Motivation at work is the key to success in the professional environment, both individually and for the company. This is because it is directly related to satisfaction and productivity, which affects the business in a holistic way.
However, finding the fuel to stay motivated on a daily basis can be a challenge that employees often fail to overcome alone. Therefore, it is up to the company, represented by the HR team, to create actions that promote the maintenance of motivation at work .
However, this is not an easy task. Therefore, we have separated some tips to make employees more motivated and types of motivations that can be given to employees of a company, as well as the importance of it. Keep following today’s post to understand more about this subject!
What is motivation?
Motivation is, in a very objective way, the set of individual and contextual factors that determine the taking of a certain action. That is, it is what moves us to perform a certain task.
Motivation is something inherent to the human being, after all, for us to perform any minimal action in our daily lives, we need something that moves us to perform such action . In general, the dynamic is simple: if we feel hungry, we are motivated to eat, for example.
However, when it comes to more abstract issues – such as motivation at work – that go beyond our physiological needs, finding these motivating factors is something less instinctive and much more challenging.
What is motivation at work?
The motivation at work is linked to the desire to keep that job, but more than that, is the feeling that moves all your actions in the workplace.
In short, it is the desire to achieve goals and achieve good results , both for internal issues and external stimuli. It is a very important component of organizational dynamics, but it is often rare in many companies.
It directly influences the behavior of the individual at work, deeply relating to the employees’ commitment to work. So, the more motivated a professional is, the better he will perform his duties and the higher his productivity will be.
What is the difference with organizational motivation?
Unlike work motivation, organizational motivation is much more related to a business structure than to the employee itself. This is because it refers to the company’s set of responsibilities to keep employees motivated high to generate good earnings.
This type of motivation is very important in the work environment, as an unmotivated professional produces less, earns even and can even lead his colleagues to be less productive, which can be extremely harmful for the company.
What is the importance of motivation at work?
From the company’s point of view, unmotivated employees are synonymous not only with low productivity, but also with a hostile work environment .
This is because the lack of motivation to perform the tasks directly affects professional self-esteem, who feel less valuable to the company and, as a consequence, their posture in daily life is altered .
Unmotivated employees tend to procrastinate their obligations and perform their tasks with less attention , becoming more likely to make mistakes. Demotivation also affects your commitment and your overall satisfaction with the company.
In other words: motivation is directly related to productivity . For this reason, maintaining the motivation of the entire team is important not only for each member of the team, but also for the health of the business as a whole.
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In summary, the more motivated the employee and the team, the better the work performed. But this is not the only benefit that motivation can bring to the work environment, the benefits are diverse, such as:
Improves employee self-esteem
One of the biggest benefits of motivation at work is the increase in self-esteem and confidence of employees , which applies both professionally and personally.
Motivated, they start to see themselves positively and also to behave more proactively. This makes them feel good about themselves and also transmits that energy to other employees, thus improving the organizational climate .
This improvement in self-esteem is reflected not only in the climate of the work environment, but also in the productivity of employees, who are able to produce more on their own and even have more innovative practices.
Optimizes the use of time
This is one of the main points when talking about the benefits of motivation at work , as it is what will make the most difference in the company’s routine in general. This is because, when an employee is motivated, he works faster and better.
In this way, the company is able to save a lot of resources and even accelerate its internal growth, since it will not waste time unnecessarily. In addition, with time optimization. the employee gains more quality of life and there is also a reduction in stress in the workplace.
>> One of the proposals for well-being at work is to promote quality of life in the company ! For this, we created an e-Book full of tips to create a quality of life program in your company. Click here and access now!
Personal growth
As we already mentioned, motivation can generate an improvement in self-esteem, as part of this process, there is also a personal growth of the employee . This is because, with greater confidence in you, it is possible to develop better professionally and personally .
Although the motivation at work is more focused on the company’s productivity and well-being , it is healthy and very common for it to be taken into the employees’ personal daily lives. And, believe it or not, but this can also reflect positively on the company’s routine!
With this positive relationship between the employee and the company, the growth cycle feeds back, causing both to grow together and the motivation to remain for a long time.
