The effective motivation of people has become a major determining factor in influencing the success of a business organization considering rapidly changing external business environment and rising staff expectations.
With the belief that people are the most valuable asset for a business organization, businesses will be seeking to get the most out of their human resources. However, this is not easy!
In reality, motivating employees have never been easy because different workers often respond in different ways to their jobs and the organization’s practices.
Understanding motivation can be helpful
Understanding motivation can also be helpful for the following reasons:
- Setting and achieving goals. Identifying your motivators can help you set realistic goals and stay focused on them.
- Overcoming challenges. When motivation dips, understanding its sources can help you find ways to rekindle it.
- Improving personal and professional life. Recognizing your needs and values can help you make choices that align with your deeper motivations.
A business manager needs to understand what motivates employees in order to reach peak performance.
Good motivation in the workplace
Some indicators of increased motivation of workforce include:
- Higher morale and job satisfaction. Engaged employees tend to be more productive, efficient, and enjoy their work. This leads to higher quality results and overall performance.
- High productivity. Motivated workers are driven to achieve results, leading to improved business efficiency and competitiveness. A thriving workforce helps the company achieve its goals by delivering quality goods and services to customers.
- Lower absenteeism. When employees are engaged, they have a vested interest in coming to work. This lowers absenteeism rates and ensures consistent presence.
- Lower labor turnover.  Highly motivated employees are more likely to stay with the company, reducing the cost and disruption of replacing staff. This also enhances the company’s image and attracts top talent.
- Willingness to accept responsibility. Motivated individuals strive to achieve both personal and organizational goals. They actively seek opportunities to contribute beyond their basic duties, often suggesting improvements and taking on higher responsibilities.
- Better industrial relations. A motivated workforce fosters collaboration and reduces the risk of conflict, creating a more harmonious work environment.
- Higher profitability. All these benefits combine to improve business efficiency, customer service, and unit costs. Motivated employees help the company achieve its objectives in a cost-effective manner.
- Making suggestions for improvements. Engaged employees are eager to work with management to improve the business and readily offer suggestions for betterment.
To achieve these benefits resulting from good motivation, business managers need to understand what motivates people.
Poor motivation in the workplace
Some indicators of decreased motivation of workforce include:
- Lateness. Habitual tardiness can indicate disengagement and low morale.
- Poor performance. Poor-quality work, low production, or increased waste can signal a lack of motivation. Unmotivated employees may deliver the bare minimum without enthusiasm.
- More accidents. Decreased focus and carelessness due to low motivation can lead to more accidents in the workplace.
- Higher absenteeism. Deliberate absences without proper explanation can be a sign of disengagement.
- Higher labor turnover. Frequent resignations, even without securing new jobs, indicate dissatisfaction and a desire to leave.
- More grievances. Unresolved issues and conflicts can arise due to low motivation and frustration.
- Poor response rate. Unmotivated employees may exhibit resistance to instructions and lack engagement with leadership initiatives.
Motivating workers is an important function of management and without this, businesses cannot create long-term value for stakeholders. A well-motivated workforce is essential for long-term success of any business.
