How to Improve Motivation in the Workplace
I chose the topic of improving motivation in the workplace. I feel as if this has always been something that has been a problem with the work force. It’s a problem because as time as gone on, I think people have lost a lack of work ethic, people are getting lazier and lazier as time goes on so it's important to increase motivation so that employees are motivated to do a good job and thrive in their job and feel a sense of importance in their position. I found a really good article from Forbes.com that is titled, “The Employee-Friendly Way to Actively Motivate Your Work Staff.” The article states that there are countless varying and even contradicting methods and theories on how to achieve a solid and consistent state of employee motivation in the workplace. The interesting part of this article over others is that it goes into more of a depth analysis of the “fundamental states” and causes of one who is actively motivated.
“According to a February 2017 Gallup study just more than half of all U.S. employees is either actively searching for, or open to, new job opportunities. It's safe to say this is a direct reflection on the current state of employee engagement within many workplaces. Some of the most common reasons cited for moving on are, issues with managers/management, looking for a better job fit, need for a more desirable company culture, seeking better growth prospects including salary and benefits.” It brings into the question of are our employees just lazy or are they very unsatisfied and in turn don’t want to do a good job because they aren't happy where they are at and with what they are doing. This article then goes on to talk about tips to make immediate improvements and I think they are really good. Starting off, “Remember that an educated individual need to be engaged at a level at least somewhere near his or her degree of intellect; a job that falls below this standard is inevitably going to produce boredom.” Next, “Be aware that aggressive micromanagement is as hostile to the productive and happy employee as is a fox in a henhouse.” Lastly, “A feeling of insecurity — of being expendable — is going to make for an alienated and discontent employee, at any level. Take steps to reassure people of their value and place.”
The article then talks about the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers, and Commerce, which is said to have 260 years and counting mission statement that “surrounds the enrichment society through ideas and action.” The RSA produced a video all about increasing motivation in the work place. The video goes deeper than the basics of employee motivation. The RSA research includes the sociology, psychology and economic fundamentals that prove the show an individual's aspirations, performance, engagement, and everything else that forms employee motivation. The article gives a quick summary of the findings of the RSA, it states, “The old paradigms are demonstrably and unequivocally wrong. They have led us astray into counterproductive habits and systems. If we want the nearly 90% increase in production and value that an engaged employee produces, we have to decide to make some intentional changes.” It says employees want to be treated as individuals, for their work to have some measurable, positive impact on others' lives, the space and room to create and innovate, and to be respected and valued.
When researching ways businesses try to motivate their employees or what practices they use, I found a lot of really good websites with a lot of really good ideas. The obvious of creating employee motivation is to recognize great work. I think this is the most important aspect of employee motivation, because if employees aren't recognized for their good work, they might think well screw it, if they don’t think I'm doing well then, I must not be and not try as hard to be really good at what they are doing. I work at Sedgwick here in Dubuque and I know for us personally that we not only get recognized as individuals but also as a team and being rewarded and recognized as a team is just as important as individually. In a recent TalentCulture post, Meghan M. Biro shared some advice on how to make recognition that you give more effective. “Money is appropriate much of the time, but it's not the only- or even the most effective- motivator. Treat employees as valued team members, not as numbers.” I think this advice is huge, yes more money is always a motivator for employees, but it’s not everything.
The next thing businesses do is to set small, measurable goals. There are so many things to do in an everyday work day. I think it’s a theme that a lot of people want to be able to check everything off their list of things to do at the end of a work day but sometimes that just isn’t realistic. By setting clear, achievable goals you are providing a boost of motivation each time something off that list is accomplished. Do the things off your list you know you can get done in the amount of work time you have that day, save longer projects for a time when you have more time. When you do cross things off that work load list, celebrate!
Next is to applaud results and stay positive. It’s so important to let everyone who has made a significant contribution in helping move the organization forward for the future. Employees will feel a sense of belonging if they are a part of this. Staying positive is also huge, it’s merely impossible to always have a good day at work. There will be days where things are really hard and there will be days where you can relax a little bit more and take your time. When someone in their job isn't performing up to par, it’s hard to approach them and express that they aren’t doing so well and need to do better. Instead of coming at them and making them feel bad about their performance. Try to use positive reinforcement, focus on the things they did right rather than the things they did wrong. Happiness and positivity play a huge roll in the success of businesses. It’s simple, if your employees are happy and working hard, you’ll have more success in your business for the long run. I watched a Ted talk from Shawn Achor called “A Happy Secret to Better Work.” A direct quote from the video that I really liked was, “A simple shift in bias towards positivity and happiness can have an immediate impact on your work experience and relationships, which are major factors in success, motivation, engagement, and productivity.”
When talking about society and how motivation in the workplace affects it, I don’t really think about laws or anything as such. I think about more so quality of life. Americans work long hard hours, not because they necessarily want to, but because they must and it's on the rise. Many families with two adult households are working more to afford the lifestyle they want or even multiple jobs. Many working people wonder about how to meet the demands of their lives outside of the workplace. Having these concerns about life outside the workplace stresses people out and it might influence their productivity and even their morale. It's important for workplaces to consider condensed work weeks, or job share for example so that they can get everything done that they need to, to avoid stresses outside of the work place when they get home or even on weekends. I also think things can be in reverse. I think that life at home can be stressful and affect the way people perform at work. So, even if things at home are hectic, employees should feel like they can come to work and feel at ease and not under too much stress, especially if they are doing well and being applauded for it.
I got to speak with Jeff Mentzer, the HR representative/CFO of AppleWhite Dental Co here in Dubuque and asked him how he makes sure his employees stay motivated and somethings they do to keep them going on a day to day basis. His response was, “We really try to keep everyone in the loop on what we're trying to accomplish for our investors and employees and how they all fit in. Instead of just showing up for a paycheck, they understand what their role is in the big picture.” I really enjoyed Jeff’s answer not only because it completely makes sense, but I think if every employee whether you are working at the front desk or you are the CEO, that you have a purpose and you feel a part of the bigger picture and future. plans and you're always in the loop, it makes you feel important and makes you not only want success for yourself, but also the company.
In conclusion, I think there could be training courses or classes about the company to make employees aware of the company and teach them all the ins and outs, so they feel a part of something bigger than just a “desk job.” That might add cost for the company but, in the big picture companies would be saving money because they would have so much more success from having great motivated workers. I don’t think that unmotivated employees could completely close down a business but I know for sure that it would definitely hurt business because people want to go somewhere that they feel taken care of and won't continue to come back if they feel I think overall, workers in today's world are very lazy but it's becoming better and better and it will continue to get better as people become more aware of the issue at hand. It's so important to make your employees feel motivated so they not only do a good job for their company, but they feel good themselves at what they’re doing.