Understanding Employee Motivation

In a recent article titled, What People Want From Work, author Susan M Heathfield writes that – of course – everyone works for money, but that understanding motivation among employees means understanding the other reasons that they work.
What follows are excerpts from the Ms Heathfield’s article:
Got Money? What's Next?

I've read the surveys and studies dating back to the early 1980s that demonstrate people want more from work than money. An early study of thousands of workers and managers by the American Psychological Association clearly demonstrated this. While managers predicted the most important motivational aspect of work for people would be money, personal time and attention from the supervisor was cited by workers as most rewarding for them at work.

In a recent Workforce article, "The Ten Ironies of Motivation," reward and recognition guru, Bob Nelson, says, "More than anything else, employees want to be valued for a job well done by those they hold in high esteem." He adds that people want to be treated as if they are adult human beings.
While what people want from work is situational, depending on the person, his needs and the rewards that are meaningful to him, giving people what they want from work is really quite straight forward.

People want:

• Control of their work: including such components as the ability to impact decisions; setting clear and measurable goals; clear responsibility for a complete, or at least defined, task; job enrichment; tasks performed in the work itself; and recognition for achievement.
• To belong to the in-crowd: including items such as receiving timely information and communication; understanding management's formulas for decision making; team and meeting participation opportunities; and visual documentation and posting of work progress and accomplishments.
• The opportunity for growth and development: including education and training; career paths; team participation; cross-training; and field trips to successful workplaces.
• Leadership: people want clear expectations that provide a picture of the outcomes desired with goal setting and feedback and an appropriate structure or framework.
Recognition for Performance

In The Human Capital Edge, authors Bruce Pfau and Ira Kay say that people want recognition for their individual performance with pay tied to their performance. Employees want people who don't perform fired; in fact, failure to discipline and fire non-performers is one of the most demotivating actions an organization can take - or fail to take. It ranks on the top of the list next to paying poor performers the same wage as non-performers.

Additionally, the authors found that a disconnect continues to exist between what employers think people want at work and what people say they want. "Employers far underrate the importance to employees of such things as flexible work schedules or opportunities for advancement in their decision to join or leave a company.
"That means that many companies are working very hard (and using scarce resources) on the wrong tools," say Pfau and Kay. (p. 32) People want employers to pay them above market rates. They seek flexible work schedules. They want stock options, a chance to learn, and the increased sharing of rationale behind management decisions and direction.

What You Can Do for Employee Motivation and Positive Morale

You have much information about what people want from work. Key to creating a work environment that fosters motivation is understanding the wants and needs of the individual. I recommend that you ask your employees what they want from work and whether they are getting it. With this information in hand, I predict you'll be surprised at how many simple and inexpensive opportunities you have to create a motivational, desirable work environment. Pay attention to what is important to the people you employ for high motivation and positive morale. You'll achieve awesome business success.

Susan Heathfield is a management & organization development consultant who specializes in human resource systems, issues, and opportunities. Susan's specialty consulting areas include management, personal and organizational change management, performance management and development, organization transformation, executive coaching, and group facilitation.
She is a professional facilitator, speaker, and trainer on topics including interpersonal relationships, organization effectiveness and development, management excellence, marketing services, communication, and leadership. Susan is also a writer. Prior clients, for various services, include Michigan State University, Pall Corporation (Gelman Sciences), Microsoft Corporation, ReCellular, Inc., Fisher-Barton, Aeroquip, Temple Israel, Western Michigan University, Michigan Modernization Services, and many associations.
Susan is always interested in new clients for her consulting, coaching, speaking, training, and writing services.