health and safety at workplace, poor messing and toilets facilities, lack of training and career development opportunities, nepotism in promotions etc lack of such welfare benefits not only de-motivated employees but also resulted in high rate of employee turnover , low workplace productivity and affected the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the organization.

Purpose of the study

The first purpose of this study is to investigate how welfare programs affect employees. Secondly why employers provide employee welfare programs and how they help organizations in retaining staff and increasing workplace productivity. Finally to highlight employee welfare problems in the selected organization and to provide suggestions to improve employees’ job satisfaction, working conditions and health and safety issues at workplace.

Research questions

The existing research would focus on the following questions

1) To investigate and identify employee welfare/benefits provided by the selected organization, to highlight welfare problems and to provide suggestions to improve?

2) employees’ job satisfaction, working conditions and health and safety issues at workplace?

3) Should more emphasis be placed on welfare benefits to improve employees’ performance and increase workplace productivity?

4) Employee retention is a key challenge in organizations. How employee welfare benefits help organizations in retaining and attracting staff?

5) Why do companies provide employee welfare benefits and how they affect employees?

Research Methodology

In this research data has been collected through primary and secondary research. When research is conducted and opposed data is accumulated directly from respondents or research subjects for the purpose of project is called empirical or primary research e.g. personal interviews where informants were interviewed about issues being studied.

Secondary research arises when a project necessitates a summary or appraisal of compilation of data (Saunders et al, 2003). Secondary data can be collected from three mains sources e.g. published data, internal documentation, and feedback provided by industry experts or workers.

Limitations of research

First limitation is that due to time and cost reductions for the purpose of primary research questionnaires and telephonic interview have been used instead of face to face interview. Second limitation is that in qualitative research all acquired data ought to be presented in written format not in figure form (Kumar.2005). The third limitation is research questionnaire might give researcher little information. Fourth limitation is some time respondent do not want to fill out questionnaire and research may get delay. Finally, if a company show its willingness to participate in research may hide some important documents from researcher.

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American Psychological Association Logo

What keeps employees motivated

Psychologists are expanding their efforts to get research on what motivates people at work to employers at a time when the workplace is changing dramatically

Vol. 52 No. 7 Print version: page 52

  • Personality
  • Managing Human Capital

artwork depicting an office worker removing a smile from a face

The upheaval of the working world since March 2020 has no precedent in living memory. Some people went home for what they thought would be weeks, only to still be working from home more than a year and a half later. Others were left to struggle through enormous stresses in front-line occupations. It was, in short, a tough year for workplace motivation.

Yet psychological research suggests that there are ways businesses can support their employees moving forward even as the pandemic slips into a new phase of uncertainty. Much of this work comes from decades of research on the impacts of stress in the workplace and how job pressures influence motivation, said James Diefendorff, PhD, an industrial and organizational (I/O) psychologist at the University of Akron.

“Those demands consume regulatory resources, lead to faster emotional exhaustion and depletion, and require more opportunities for replenishment,” Diefendorff said. “It’s just amped up in the context of working under the various additional stressors and demands that the pandemic has introduced.”

Motivation in a pandemic

One of the key findings from I/O psychology over the past several decades is that not all workplace stresses are created equal. Some stressors are hindrances, which are things outside of an employee’s control that feel like barriers to performance: red tape, lack of resources, conflicting goals. Others are challenges, which feel like tasks that a person can overcome while growing and improving. An example of a challenge stressor might be learning a new skill to take on a new job responsibility. A meta-analysis led by Jeffery LePine, PhD, a researcher in organizational behavior at Arizona State University, found that while hindrance stressors crush motivation, challenge stressors actually boost it ( Academy of Management Journal , Vol. 48, No. 5, 2005 ). Research further suggests that people find challenge stressors motivating because they expect that if they put the work in, they can achieve an outcome they value. Hindrance stressors, on the other hand, feel insurmountable—no matter how hard you work, a satisfactory result is out of reach.

Many of the stressors introduced by COVID-19 were hindrance stressors, said Thomas Britt, PhD, an I/O psychologist at Clemson University. This was particularly true in health care, where limited personal protective equipment early in the pandemic put workers at risk. Hindrance stressors also abounded in other professions, such as in education, where teachers had to try to teach in far-from-ideal remote-learning circumstances.

The impact of the pandemic on workers is also clear through the lens of self-determination theory , a framework for understanding motivation developed by psychologists Richard Ryan, PhD, a professor at Australian Catholic University, and Edward Deci, PhD, a professor emeritus at the University of Rochester. Research into self-determination theory finds that three main psychological needs support optimal motivation: autonomy, competence, and relatedness ( Annual Reviews of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior , Vol. 4, 2017 ). The pandemic has been a disaster for all three, said Susan Fowler, a San Diego–based motivation consultant who uses self-determination theory as the basis for her work. Suddenly, many workers were being told they had no choice but to stay home, Fowler said. They were being asked to do things that made them feel bumbling and helpless, such as interacting solely via Zoom. And the necessity of social distancing meant they were often isolated from their colleagues.

At the same time, working from home reduced hindrance stressors—such as commutes—for some workers. Researchers, clinicians, and coaches alike are now tapping into basic research to show people how to connect with their own motivation and goals, especially when external circumstances challenge them.

“Motivation researchers are active in workplaces, classrooms, sports . . . pretty much anywhere people would be engaged,” Ryan said. “We want to find out, what are the internal factors that facilitate that engagement?”

Building optimal motivation

Research has turned up several good answers to that question. One of the most motivating experiences employees can have is making progress on a meaningful task, said Teresa Amabile, PhD, a social and organizational psychologist at Harvard Business School. Amabile and her colleagues asked more than 200 employees at seven companies in the tech, chemical, and consumer products industries to write daily diary entries describing events at work and rate their own feelings of intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, creativity, and collegiality, among other measures. They also collected periodic ratings of the workers’ creativity from colleagues ( Administrative Science Quarterly , Vol. 50, No. 3, 2005 ).

“We could look at how the events that were occurring impacted their intrinsic motivation and their creativity,” Amabile said.