Positive interpersonal relationships
When an employee is motivated, he is able to perform his role well and starts to feel good in his work environment, with this, the employee also starts to relate well with his company colleagues.
The most interesting thing is that this process also feeds back, as motivated employees are able to keep each other focused on work and happier . In other words, motivating employees can be something that will contribute to the organizational climate as a whole and can even help to establish a positive organizational culture .
Team work
With positive interpersonal relationships being cultivated, working as a team is much easier. This is because motivation generates greater engagement among employees, which increases collaboration even on the simplest tasks.
After all, with a healthier relationship between employees, it is natural that they join forces to produce more and better. In addition, with these practices there is also a significant chance of a decrease in negative behaviors, such as gossip in the workplace .
Increased productivity and results for the company
All of these improvements have a very important result in the company’s dynamics: increased productivity . Since more united employees, with good self-esteem and motivated tend to produce more and better.
Therefore, there is no doubt that actions to improve motivation in the workplace are, in fact, an investment. They contribute to the improvement of the service provided and also to the generation of a lasting relationship with the customer.
What are the types of professional motivation?
As we have seen, motivation is essential in the workplace. It makes coexistence better and productivity becomes greater and more accelerated.
However, there is only one way to motivate employees. Motivation can manifest itself in several ways. In this context, it is worth mentioning the two main types of motivation: the intrinsic and the extrinsic .
Intrinsic motivation
The intrinsic motivation is related to the inner strength of each employee. That is, this is that motivation that depends only on the individual who has it. It is very private and can vary a lot.
This type of motivation, despite being individual, can be affected by internal and external factors, and can be stimulated by objectives, goals, dreams and personal interests.
Therefore, even though it is more related to the employee than to the company, it can be fostered by the work environment, however, it does not depend on the collective. With this practice, it is possible to have positive effects that go beyond the individual’s well-being and contribute to the company’s good productivity.
Extrinsic motivation
Already the extrinsic motivation is related to external factors. It is the motivation linked to the community, that is, it is how the company will motivate its workers to produce more efficiently and effectively.
The awards or bonuses offered to employees who achieve goals for the month or week are good examples of attitudes that can be promoted in the workplace to increase this type of motivation.
In addition, motivation in the workplace can also be encouraged by diverse activities, training and other benefits for the work team as a whole.
However, as positive as these activities are, they cannot be the only motivation engine, they exist to work together with self-motivation.
How to assess whether employees are motivated?
If you have followed our post very carefully until now, you probably already know that motivation is one of the most important factors for the smooth running of a company. It makes living together more pleasant and results are better.
However, it is often difficult to assess whether it is actually present in the work environment in a sufficient and constant amount. To assist you in this complicated task, we have separated five simple indicators to assess team motivation.
1. Daily productivity
As we have mentioned here a few times, employees who are motivated tend to produce more and better. Therefore, measuring daily productivity can be a good way to assess the level of personal motivation of company employees.
However, care must be taken with the concept of productivity when doing this. This is because the word productivity can have different meanings that change from company to company and often do not reflect the motivation of employees.
In this context, a good way to measure employees’ daily productivity is to create daily goals to be met or a task schedule. This way, you will be able to know if employees are following deadlines correctly.
2. Net Promoter Score
You have probably heard the question “on a scale of 0 to 10, how much would you recommend us to a friend or colleague?” This metric , created by consultant Fred Reichheld in 2003, is very famous and a great way to measure how well the motivation in the company is.
It is considered the metric of loyalty and can be used in a variety of situations, even for internal workplace analysis. Starting from 0, which is the same as “not at all” and 10 being “for sure”, employees can assess your company’s work environment.
With the answer to that question, it is much easier to assess how happy employees are with their workplace. However, for this to be more efficient, it is necessary that the question is answered anonymously, so that the answers are true.
3. Employee retention
Another interesting metric for measuring employee motivation is employee retention in the company . High levels of turnover is a huge indicator of employee dissatisfaction, as unhappy employees are probably not motivated .
