Employee motivation: Importance for company success and ways to improve motivation

How motivated are your employees really? Are they doing “duty by the book” or are they enthusiastic about what they do? And how can employee motivation be sustainably increased? Continue reading…

Employee motivation: definition and explanations

Employee motivation refers to the enthusiasm, energy level, commitment and level of creativity that an employee brings to the company on a daily basis. The term motivation comes from the Latin word “movere”, which literally means “movement”. All definitions that one can read in the relevant literature on the subject refer to the fact that motivation is a behavior and that one must channel this behavior in order to achieve the desired goals and results.

Employee motivation is about how committed employees are to the company's goals and how empowered they feel.

Motivated employees are an asset to a company; they are directly proportional to the success of the company. Motivation is intangible, difficult to measure and extremely difficult to control, but very easy to foster if you do it right.

Types of employee motivation

There are two types of employee motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. A company must be aware that employees are not clones, but rather individuals with different character traits. In order to effectively motivate your employees, you need to develop a deeper understanding of the different types and paths of motivation.

With this understanding, you can better categorize your employees and apply the right type of motivation to increase employee engagement and satisfaction. Some employees respond better to intrinsic motivation, while others respond better to extrinsic motivation.

Intrinsic employee motivation

Intrinsic employee motivation means that a person is motivated from within and has the desire to perform well in the workplace because the results are consistent with one's value system. A person's deeply held beliefs are usually the strongest motivating factors. Such individuals demonstrate general characteristics such as acceptance, curiosity, honor, and the desire to succeed. Psychological research has shown that praise increases intrinsic motivation, as does positive employee feedback and the fact that work is noticed and valued.

Extrinsic employee motivation

Extrinsic employee motivation means that a person's motivation is stimulated by external factors, such as rewards and recognition. Some people may never be internally motivated and only external motivation would get them to complete a task. Psychological research shows that extrinsic rewards can also promote a person's willingness to learn a new skill. Rewards such as bonuses, discounts, awards, etc. can encourage people to perform very well. But: If the reward is lost, it is likely that performance will also decrease.

10 tips on how you can significantly increase employee motivation

If you are looking for ways to motivate your employees at work, here are 10 very simple but effective ways to do it.

1. Employee motivation survey: First, you should get an idea of ​​how motivated your employees generally are. Employee surveys are the most effective means here. Question the internal and external influences that affect the motivation of your employees. In the next paragraph we will discuss the specific questions you can use in an employee motivation survey.
2. Regular employee satisfaction surveys: The satisfaction of your employees depends on a variety of factors, such as: E.g. work environment, infrastructure, tasks and responsibilities, etc. Conducting employee satisfaction surveys helps you understand and respond to factors of dissatisfaction. If the overall satisfaction of your employees is rather low, you can assume that motivation will also suffer. You should therefore regularly carry out employee surveys, ideally in the form of pulse surveys, as these record current moods much more closely.
   → Information on the subject of pulse surveys
3. Job well done? Acknowledge it! Recognition plays a big role in increasing employee motivation. It helps create a healthy bond between employer and employee. Not only does it satisfy our basic need for appreciation, but it also promotes belonging. But: recognition should not be given in an exaggerated style. If you emphasize every day how great an Excel spreadsheet was created or a component was screwed together, it seems inflationary. Develop a holistic strategy for recognizing your employees. This has a long-term positive effect on employee motivation.
4. Focus on Intrinsic Rewards: It's true that some people need rewards to complete tasks, but extrinsic rewards fade very quickly. Focus on motivating your employees from within. Some might say, “Yeah, that’s all well and good, but we have to eat and pay the rent”… that’s true, that’s why you compensate your employees well, but make sure you create value for your company that comes from Duration are.
5. Autonomy instead of bureaucracy: Micromanaging is the worst thing you can do as a leader. Not only is it time consuming but also really undesirable. If you have hired people with certain skills, let them do their job, be an agent, not a guardian. This significantly reduces employee motivation. People value autonomy, give them the freedom to do things in an acceptable way. Empower your employees, regularly ask what they need to complete their tasks, and monitor the progress your employees make.
6. Create a pleasant working environment: According to a study by Ohio State University, the working environment and your own workplace have a major influence on the mood and motivation of employees. So it makes sense to invest in the work environment in which your workforce spends 40-60 hours per week. Creating a good atmosphere will motivate your employees.
   → Here you will find some suggestions
7. Organize joint events: It's always good to meet up with your colleagues and get to know them outside of work. Organize small events such as weekend trips or get-togethers after work to have fun together and get to know each other better. This also increases employee motivation because they know that everyone is working together towards the same goal, namely the success of the company.
8. Organize idea competitions: Let your employees participate directly in the success of your company by initiating idea or innovation competitions. If your employees have the feeling that they can contribute valuable impulses to the future of the company, they will of course be more motivated, in the long term. Therefore, create innovation programs and use features of an employee community.
   → Information about the employee community
9. Career development: An individualized professional development plan with clearly defined roles and responsibilities is critical for all employees. Such a career plan helps them focus and align their efforts towards an achievable goal. Make sure you sit down with your employees regularly and discuss their career plan and adjust or expand it if necessary. this will increase employee motivation rapidly.
10. Offer flexibility: Not all employees are the same. Some prefer working 9am to 17pm, others not so much; Some like to come to the office every day, others prefer to work from home. For some, the journey to work is long and difficult. So allow some flexibility within reason. Your employees will be satisfied and employee motivation will increase significantly because employees can do their work according to their own lifestyles.

Questions you can ask your employees if you want to know about the level of employee motivation

Below you will find a selection of question examples that you can use for your employee surveys to find out about the level of motivation of your employees.

• How motivated do you generally feel at work?
• How likely is it that you would recommend a job at our company to a friend?
• How would you rate your overall job satisfaction?
• How stimulating do you find your daily work with us?
• How inspired do you feel by your work environment?
• Do you receive support from colleagues when you are faced with a challenge?
• Do you feel like you can develop further with us?
• How do you feel when you come to work?
• How much do you feel like you contribute to the success of the company?
• How much do you feel like your work is recognized by your manager?
• How confident do you feel in your job?
• Are you aware of the company's goals and values?

1:1 live online presentation:
Conduct employee surveys and increase employee motivation with QuestionPro.

Do you want to significantly increase employee motivation? Then regularly ask your employees about their well-being and about disruptive and demotivating moments within the employee journey. We will show you how quickly, easily and cost-effectively you can carry out employee surveys on the topic of employee motivation.

Make an individual appointment now.

Try software for market research and experience management now for 10 days free of charge!

Do you have any questions about the content of this blog? Simply contact us via contact form. We look forward to a dialogue with you! You too can test QuestionPro for 10 days free of charge and without risk in depth!

SHARE THIS ARTICLE

KEYWORDS OF THIS BLOG POST

Employee motivation | Motivation | Suggestions | Ask