When people reported more intrinsic motivation, their creativity simultaneously rose, she said. So did other desirable states such as productivity, collegiality, and commitment to work. And what spurred intrinsic motivation? Amabile and her team found that the most powerful precursor was the feeling of making progress at meaningful work.

“Here’s what’s interesting: It doesn’t have to be a huge breakthrough,” Amabile said. “It can be small, almost trivial, steps forward.”

This finding fit with previous I/O psychology research. For example, job characteristics theory, developed in 1975 by Greg Oldham, PhD, an I/O psychologist now at Tulane University, and J. Richard Hackman, PhD, a social psychologist now at Harvard University, holds that meaningfulness is one of the three factors leading to motivation, along with responsibility and knowledge of results.

Anecdotal reports during the pandemic suggest that the winnowing effect of work-from-home policies actually boosted feelings of progress for many employees, Amabile said. With time freed from long commutes, random coworker interruptions, and morning makeup and hair-care routines, workers often felt they got more meaningful work done each day.

However, there are caveats to the benefits of meaningful work, said Britt. He and his colleagues surveyed U.S. working adults in multiple industries using Amazon’s Mechanical Turk website during the pandemic and found that mental health symptoms after hindrance stressors were more severe in those who felt a “calling” to their work ( Work & Stress , Vol. 35, No. 2, 2021 ). “Encountering these demands that you can’t control and that harm your performance is going to be particularly impactful for those who feel called to do the work and feel the work is highly important,” Britt said.

Furthermore, in a study of emergency department physicians, Britt and his colleagues found that a sense of meaning in work did not buffer doctors from mental health strain early in the pandemic ( Applied Psychology , online first publication, 2020 ). That was a surprise, Britt said, but it may indicate that when hindrance stressors become too overwhelming, a sense of purpose isn’t enough to rescue one’s sense of well-being at work.

Leading to motivate

One lesson from these findings is that workplaces need to make sure their employees have the basic resources they need to perform their job duties, Britt said. In times of crisis, workers also need extra time to rest and recover from stress. Listening to employee feedback and responding to their needs can help administrators and managers reduce hindrance stressors among their workers.

There are also strategies that workers themselves can use to boost their own motivation, Diefendorff said. These range from motivation-control strategies, such as setting subgoals and rewards for meeting them, to attention-control strategies to minimize disruptions and interruptions. Emotion-regulation strategies such as minimizing anxiety and worry can also be helpful for goal-setting, he said. But workers might also need to recognize when they’re too tapped out to use these strategies effectively. “You have to have self-compassion, which basically means cutting yourself some slack as a way to give yourself the time and space you need to try to recover your depleted resources,” Diefendorff said.

In general, Amabile said, managers can help by encouraging employees to see ways in which their work is meaningful and by providing clear goals and benchmarks for progress. Step back, micromanagers: The most motivationally beneficial leadership style is one that encourages employees to manage their own workflows and solve their own problems.

This style is called leader autonomy support, and it’s characterized by a manager who encourages their employees to self-initiate tasks, to share their own perspectives, and to make their own choices, while still stepping in to support them when needed.

A meta-analysis led by Ryan found that leader autonomy support fosters employees’ sense of autonomy, competence, and relatedness within the workplace, which boosts autonomous work motivation. This self-derived motivation, in turn, is linked to feelings of well-being and engagement as well as declines in distress and improvements in positive behaviors at work ( Motivation and Emotion , Vol. 42, No. 5, 2018 ). The meta-analysis included studies from multiple countries, including Iran, the Philippines, Korea, Bulgaria, Holland, China, New Zealand, and South Africa. Ryan said that this beneficial effect of leader autonomy support seemed to hold in workplaces worldwide and that autonomy improved productivity, commitment, and satisfaction with work in both collectivist and individualistic societies.

“Regardless of culture, if you don’t have a sense of freedom and choice in your work activities, your well-being is undermined,” Ryan said.

Putting research in action

With the onset of the pandemic, motivational experts, like many other workers, moved online. Ryan and his colleagues at his consulting business, motivationWorks , found themselves coaching business leaders dealing with vastly different circumstances. Managers suddenly working with largely remote teams had to find ways to support their employees’ sense of competence to help them tackle the challenges that remote work created, Ryan said. Managers overseeing essential workers, on the other hand, faced a different set of issues.

“Especially in the health care industry, where we are doing extensive work, job stressors were manifold,” Ryan said. “Here, again, autonomy-supportive leaders were better able to hear and respond to the needs of their employees, which was crucial during this challenging period.”

Motivation research applies to a broad range of workplaces, far beyond the stereotypical white-collar office setting. Ryan and his colleagues found, for example, that autonomy, feelings of competence, and feelings of relatedness or connection within the workplace all positively influence job satisfaction and general mental health in a factory setting ( Journal of Applied Social Psychology , Vol. 23, No. 21, 1993 ). A case study led by Philip Cheng-Fei Tsai, PhD, of Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages in Taiwan, that analyzed a Taiwanese manufacturing company undergoing a downsizing found that while managers thought factory workers were most motivated by the company’s salary and benefit structure and the opportunity for education and training, the factory workers were actually most driven by relationships with their colleagues and the extent to which their jobs allowed them to cultivate their relationships with their families ( Journal of World Business , Vol. 42, No. 2, 2007 ).

“In context where people can feel a sense of autonomy, where they can feel a sense of competence, and where they can feel connected and related to the people around them, that’s where they have the highest-quality motivation,” Ryan said.

Fowler saw a particularly emotional example of this in her work with a large construction firm during the pandemic. A supervisor she was working with noticed that one of his employees was frequently late and struggling at work. The supervisor made a stab at connection and asked the employee if he was homeschooling his kids, pointing out that remote learning was a struggle in his own home. The employee broke down. His wife was an emergency room nurse, he said. They had two kids in early elementary school and no family help. He was working around the clock to try to juggle it all.

The supervisor called together his team and explained the situation. Working together, the rest of the team shuffled their own schedules to make life easier for the struggling father. The result, the supervisor told Fowler, was that the entire staff felt like they were doing something good. Given choice and autonomy, they could support the family of a health care worker and feel a sense of connectedness rather than inconvenience.