In times when companies are disputing the slapping of outstanding professionals, it is essential that organizations pay attention to the importance of keeping employees motivated with their activities. Otherwise, the chances of losing great talent to the competition are quite high.
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4. Organizational climate
There is nothing worse than working in a negative work environment to disrupt your day-to-day motivation. An unpleasant or competitive organizational climate can cause high levels of stress and job dissatisfaction.
Therefore, it is important to regularly check the organizational climate of the company. At least once a year, make a complete analysis of the organization’s situation, in addition, be aware of rumors and minor conflicts in the workplace. That’s because it can also be a sign of a bad corporate climate.
However, for this metric to be efficient, it is essential that correct methodologies are used to measure it. Therefore, it is necessary for managers and HR personnel to create adapted strategies and solutions for the company’s reality.
>> In this digital book we offer a step by step to apply an organizational climate survey to your company. Click here and download now!
How to deal with demotivation?
Dealing with demotivation in the workplace is not easy. Low-motivated workers are unproductive and can also make the company’s climate very negative. Therefore, it is necessary to keep an eye on employees to ensure that they are always with high levels of motivation.
When everyone is motivated, the company wins and the employees are happier. But for this state to be constant, it is important to know how to deal with demotivating situations and be able to prevent them from happening in a constant manner in the company.
Tips for dealing with demotivation
One form of motivation linked to HR that can help a lot to keep the pace of work positive and productivity high is the benefit system .
Employees, knowing that they can earn rewards for tasks completed, feel more encouraged to work even harder.
In order to circumvent demotivation, an interesting strategy that can cheer up even the most discouraged employees is praise . A compliment can change a collaborator’s day and greatly increase their motivation levels. However, for this to work it is necessary that the praise be sincere .
But the best attitude to improve the level of motivation in the company is to work as a team. This is because a united team is continually motivated and the morale of each employee is raised by seeing others working with courage.
Finally, it is worth mentioning that at the first sign of demotivation, it is necessary to eliminate negative speeches and thoughts from the work environment. They are highly detrimental to the organizational climate and can even generate even more demotivation.
How to increase motivation at work?
Now that we’ve seen how important motivation is and that demotivation in the workplace can be extremely harmful, let’s show you some ways to keep motivation high in the company .
The techniques covered are simple and easy to apply. Therefore, any Human Resources department that wants to increase motivation among its employees can put them into practice.
Here are some of them and how they contributed to ending demotivation.
Treat motivation as collective and personal
Many companies make the mistake of treating motivation only as a collective issue, which must be remedied with bonuses and activities in the workplace. However , this is not true . Motivation is very personal and extremely subjective.
Therefore, it is important to understand what motivates each of its employees and seek to create plural policies to encourage motivation at work.
In addition, it is worth remembering that the employee’s personal life can also affect how motivated he is. Therefore, carefully analyze each person’s situation and remember to be sensitive in delicate situations, which would affect anyone in that context.
In short, don’t try to treat all employees in the same way, nor expect them to react in the same way to applied strategies. If you really want to increase motivation in the company, the main step is: listen to what employees have to say and understand how are they.
Have clear goals
Employees tend to be more motivated if they can see the value of their work and the impact of their actions on the company’s structure. This motivation can arise through the creation of collective goals and objectives .
When establishing the tasks of each employee, make sure to make it clear what is expected of them and how they can collaborate for business growth. Thus, they were more inclined to produce, since there is a feeling that the whole depends on their individual action.
Work with possible goals
Another important point to increase motivation at work is to have truly achievable goals . To do this, distribute the activities using the strategic management of employees, according to the skills of employees.
This will make employees feel they are able to do their jobs. Thus, they will not be trapped in an endless cycle of unrewarded efforts. With the result visible and rewarded, there is no one who is not excited to continue producing a lot, right?
To do this, create award and bonus criteria, so that employees get a fair reward for their efforts.
There is no point in creating a reward if it is tiny next to the work done. Even too bad rewards can even hinder rather than help.
Offer constant feedback
The feedback is one of the fastest growing tool for any company. This is because it motivates employees and helps to improve processes.
