Employee Motivation

Staff in companies can be motivated in various ways – self-realization, career growth, promotion prospects, expansion of the area of responsibility or material bonuses. The efficiency of work is significantly increased if team members are focused on the result and do not need constant supervision to fulfill their duties.

What is motivation: what kinds of motivation are exist and what are they for

A motivation system is a set of tools for a manager to increase labor efficiency and improve team performance. The measures taken should be synchronized with the corporate culture and overall business strategy. This will help to attract professionals with similar personal qualities and ambitions.

In order for the motivation system to be effective enough, the following factors should be taken into account:

  • Objectivity.
    The degree and characteristics of remuneration should be commensurate with the amount of work performed.
  • Predictability.
    Employees should be familiarized in advance with bonuses for the performance of specific tasks.
  • Adequacy.
    The amount of remuneration should correspond to the set goals, experience and qualification of the employee.
  • Significance.
    The developed motivation system should attract employees to fulfill the set goals.
  • Fairness.
    The team needs to understand the peculiarities of bonus calculation and agree in advance with the chosen motivation strategy.

Material motivation

In addition to salary, some positions may provide for the payment of a variable part of the salary. These are bonuses that are tied to the fulfillment of certain tasks. Their size may vary depending on qualifications, material benefit to the company, and the position.

Determining the variable portion of the salary is possible in several ways:

  • Commission income.
    The most common option of financial motivation, which is used in most sales departments. The employee is paid a percentage of the amount he brought to the company by performing his job duties.
  • Bonuses for achieving goals.
    Sometimes companies establish a fixed bonus system for achieving certain economic or quality goals. Payments can be one-time or regular, depending on the motivation strategy.
  • Individual bonuses.
    These are personal bonuses that are awarded to employees based on their performance in the company. They are paid individually by decision of the company’s management without a uniform system.

In addition to the variable part of the salary, motivation may also include some bonuses in the form of paid trips abroad, reimbursement of expenses for studies and professional development. Some companies offer to reimburse the cost of health insurance, gym membership or rent for the employee.

Non-material motivation

Increase the efficiency of personnel in the company can also be improved in other ways that do not include a material component:

  • Positive communication.
    Having established human communication within the team without destructive signs on mutual trust, it is possible to create a favorable atmosphere. In such conditions, employee loyalty to the company increases and labor performance improves.
  • Recognizing Achievements.
    Each global goal of the company consists of many small tasks that are performed by the firm’s employees. Even small successes should be recognized as they are important steps towards development.
  • Career development.
    Career growth is one of the effective ways to retain a talented employee. It is important to show the prospect of growth in the chosen position with appropriate successes.
  • Unusual tasks.
    Routine duties get you into a work rut, but real growth and increased efficiency are stimulated by challenging assignments that require the application of all professional knowledge and ingenuity.
  • Delegation.
    When delegating some functions to a subordinate, it is also important to give him or her the authority to make decisions on these matters. The new area of responsibility will help to better fulfill their tasks. Control remains the responsibility of the management.
  • Involvement.
    It is important to ask the team’s opinion and consult on innovations. In this way you can create a corporate spirit, use fresh ideas and attract colleagues to discuss important issues.

It is necessary to take into account the specifics of the position in order to properly incentivize the employee. For example, sales managers are usually focused on achievements, and a commission-based incentive system will be a great way to encourage them. Creative positions that require the generation of ideas tend to employ professionals who value recognition and support. It’s important to give them a flexible schedule and allow them to create without unnecessary bureaucracy.

Where to start if your company does not have any motivation system in place

To choose the right way to motivate employees, company managers need to follow the following tips:

  1. Periodically study the labor market, check out current job openings and what your competitors are offering new employees.
  2. Familiarize yourself with the works of fundamentalists such as B. Zeigarnik, J. Taylor, H. Heckhausen, K. Lewin.
  3. Form your business strategy in accordance with the specifics of your sphere of activity.
  4. Prioritize: retain current employees or attract new specialists.
  5. Familiarize yourself with the opinion of your subordinates: how they see the effective motivation of their labor.
  6. Keep a calculation of income per employee, the cost of maintaining an employee, as well as turnover.
  7. Analyze the experience of foreign companies and use ready-made motivation strategies for your business.

Staff motivation: practices of the best companies

It is best to adopt practical experience in those companies that are known for effective motivation of their employees and enjoy success in their field of activity. For example, in IBM and AT&T corporations, the majority of employees are over 40 years old and already have families and children. To improve staff motivation, the management has introduced flexible schedules for the teams and also ensured that daycare centers are opened in the offices. All corporate meetings are organized in the format of family holidays.

At Walt Disney Co. there is a strong focus on recognizing employee achievements. The best employees are allocated windows in the cafe on the main street of the “Disneyland Park”. In this way, the company raises the prestige of work and allows employees to feel needed.

At Asana, for example, managers have hired a professional chef for their employees. As a result, employees receive quality food enriched with vitamins for effective mental performance.

Apple has always guaranteed to recognize the talents of its employees. Steve Jobs opened up job offers for the position of “Genius” to hire workers with unique abilities. Thus, employees were assured of recognition of their talent and tried their best to live up to expectations.

One of the brightest examples of corporate motivation is Google. The company guarantees its employees maximum freedom of self-expression, provides flexible schedule and even compensates 5 thousand USD for the purchase of a car with a hybrid engine. For employees they regularly organize corporate parties at the best resorts in the world. However, even in this company, some employees find reasons to complain. Here are some examples of what Google employees are dissatisfied with:

  • “I got a little burned at our corporate party in Hawaii.”
  • “Sometimes my face has crease marks in the pillow during office massages.”
  • “My workplace monitor obscures the view of the mountains.”
  • “The couch in my office is not long enough to stretch out to my full height.”
  • “Because I have nutrition at work, I hardly cook at home and my cooking skills become weak”
  • “The office has an insufficient selection of slot machines, so I have to go to another building.”
  • “The 100 USD headphones that were given away for free at work are ruining my hair.”

Often managers are looking for different strategies to improve the motivation of their subordinates, but to do this, first of all, it is necessary to address the employees. It is necessary to find out what motivates employees and what types of rewards they prefer. In any case, motivation can be improved while increasing business performance.