“[The supervisor] said, ‘I learned that being empathetic and just having a casual conversation with someone may be one of the greatest gifts I can give my people as a leader,’” Fowler said.

Emotional connection can be powerful. In his work with business leaders, clinical and organizational psychologist and consultant George Kohlrieser, PhD, focuses on bonding. This can be a hard sell in some business cultures—he counts among his success stories a ­heavy-machinery dealership in South Carolina where he helped change the culture from one of aloof detachment to one where employees felt bonded to one another. Such connections foster employees’ sense of psychological safety, or the feeling that the workplace is a safe environment to take risks and be vulnerable.

With vaccination widely available in the United States, employers are increasingly calling workers back into offices. They’ll need to feel safe there—not only from new outbreaks of COVID-19 but also from the new uncertainties introduced by a year or more of remote work. Many industries are turning to hybrid solutions for employees who can work from home and who have realized that they don’t want to go back to cubicles and commutes, Ryan said.

“People have been able to experience firsthand that they can self-regulate their work efforts and also balance work demands with the things that matter most outside of work,” Ryan said. “Their horizons have been expanded, and I think we will see increasing demands for empowering work conditions.”

The key detail to making this work, Fowler said, is ensuring that every employee gets equal consideration, even if the ultimate workplace arrangement isn’t the same across the entire company. Some jobs require face time more than others, she said, but those employees should still have their needs considered and be offered as much autonomy as possible. Certain types of job training or mentoring, for example, might need to be done in person, but employees could still get opportunities to autonomously decide when or how they fulfill these responsibilities.

“Not everyone is going to get the same deal, but everyone should have the same consideration and conversation,” Fowler said.

Life span motivation

Not all workplace­relevant research starts out in studies of employees. Carol S. Dweck, PhD, a professor of psychology at Stanford University, did much of her early research on how the types of goals people have influence their levels of motivation in school. She found that when students were motivated by the desire to learn and become better at something, they bounced back from failure much more readily than when they were motivated by external carrots and sticks, such as the desire to get outside approval or avoid negative judgment ( Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , Vol. 54, No. 1, 1988 ). Out of this research, Dweck and her colleagues coined the well-known notion of a “growth mindset,” which views intelligence as malleable and failure as an opportunity to learn.

Expanding out of the educational system, Dweck and her colleagues have discovered that their growth mindset framework applies in workplaces. For example, they’ve found that the more that employees view their company leadership as cultivating a growth mindset—rather than a fixed mindset in which ability and intelligence are immutable—the greater trust and commitment they have in their organization ( Academy of Management Annual Meeting Proceedings , 2018 ).

Researchers who study motivation in schools also provide perspective on how to teach motivation habits early, as well as how to avoid squelching kids’ intrinsic motivation before they even get their first job interview. These lessons may be particularly important as children return to the classroom after a year of disruptions and remote learning.

“There is pretty strong research that shows that the motivation in academic subjects during adolescence is an extremely strong predictor of people’s career trajectories later in life,” said Eric Anderman, PhD, a professor of educational psychology at The Ohio State University. Unfortunately, the traditional incentives of education don’t do much to kindle that motivation.

“As kids move up through the grades, the focus of school—the purpose of school—becomes more about getting grades and doing well and less about learning,” Anderman said.

Paralleling Dweck’s findings, Anderman and his colleagues have found that taking a mastery-based approach to education rather than a reward-based approach can improve motivation-related outcomes like task efficacy, knowledge, and behavioral intentions ( Journal of Educational Psychology , Vol. 112, No. 5, 2020 ). The hope is that instilling these habits early can immunize people against the motivation-killing norms they might face in the work world.

“In terms of preparing people for the real world, we do have to acknowledge that workplaces are competitive and there are going to be extrinsic outcomes,” Anderman said. “But it’s how we train people to cope with it. We don’t want to send them out of school with the message that they have to be number one at everything.” 

Further reading

Mindfulness and its association with varied types of motivation: A systematic review and meta-analysis using self-determination theory Donald, J. N., et al., Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin , 2020

Toward a new curriculum of leadership competencies: Advances in motivation science call for rethinking leadership development Fowler, S., Advances in Developing Human Resources , 2018

Student motivation and associated outcomes: A meta-analysis from self-determination theory Howard, J. L., et al., Perspectives on Psychological Science , 2021

Recommended Reading

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essay on how to motivate employees

How to Motivate Your Team As a Leader - 10 Strategies

They say that true leaders are born and not created. Forbes maintains that leadership can be taught and learned, but some people are more likely to learn or acquire the talent for leadership than others, because the predisposition to lead is significantly amplified by some qualities that are already manifested early in life, and on which there are stable and significant individual differences.

No matter what camp you find yourself in, what is an undeniable truth is that all great leaders share one trait and that is their ability to build trust amongst those that they lead so that everyone feels like they would want to rally behind them.

That said, leaders need to lay the ground work well before that ever happens to effectively motivate employees. A good leader should have passion, integrity, self-awareness, courage, respect, empathy, social skills, and gratitude.

They should be learning agility and flex their influence while communicating and delegating effectively. Great leaders such as Winston Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi, and the greatest motivator, Nelson Mandela, had all of these motivational traits in spades, and look where it got them and their throngs of followers because of what it did for morale.

How To Motivate Your Team As A Leader - 10 Strategies

1. understand the psychology behind employee motivation .

The great Tony Robbins maintains that there are two types of team motivation in the work environment: extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic motivation includes pay, benefits and in-office perks. Intrinsic motivation refers to the sense of accomplishment a person gets from completing a certain task or from their job overall. Extrinsic motivation is temporary. The best ways to motivate your team and make employees feel valued and do their best work, is by using intrinsic motivation, which tap into deeper needs.

2. Leverage the six human needs 

As a leader, understanding and leveraging the six human needs can be an effective way to motivate your team. These needs, according to Tony Robbins, are: certainty, variety, significance, connection/love, growth, and contribution. Here's how you can leverage them to motivate your team:

People have a need for stability and predictability. Provide your team with a clear vision, well-defined goals, and a sense of security in their roles. Communicate openly, be transparent about expectations, and provide regular feedback to create a sense of certainty.