Many companies are afraid to give feedback , especially when the employee is underperforming in the company. However, it is exactly at those moments that he is most important! Because the employee can often be lost and feeling directionless.
But that doesn’t mean you should be rude. Quite the opposite. Feedback to have a positive result must be done by constructively correcting the employee, guiding and praising them as well.
Create career plans
The lack of a career path is one of the biggest demotivating factors today. Therefore, if you want to increase motivation in your company, bet on the creation or reformulation of a plan, making it suitable for the needs of your employee.
Otherwise, your employee will continue without growth prospects, which will certainly turn into a strong demotivation over time, even reaching the point of stagnation and accommodation.
With no possibility of evolution within the work environment, the employee starts to appear only to “hit the spot”. This attitude is very harmful to productivity, which tends to drop precipitously.
But not only for her, since the employee’s unmotivated mentality can harm other aspects such as group work and organizational climate. And even the innovative character of a company can suffer from the lack of a career path .
Invest in financial well-being
We live in a time when HR must take on, once and for all, its multifunctional and strategic side for the qualification of the workforce of its companies.
Often, taking the reins of conditions external to the work environment, but which impact on the professional routine. This is the case with financial well-being for employees.
And as an example of this practice, a new modality reached the Brazilian market – wages on demand.
The CareerBuilder survey, conducted in 2017, attested that 78% of respondents are barely able to settle accounts with their salary .
In addition, of the more than 3,000 respondents, about ¾ of them also attested that they have one or more accumulated debts. Clear sign that something needs to be changed, agree?
On- demand pay is a modality that has been gaining momentum in the market and aims to add flexibility so that employees receive for hours worked, but not yet paid. Something that alleviates many of the financial problems – and those generated by the challenges of closing accounts.
Let’s look at a simple example: if the company has the habit of making payments for its human resources only on the 30th, or on the fifth business day of each month, professionals are limited to that .
If a pending account will earn interest in that period when there is no more money in the account, the debts will accumulate. However, with the offer of the salary on demand, the professional can receive the payment of the days already worked whenever he wants. Best of all, he has the flexibility to plan his month.
We recommend that you read this article to better understand on-demand pay . In it you will understand the features of Xerpay , a corporate benefit of payments on demand.
Make sure you are fit for the position
It is not difficult to find employees in companies that are performing functions that have little or nothing to do with their skill set. This can also be a major reason for demotivation and frustration, since it creates the feeling that the employee is incompetent .
Therefore, make sure to make sure that all your employees are hired correctly , respecting skills and functions. If necessary, also make internal relocations to resolve this issue.
This will result in a much higher level of productivity, as well as more motivated employees. In addition, you will be increasing your chances of retaining the talents your company has and decreasing the turnover rate.
Invest in training
There is nothing more motivating than learning something new that changes the dynamics in the workplace. So, have no doubt that training and courses are great HR tools to increase motivation in the company .
But remember to make these formations a dynamic and conducive moment for integration. Otherwise, they can be even more demotivating, starting to be seen as an extension of the work or even an extra service to be performed.
How to maintain motivation at work?
As you can see, motivation is simply a matter of changing perspective. The factors that, in general, undermine motivation are linked to resistances created in our brains.
However, changing this scenario may not be so easy . Therefore, there are studies dedicated to the science of motivation and what is really behind it, which is of great help in taking real actions in this direction.
In other words: there are practical ways to reverse what makes a professional unmotivated , changing the pattern of thought and action. See below the three essential steps to maintain motivation at an individual level:
1. Have vision
To find motivation at work, it is necessary to break with resistance patterns . For this reason, developing a more comprehensive and less negative view is essential.
For this, it is necessary to identify what are the major objectives behind each of the daily tasks, always focusing on the benefits that achieving it will bring to the personal life of each employee .
Therefore, it is necessary to align this point of view with personal values and with what the person believes, which will bring an extra dose of energy to continue with the projects.
2. Set goals
First of all, you need to be clear about what a goal really is. Goals are the small steps necessary for you to reach a bigger goal – as we showed in the previous item.