Humans also have a need for excitement and variety. Encourage creativity and innovation within your team. Offer challenging assignments, allow for job rotation, or organize team-building activities that promote new experiences and learning opportunities.

Significance

People want to feel valued and important. Recognize and acknowledge your team's achievements and contributions regularly. Provide them with autonomy and involve them in decision-making processes, making them feel that their opinions matter.

Connection/Love

Foster a sense of belonging and connection within your team. Encourage collaboration, create a positive work environment, and promote open communication. Organize team-building activities or social events to strengthen relationships and build a supportive team culture.

Support your team's personal and professional development. Provide opportunities for skill-building, offer training programs, and encourage continuous learning. Help your team members set and achieve meaningful goals that contribute to their growth and development.

Contribution

Humans have a fundamental need to make a difference and contribute to something greater than themselves. Clearly communicate the purpose and impact of your team's work. Highlight how their efforts align with the organization's goals and values. Recognize and celebrate their contributions to create a sense of fulfillment.

Remember that each individual's needs may vary, so it's essential to have open conversations with your team members to understand their motivations and aspirations. By aligning their needs with their work, you can create a motivating environment that encourages productivity and engagement.

how to motivate team as leader

3. Examine your company culture 

Motivating your team as a leader starts with examining and shaping your company culture. Here are some steps you can take to motivate your team by focusing on company culture:

Define your values

Clearly define the core values that drive your organization. These values should reflect what your company stands for and what behaviors are expected from team members. Communicate these values to your team and ensure they are integrated into your day-to-day operations.

Lead by example

As a leader, your behavior sets the tone for the entire team. Demonstrate the values and behaviors you expect from your team members. Act with integrity, show empathy, and be accountable for your actions. Leading by example creates a culture of trust and inspires your team to follow suit.

Foster open communication

Establish a culture of open and transparent communication. Encourage your team members to share their ideas, concerns, and feedback. Actively listen to their input and involve them in decision-making processes. This inclusive approach makes employees feel valued and motivates them to contribute their best work.

Recognize and reward

Implement a recognition and reward system that acknowledges and appreciates your team members' efforts. Celebrate achievements, milestones, and successes both individually and as a team. Recognition can be in the form of verbal praise, public acknowledgment, rewards, or opportunities for growth and development.

Promote collaboration and teamwork

Encourage collaboration among team members by fostering a collaborative work environment. Break down silos and encourage cross-functional collaboration. Provide opportunities for team members to work together on projects, share knowledge, and support each other. Collaboration enhances motivation as it creates a sense of belonging and collective achievement.

Provide growth opportunities

Support the professional and personal growth of your team members. Offer training programs, mentorship, and coaching opportunities. Provide clear career paths and development plans. When employees see that their growth is supported and that there are opportunities for advancement within the company, they are more likely to be motivated and engaged.

Create a positive work environment

Foster a positive work environment that promotes well-being and work-life balance. Encourage a healthy work culture by offering flexible work arrangements, promoting work-life integration, and providing resources for stress management and employee well-being. A positive work environment boosts morale and motivation.

Remember, building and maintaining a motivating company culture requires ongoing effort and commitment. Regularly assess and adjust your practices to ensure they align with the needs and aspirations of your team members. By creating a culture that values and supports its employees, you will foster motivation and engagement among your team.

4. Know and share your vision

Learning how to inspire your team starts with learning that inspires you: You must discover your purpose before you can relate to others’ needs for fulfillment. What gets you to work every day? What is your ultimate goal for your business? Distill your purpose into a powerful vision statement and share it with your team. When everyone knows the deeper why behind going to work each day, leaders will be able to motivate their team effectively and give employees a clear-cut direction.

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5. Lead by example

Sharing your vision isn’t enough – you must live your purpose every day. Great leaders can keep employees motivated and employees engaged by embodying the traits they want to see in their team: hard work, dedication, loyalty and more. Ways to motivate employees include discovering your values and bringing them to the table at work. Admit when you’re wrong and learn from your mistakes. You’ll inspire your team to do the same. Remember that a happy team is a productive team.

6. Develop your self-awareness

Leading by example is a great start, but you can dig deeper to motivate your employees. What are your strengths and weaknesses? Develop your self-awareness and learn about your natural leadership style which can assist in leadership development. When you better understand yourself, you can develop your skills and become a well-rounded leader who can switch styles to inspire a team or an individual employee in any circumstance.

7. Master communication

Strong leadership means that the best leaders have found ways to excel at reading nonverbal cues and using mirroring and pacing techniques to exert influence. Leaders should also be able to adapt to different and effective communication styles to motivate their employees by ensuring that said employees are understood. They’re always empathetic and open to new views, and they know how to use deep listening to listen to the answers and implement solutions. Often feeling heard is enough for team inspiration and will help motivate them to be the best version of themselves and through their actions they might motivate others independently of you.

motivating team members as a business leader

8. Building rapport and trust

Building rapport and trust with your team members is essential for motivating them as a leader and this can be achieved by being you, meeting people halfway and being respectful to others. Creating those deeper connections is essential to intrinsic team motivation and is one of many ways to motivate a team. The benefits of authenticity go even further. When you’re transparent with your team, you’ll build trust in the workplace, earn respect, encourage productive work, and motivate people to excel. When your team respects you, they will be much more open to your suggestions and you'll find it easier to develop a productive work environment.

9. Use leverage

As a leader, leveraging certain strategies can help you motivate your team effectively. You can do this by; aligning goals with individual motivations, providing autonomy and decision-making power, offering rewards and incentives, providing growth opportunities, recognizing and applauding achievements, and fostering a positive and supportive environment.

Remember, effective motivation requires understanding your team members as individuals and leveraging strategies that resonate with them. Tailor your approach to their needs and preferences, and continuously assess and adapt your motivational strategies to ensure their effectiveness.

10. Give ownership

We’ve all been in situations where we've felt like we had no control. It’s the opposite of inspiring. Motivating a team means giving them total ownership of their tasks and can create a positive vibe. Empower your team by letting them collaborate and discuss ideas and opinions. One of the leadership tips is to let team members feel that they are empowered to take risks with unconventional tactics. Let them make big decisions – and feel consequences. A seat at the table inspires motivation.

Looking To Further Develop Your Leadership Skills?

Leadership skills are extremely important to excel in a career. However, other soft and hard skills are also needed.

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Why not also check out our  leadership and organization development course , which will give you skills need to be confident in leadership within an organization!

Great leadership is arguably the most important part of a company and its ability to succeed. Without a rudder the ship will veer off course and you'll find it difficult to make your employees feel motivated. To help leaders become better leaders and hone their skills to ensure that employees feel valued, there are tons of online courses that can be undertaken. Leadership training can teach you the skills you need to lead effectively, including the often-tricky skills needed to persuade and influence people – even those over whom you have little direct authority. Leadership training widens thinking abilities to help leaders think in innovative and creative ways and make employees feel motivated and inspired.

Thinking of going on a leadership course but don't quite know where to start?

A great place would be to attend online courses at a university such as Nexford that allows you to learn at your own pace and fit studies into your busy schedule. Besides MBA and BBA programs, Nexford offers two courses to help good leaders to become great leaders. The Leadership Management and Teams course , focuses on how to create a personal and shared vision and communicate effectively with teams, as a leader, a manager and a team member. On the other hand, the Leadership and Organizational Development course , examines individual and group interaction and helps learners gain a deeper understanding of how human behavior drives organizational behavior and development.

Team motivation - Frequently asked questions

What is team motivation?

A motivated team is a team that gives its absolute best effort. It is a team that is characterized by many benefits, such as a high level of commitment, innovation, and energy in the workplace. As a result, it is a team that often works well together and thrives, meets goals, and achieves over the odds. Team motivation is recognizing a team member(s) for their individual progress on a project or task. Knowing how to motivate a team takes several skillsets, but experts agree that there are five major motivations that drive people's actions and improve their performance at work. They are; Achievement, Power, Affiliation, Security and Adventure.

Why can team motivation lack?

Boredom, stress, burnout, feeling overwhelmed, and a lack of clear goals can lead to a lack of motivation and make your team feel undervalued. Setting small, achievable goals, practicing self-care, changing your environment, and turning to others for inspiration can be great steps to motivate people again. The effects of poor motivation in the workplace are well-attested: higher employee turnover, lower levels of engagement, poor communication, and diminished productivity are just a few of the issues that may proliferate and lead to your workplace become a toxic environment. Before that happens, and it can take months to turn the ship around, make sure that you find the most effective ways to inspire and motivate your team. 

How do you motivate a team or individual that doesn’t care?

You can only inspire and motivate the team if they know what they are working towards. Make sure the whole team is aware of your vision and what your ultimate goals are for the business. Types of motivation used to motivate demotivated teams or individuals is to clearly and constantly communicate with your staff what is required of them, give positive feedback and reward success, and provide opportunities for development.

Why is it crucial that a leader knows effective team building strategies?

Effective team building strategies promote collaboration among team members. When individuals work well together, share ideas, and support each other, the team's overall performance improves. A leader who understands how to foster collaboration can create an environment where team members work synergistically towards shared goals. A leader's knowledge of effective team building strategies is crucial for several reasons; it enhances collaboration: increases productivity, encourages innovation and creativity, builds trust and camaraderie, helps manage conflicts and resolving issues, boosts morale, and helps retain top talent.

What’s are the pros of a motivated team? 

Having a motivated workforce has a range of advantages, such as lower levels of absenteeism , retention of workers and low levels of staff turnover, improved relations between management and workers, improved worker performance, improved quality and improved customer service. Every leader should strive to have a highly motivated workforce. A company that focuses on motivating its employees and enhancing the employee experience will see several benefits from doing so. These include, increased employee engagement, higher productivity and performance, greater levels of creativity and innovation, improved manager-employee relationships, a great company culture, and lower employee absenteeism and turnover.

What’s are the cons of an unmotivated team?

As well as the impact on an individual's productivity, a demotivated employee can also affect the overall team, creating a negative atmosphere. Additionally, with increased absenteeism or lateness at work and a lack of focus on daily tasks, other employees can become stressed when trying to pick up the slack. Over time, this can lead to further demotivation in the team, as colleagues feel overworked and under-appreciated.

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Mark is a college graduate with Honours in Copywriting. He is the Content Marketing Manager at Nexford, creating engaging, thought-provoking, and action-oriented content.

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Table of Contents

In today’s fast-paced and highly competitive business environment, a stable and productive workforce is more important than ever to the success of any organization. 

One key factor that significantly influences performance is motivation. 

Motivated employees are more productive, creative, and committed to their work, contributing positively to the organization’s overall goals. At the same time, it’s important that the organization be similarly committed to their employees. 

One of the biggest challenges that faces any business is just how to motivate employees. After all, they work for the company (aka “they have a job”) and get paid. Shouldn’t that be motivation enough? 

Actually, motivation is way more complicated than that. Motivation is multifaceted and is not a one-size-fits-all. Research tells us that what motivates people varies from person to person and has a deep emotional component that a paycheck might not tap into. 

Understanding work-related motivation and adopting effective strategies for motivation can help you create a solid, well-performing workforce. 

The importance of employee motivation

Whether it’s intrinsic motivation or external motivation, the fact is, every employer wants a motivated team of employees. A motivated workforce is at the heart of a successful organization and brings energy to the workplace.

Enhanced productivity

Motivated employees tend to work more efficiently and with greater dedication. When people feel inspired and engaged, they are more likely to put in the extra effort required to meet and exceed their work goals. 

This increased productivity directly impacts the company’s bottom line, as tasks are completed more quickly and to a higher standard.

Improved quality of work

When employees are motivated, they take greater pride in their work. This pride translates into better attention to detail, fewer mistakes, and higher quality outputs. 