In other words: the goals are those achievements necessary to reach a certain end, they are the “means” to carry out the projects and reach a final objective.
The goals are the best friends of productivity , but can also become the villains of motivation at work when established in error. Since you can end up suffocated by them!
And in order to be clear when establishing them, it is best to use tools such as the SMART methodology .
SMART Methodology
This method helps to create goals with more objectivity, following a specific criterion. In it, for a goal to work, it must be:
- S pecific (specific);
- M ensurable (measurable);
- A ttainable (attainable);
- R elevant (relevant);
- T imely (temporal).
In other words: the SMART goal must be objective and clear, which can be measured and possible to be achieved within the context of the company, in addition to generating relevant results and being accomplished within a determined period of time.
An example of a SMART goal would be: increase the number of sales of a product (specific) by X% (measurable) through a certain strategy (attainable), causing an increase of Y% in profits (relevant) in 6 months.
3. Value achievements
It is necessary to learn to give due value to the efforts made for each routine activity and to recognize them as an indispensable step that will lead to greater achievement.
Therefore, an important tip is not to diminish your function or speak ill of your work. Also, avoid saying that the job you do is easy or that anyone can do it.
It is not , however, about overestimating any small feat of everyday life – which can even become a trap and undermine your productivity. This is because, if a minimum task performed is sufficient to bring the feeling of “duty accomplished”, the tendency is to procrastinate all others.
What is the role of the leader in motivating work?
As we have seen, staying motivated is not an easy task. Often, despite being an issue strongly linked to internal factors, it requires a collective effort . It is not always possible to motivate yourself, so a good work team is essential.
Team motivation, however, is also not simple. It depends on several factors and it is necessary to have a lot of cohesion for it to happen. In this context, an important figure emerges that contributes to both collective and individual motivation: the leader .
It is he who, together with his group of employees, must create a methodology capable of overcoming the daily difficulties and avoiding the demotivation of the routine. The leader is the one who should set a good example. Therefore, he needs to know how to deal with individual demotivation in the first place.
Certainly, seeing that the leader does not give in to the first adversity, employees will become much more motivated to face their problems straight away. In addition, it is he who makes employees maintain a positive thought.
Another point where the leader is very important is in monitoring the level of motivation in the work of his employees. He needs to be close enough to each of them to notice a drop in motivation so he can act at the first sign of trouble.
However, this does not mean that a leader cannot go through his moments of demotivation. Keep in mind: they happen! But this professional must be much more prepared and know how to stay motivated at work much more than any other employee.
How can HR help?
There are some decisive factors that influence the level of motivation of employees. Some examples are:
- harmonious and welcoming work environment ;
- leaders who encourage and empower their followers;
- autonomy and space for opinions and new ideas;
- recognition of the importance of work at the team and individual level;
- constant feedbacks and professional guidance.
Knowing this, the Human Resources team is able to create strategies that collaborate to make employees always motivated and, consequently, more productive and satisfied with their day to day professional tasks.
How to put it all into practice?
First, preparing leaders and managers well so that they are in the habit of encouraging or guiding their followers through open dialogue and periodic feedback is essential. In addition to motivating, it also helps employees to be aware of their weaknesses and strengths.
Another essential point is the full supply of the team’s needs , be they material, intellectual or emotional. It is the HR’s job to ensure a safe, hygienic and comfortable work environment , in addition to all the equipment necessary to carry out the work.
In addition, offering adequate training, hours of rest, an integrated team and a harmonious organizational climate is also indispensable for maintaining team motivation.
From an emotional point of view, HR can contribute by always being open to listening to employees in their moments of instability that can directly affect their professional performance , providing support and guidance.
Finally, one of the most relevant points for increasing motivation at work is the creation of a benefits policy , such as the development of a career and bonus plan based on the good performance and dedication of employees.
It is worth remembering that, in daily professional life, one of the best ways to keep employees motivated is through verbal recognition of their achievements , a simple attitude that can make all the difference.
Now that you know what motivation at work is and how HR can help in that regard, take the time to read more about how to promote behavioral changes in the company’s day-to-day life!