Motivated employees are also more likely to take the initiative, seek out new challenges, and develop innovative solutions to problems, enhancing the overall quality of work within the organization.

Higher employee retention

High employee turnover can be costly for a business, both financially and in terms of lost knowledge and experience. But it’s not just about the money. 

The good news is that employee satisfaction and retention seem to be on the rise overall, and the organizational environment seems to be front and center in those trends. 

As previously mentioned, motivation is a key contributor to employee satisfaction. 

Satisfied employees are more likely to stay with their employer, even when they could make more money elsewhere. 

By fostering a motivating and stimulating work environment, companies can:

  • Improve employee retention rates
  • Save on recruitment and training costs
  • Retain employees with important institutional knowledge
  • Maintain a stable and experienced workforce 

Better team dynamics

Motivated employees are more likely to exhibit positive attitudes and behaviors, contributing to a more cohesive and collaborative work environment and a sense of belonging . 

They are more willing to support their colleagues, share knowledge, and work together towards common goals. 

Enhanced customer satisfaction

Your employees are likely your company’s first contact with your customers. And you know what they say about the chance to make a first impression.  

Employees who are motivated and engaged are more likely to provide exceptional customer service. They take pride in their work and their company. 

Their positive attitude and dedication can enhance customer experiences, leading to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty. Satisfied customers are more likely to return and recommend the company to others, driving business growth and success.

Adopting strategies to support and motivate employees doesn’t have to be complicated or break the budget. 

In fact, most proven motivational practices are more about making connections than they are about big, flashy motivational programs or simply writing a bigger check. It’s all about the employee’s experience. – Dr. Dawn Ferrara, PsyD, Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and mental health writer Click to post

Infographics on the 5 benefits of employee motivation

10 Ways to motivate your team

There’s an old saying that goes something like this: people may not remember what you said or did, but they will always remember how you made them feel . 

Now, this might be a little confusing because, after all, we’re talking about business, not a counseling session. However, when it comes to building a supportive, inclusive, and stimulating work environment, it is very much about how the practices in place are experienced by the employee. 

Do they create a sense of being a valued member of the team, or are they simply practices that you put on paper and pull out when there’s a problem? 

This might sound like a lot of “warm fuzzies,” but the fact is, employees are more than just a part of a work team. Your employees are people with feelings, needs, and goals. They are moms and dads, sisters and brothers, friends, and part of a larger community – a community in which your business operates. 

Creating a work environment that respects and empowers employees translates into a more motivated, satisfied, and productive team. – Dr. Dawn Ferrara, PsyD, Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and mental health writer Click to post

While there are any number of ways to motivate employees, here are some of the tried-and-true strategies that you can implement:  

1. Provide clear goals and expectations

There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to read someone’s mind about what they want. It comes with a 50/50 chance of being wrong. When it’s your team that you’ve failed, motivation goes right out the window. 

One of the most effective motivational strategies you can adopt is to provide clear and achievable goals and expectations for meeting them. Your employees need to clearly understand what is expected of them and how their efforts contribute to the overall success of the team. 

When they can envision the path to success, they are more likely to feel empowered to act with intention. SMART goals are a great tool for breaking goals into small, measurable steps.

Just a reminder, in case it’s been a minute, SMART goals are: 

  • S – Specific
  • M – Measurable
  • A – Attainable
  • R – Relevant
  • T – Time-limited 

2. Offer opportunities for professional development

Many of your employees probably have professional goals in mind. Seeing opportunities for professional growth and advancement within the company can be a powerful source of motivation. 

Regarding your company’s current approach to professional development: 

  • Is professional development encouraged or discussed routinely? 
  • Do your employees have a way to share their professional aspirations with their managers? 
  • Does the company have resources that support professional growth and advancement? If so, how are your employees informed about such resources and how to access them?

It’s a best practice to retain employees who are committed to investing time into their professional growth. Their institutional knowledge and commitment are invaluable. 

Providing access to training programs, workshops, and career development resources can help your employees enhance their skills and advance their careers. 

Encouraging a culture of continuous learning also fosters innovation and adaptability, key factors for success in times of stability and in times of workplace crisis . The pandemic taught us all many lessons in the value of adaptability and resilience in the workplace. 

3. Recognize and reward achievements

Recognition and rewards are powerful motivators. Being recognized for a job well done sends a powerful message to an employee that their presence on the team and their contributions are valued and that they matter . 

Acknowledging their efforts and accomplishments can boost employee morale and encourage continued excellence. 

Recognition can take various forms:

  • Employee of the Month awards
  • Performance bonuses
  • Public acknowledgment in meetings or company communications
  • Team recognition events (e.g., company picnics, catered lunch days, etc.)
  • Celebrating a significant achievement (e.g., achieving a certification or attaining a team goal)
  • Praise – recognize the little victories, too. For some employees, it’s the little things that add up to big gains. Sometimes, a “great job” is all they need on a really hard day. 

Never underestimate the power of in-the-moment words of praise.  

Research has found that unexpected rewards like verbal praise can significantly increase intrinsic motivation. Why? The short answer is that it makes us feel good. And when things make us feel good, we want to keep doing them. 

4. Foster a positive work environment

Our environment exerts a powerful influence over how we navigate that space. A positive work environment is essential for employee motivation. 

This includes creating a supportive and inclusive culture, promoting work-life balance, and ensuring a safe and comfortable workplace. 

Research reveals that people want to work in a space where they feel physically and emotionally safe and respected. Encouraging open communication, providing regular feedback, and addressing any issues promptly can also contribute to a positive work environment.

5. Empower employees with autonomy

Giving employees a sense of autonomy and control over their work can significantly enhance motivation. When employees feel trusted and empowered to make decisions, they are more likely to take ownership of their tasks and perform at their best. 

One of the potential stumbling blocks for employees is not knowing when or if they have the latitude to make autonomous decisions. The team may be missing out on some great ideas because it may not feel OK to speak up or take on the task. 

As a manager, you can avoid this potential pitfall by staying in the loop and having routine conversations about the work. 

Creating opportunities for employees to contribute ideas and take on leadership roles can foster a sense of empowerment and help them recognize that their ideas and input are welcome and valuable. – Dr. Dawn Ferrara, PsyD, Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and mental health writer Click to post

6. Encourage collaboration and teamwork

You know that saying “teamwork makes the dream work”? Teamwork is critical to your company’s success, even though processes can sometimes feel quite disconnected. 

The fact is every person, and every unit, are essential to making the dream work. Promoting a collaborative work environment can enhance motivation by making employees feel part of a cohesive team. 

When someone feels part of the team they are motivated to bring their A-game because the team is depending on them. 

Teams usually don’t just gel. They are built through shared causes, experiences, or goals. As a manager, you can foster teamwork through:

  • Group projects and encouraging team member input into tasks and goals
  • Team-building activities
  • Encouraging collaboration and using tools that encourage collaboration between team members
  • Celebrating team successes 

7. Offer competitive compensation and benefits

Fair and competitive compensation is a fundamental aspect of employee motivation. Employees need to feel that they are fairly compensated for their efforts and that their financial needs are being met. 

In addition to competitive salaries, companies can offer benefits such as health insurance that includes employee mental health benefits , retirement plans, and paid time off. 

Additional perks, such as flexible working arrangements, wellness programs, and employee discounts, can also enhance motivation. 

8. Provide regular feedback 

Regular feedback is essential for employee growth and motivation. In addition to recognition for a job well done, employees also need constructive feedback on their overall performance. Such feedback helps them to recognize their strengths and areas for improvement, guiding their professional development and performance. 

Regular feedback can be most effective when a company establishes a culture of constructive, continuous feedback, where employees receive regular input from their managers and peers. 

This practice normalizes feedback and presents it as a constructive opportunity for growth rather than a negative experience. 

Regular feedback can also provide employees with opportunities for setting development goals and receiving mentorship that supports their professional growth.

9. Encourage work-life balance

Work-life balance has come to the forefront in employee expectations and is crucial for maintaining employee motivation and well-being. In fact, a recent survey found that about 86% of employers view employee mental health as top concern for their company.

It’s important to remember the human side of being an employee. They may be experiencing stressors you’re not aware of, whether at home or at work, which can have a profound impact on their performance and motivation. 

Companies can support work-life balance by: 

  • Offering flexible working hours
  • Remote work options
  • Flexible leave policies 
  • Encourage employees to take their daily breaks, lunch breaks, and vacations 
  • Encourage them to disconnect from work after hours
  • Encourage them to prioritize their physical and emotional well-being
  • Educate employees about available health/mental health benefits and resources  
  • Normalize talking about mental health and the importance of caring for themselves

10. Lead by example

As someone in a leadership position, you set the tone and example for your employees in the ways you interact with them. They look to you for guidance and support and will take their cues from you as to what’s expected and appropriate. 

They need to know that you are steady, reliable, and actively managing any situation that arises. 

Leading by example means modeling the same behaviors and attitudes that you expect from your employees, and being the calm in the storm when problems arise. – Dr. Dawn Ferrara, PsyD, Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and mental health writer Click to post

Some examples include:

  • Being approachable and visible
  • Communicating openly and often
  • Showing genuine interest in and appreciation for employees
  • Showing respect for every person
  • Following through on commitments. Your word is your bond. 

Leading by example fosters high levels of engagement and trust, and is a powerful way to foster a motivated and committed team.

Support for leadership from Calmerry

Investing in employee motivation not only enhances individual performance but also drives overall organizational success. 

As the business landscape continues to evolve, companies that prioritize and nurture employee motivation will be better positioned to achieve their goals and maintain a competitive edge.

Partnering with resources that can support your employees’ well-being can be an effective addition to your company’s commitment to employee wellness. And, it doesn’t have to be complicated. 

Calmerry offers a cost-effective solution to your company’s employee wellness needs. With packages tailored to meet your company’s needs, you can be assured your employees are receiving quality mental health services. 

One of the biggest challenges people have when seeking help is knowing where to go and how to make time. For employees, there’s always the worry about taking time off for personal needs. 

Calmerry’s online program offers mental health services that can be accessed where and when it best meets your employees’ needs and removes the inconvenience of having to take time off for appointments. Most people can begin receiving services within one business day. 

When your employees need mental health support, Calmerry is ready to help. 

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How to Motivate Employees: 5 Data-Backed Tips for Managers

How to Motivate Employees: 5 Data-Backed Tips for Managers

Industry Advice Communications & Digital Media

Recent Gallup data shows that only 33 percent of all workers in the U.S. are engaged in the workplace. Unfortunately for businesses, the cost of this disengagement is high. It’s estimated between $960 billion and $1.2 trillion are wasted each year due to lost productivity.  

As a manager, you’re likely acutely aware of the negative effects of disengaged employees . What you may not know, though, is how to go about boosting employee engagement so that the people you manage feel invested in their work and are empowered to not only meet but exceed expectations.

One of the most effective ways that managers can boost their direct reports’ motivation is through effective communication. Below, we offer tips for managers to keep employees motivated and working toward your organization’s shared strategic goals.

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5 Tips to Motivate Your Employees 

1. recognize a job well done..

When it comes to motivating your employees, it doesn’t take much to send a positive message. An act as simple as praising your team members for doing good work can have a tremendous impact on employee morale.  

The psychology behind this is clear: Positive feedback helps your employees feel valued in their roles. When someone feels valued, they are more motivated to continue performing at their highest levels. Data reveals they are also less likely to quit their current job within the next year. 

2. Allow your employees to demonstrate a healthy level of autonomy.

Research suggests that workers who experience higher levels of workplace autonomy also report higher levels of job-related wellbeing. Specifically, increased flexibility as to where work takes place (office vs. home setting), schedule, pace of work, and the order in which tasks are completed all contributed to higher levels of employee satisfaction.

If you’re unsure how to begin incorporating autonomy into your organization’s workflows, start slowly. You don’t need to go from one extreme (fully dependent employees) to the other extreme (“autonomous” employees) overnight. There are, however, some easy-to-implement strategies you can use to give your employees more agency over their work. 

For example, you might give employees more flexibility over their work schedule and where they choose to work (e.g., remote work or in-office) as a reward for hitting individual or company goals. Or, you might adjust your management style so that you manage critical milestones, but give your employees the flexibility they desire to execute the tasks required to get there. 

3. Include your employees in goal setting.

In their Employee Engagement Research Update , BlessingWhite Research asked respondents to identify the item which “would most improve their performance.” Twenty percent of all respondents—including almost a third of disengaged workers—cited “greater clarity about what the organization needs me to do and why” as their top answer. 

This data illustrates why goal-setting is a critical process that should involve your employees every step of the way, and not just amongst management in a vacuum. When employees understand the goals of the company, it’s easier for them to recognize how their actions can directly impact progress towards those goals. 

According to the report, this alignment can have positive results on employee engagement and motivation:

“Increasingly, we find that a key to building engagement in most organisations is a focus on alignment,” it says. “Never assume that staff understand and are able to align to what the organisation needs.”

4. Facilitate respectful relationships.

Respect is a powerful motivator in many relationships, including those between managers and their employees. 

According to a survey of 20,000 working professionals, employees valued “the ability to demonstrate respect” as the most important leadership behavior, and those who said they felt respected by leadership were 55 percent more engaged than those who did not feel respected. 

Unfortunately for many organizations, however, 54 percent of respondents said that they do not regularly feel respected by their leadership. It’s clear, then, that taking the relatively small step of respecting your employees isn’t just good manners—it’s good business sense. Whether you are meeting with your employees one-on-one, sending them an email, giving them feedback, or resolving conflict , do your part to encourage a respectful exchange.

5. Rethink your performance review process.

Performance reviews are one of the most common tools used by businesses and management to measure employee success, with approximately 91 percent of organizations embracing some formal review process. In theory, these reviews allow management to indicate how well an employee is meeting expectations, progressing toward their goals, and contributing to the company’s success, all in an attempt to improve engagement and motivate the employee to perform better. 

Unfortunately, reality often does not match the theory. According to a poll conducted by Gallup, only 14 percent of employees “strongly agree that the performance reviews they receive inspire them to improve.”

If you are concerned that your performance reviews do not have the positive impact you’d like them to, there are steps you can take to improve the process. For example, instead of annual reviews, you might make a switch to six-month or quarterly reviews to make employee feedback more actionable, or you might embrace more individualized scoring to account for unique employee needs and duties. 

Motivating Employees Requires Clear Communication

In management, few skills are more important to have than an ability to communicate with your employees and team members clearly and effectively. In fact, for each of the tips above, communication is the key to success:

  • Recognizing when an employee meets and exceeds expectations is all about communicating appreciation and value. 
  • Allowing your employees to become more autonomous in how they work requires you to communicate expectations clearly and to effectively delegate tasks. 
  • Including your employees in goal-setting requires that you are capable of communicating what are sometimes complex strategic goals in a way that non-executives can understand. 
  • Embracing respectful relationships with your staff requires you to understand multiple layers of social and business etiquette.
  • Effectively reviewing employee performance means that you must be clear in your expectations and also collaborative in identifying goals and paths for improvement.

As a manager or leader within your organization, it is critical that you fully develop your communication skills in order to manage your staff and employees. As with any other skill, practice and consistency are the keys to becoming an effective communicator—but it is possible to jumpstart your professional development in this area as well. Earning a graduate degree in communication , for example, can help you lay the foundation for a successful career.

To learn more about improving your communication skills and advancing your career, download our free guide on the Skills that Every Communicator Needs in the Digital Era . 

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COMMENTS

  1. How to Motivate Your Employees - 1897 Words | Essay Example

    Motivated employees will always work as a team and be committed to their tasks in order to foster success to the organization. There are various ways of ensuring that employees are constantly motivated within the organization.

  2. How to motivate employees: Key factors, strategies, and examples

    Employee motivation is a complex psychological process that drives an employee’s behavior towards achieving work-related goals. It includes both intrinsic (internal) and extrinsic (external) factors that encourage employee engagement, commitment, and satisfaction.

  3. How to Motivate Employees: 15 Simple and Effective Ways

    Keeping your employees motivated and in high spirits is a key factor in determining how successful your company will be. Knowing how to motivate employees requires creating a culture of engagement, mutual trust, and job satisfaction.

  4. Essay: How to motivate employees - ESSAY SAUCE

    To attract, motivate and retain good employees, organizations need to define what employees Want from employment relationship.

  5. 14 Simple And Effective Ways To Motivate Your Employees - Forbes

    1. Take A Holistic, Individualized Perspective. To have highly engaged and motivated employees, it is important to take a holistic and individualized perspective. Are they fairly...

  6. Rousing our motivation - American Psychological Association (APA)

    Building optimal motivation. Research has turned up several good answers to that question. One of the most motivating experiences employees can have is making progress on a meaningful task, said Teresa Amabile, PhD, a social and organizational psychologist at Harvard Business School.

  7. How to Motivate Your Team As a Leader - 10 Strategies

    1. Understand the psychology behind employee motivation. The great Tony Robbins maintains that there are two types of team motivation in the work environment: extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic motivation includes pay, benefits and in-office perks.

  8. How to Motivate Employees: 10 Tips to Energize Your Team

    1. Provide clear goals and expectations. 2. Offer opportunities for professional development. 3. Recognize and reward achievements. 4. Foster a positive work environment. 5. Empower employees with autonomy. 6. Encourage collaboration and teamwork. 7. Offer competitive compensation and benefits. 8. Provide regular feedback. 9.

  9. How to Motivate Employees: 13 Simple Ways - Achievers

    Employers need to know how to motivate employees, or they risk falling behind their competitors. This article offers 13 effective ways to motivate employees by focusing on critical aspects of your organization, such as culture, recognition, and feedback.

  10. How to Motivate Employees: 5 Data-Backed Tips for Managers

    5 Tips to Motivate Your Employees 1. Recognize a job well done. When it comes to motivating your employees, it doesn’t take much to send a positive message. An act as simple as praising your team members for doing good work can have a tremendous impact on employee morale.