Employee Motivation Introduction

Many contemporary authors have also defined the concept of motivation. Motivation has been defined as: the psychological process that gives behavior purpose and direction (Kreitner, 1995); a predisposition to behave in a purposive manner to achieve specific, unmet needs (Buford, Bedeian, & Lindner, 1995); an internal drive to satisfy an unsatisfied need (Higgins, 1994); and the will to achieve (Bedeian, 1993). For this paper, motivation is operationally defined as the inner force that drives individuals to accomplish personal and organizational goals.

"Psychological forces that determine the direction of a person's behavior in an organization, a person's level of effort and a person's level of persistence." G. Jones and J. George from the book "Contemporary Management."

Features of employee motivation :

• Motivation is an act of managers

• Motivation is a continuous process

• Motivation can be positive or negative

• Motivation is goal oriented

• Motivation is complex in nature

• Motivation is an art

• Motivation is system-oriented

• Motivation is different from job satisfaction

Why is motivation important?

People are a core business lever any successful business enjoys today. The soft aspects of the workplace, its employee engagement, culture, values, policies, etc. contribute significantly to attracting and retaining the best talent. And this study clearly points to the tremendous upside, which companies that effectively appreciate their employees can enjoy – a higher return on investments, equity and assets. While most employees value appreciation at their workplace they don’t seem to get it quite often, only 41% employees feel they are appreciated at their current place of work, the study reveals. Nearly 90% of India Inc. employees say they will stick around longer if they feel appreciated for their work reveals a study by TimesJobs. The study, which surveyed more than 1,600 employees, further reveals that 82% employees are willing to work harder if their bosses appreciate them. Companies should ensure this by appreciating, recognizing and rewarding your employees. It is a highly effective and proven strategy for improving employee engagement and business output. Therefore, creating a formal structure for employee recognition is very important

An industry-wise analysis shows that 87% IT, telecom, ITeS and internet employees don’t get much appreciation from their bosses. Nearly 75% employees in automobile sector and 70% in BFSI sector said no to any sort of appreciation from their bosses. However, manufacturing and retail sectors seem to be quite appreciative of their employees with 52% of its staff claiming there is enough appreciation from their bosses.

A gender-wise analysis shows that 85% male and 63% female employees feel there is not enough appreciation from their boss at work. While about 62% junior level, 80% middle level and 50% senior level employees claim a lack of appreciation at workplace.

Employers need to actively engage with their current and future employees, and positive reinforcements are the best way to ensure a powerful employer brand. Open, transparent and responsive communication both on formal and informal channels is key to success – active use of digital media, social networks and company reviews sites all play a major role in ensuring an attractive employer brand

70% employees feel acknowledged when given clear opportunities for promotion

It’s not a tough task to make employees feel valued at work. About 70% employees say that they feel appreciated if offered career advancement opportunities at their workplace. For 44% appreciation lies in regular rewards & recognitions, 37% find the best form of appreciation is in a pay raise while 22% feel valued when given a more challenging work profile, reveals the study.

Nearly 20% employees say they feel appreciated when allowed flexibility options, such as work from home & telecommuting. And 11% say more authority in decision-making makes them feel appreciated.

While a sustainable competitive advantage can be achieved by simply keeping employees happy, employers in India, have a long way to go, only 22% employees said they received appreciation every time they performed well last year, while 60% employees say they had rarely been appreciated for their good work last year. A further 18% stated they were never appreciated.

From the above analysis we can understand that majority of employees i.e. 70 percent gave priority to clear opportunities for promotion on career advancement opportunities. Only 37 percentage of employees bothered for pay hike.

Other interesting insights revealed in the Study -

On appreciation practices at their workplace:

• 52% feel their boss appreciates co-workers more

• 22% feel their boss appreciates employees who are new to the system

• 19% feel their boss appreciates employees who have more experience

• 7% feel their boss appreciates female workers more

On having a formal employee appreciation and recognition program:

63% employees say they have no such program at their workplace

37% employees say they have a formal rewards & recognition program in their company

On having a metrics to assess recognition efforts: 72% say there is no such measure for assessing recognition efforts in their company 28% say their company does not have an assessment mechanism in place for evaluating the impact of recognition efforts

ET Bureau|

Updated: Nov 02, 2016,

You can have a lovely shiny car, but it’s worthless if it doesn’t have the power of a great engine behind it. Your employees are the engines of your organization and like any finely tuned engine your workforce to operate smoothly and effectively. The fact is employee motivation is directly linked to business profits, and the more self-motivated your employees are, the more differentiated and successful you will be as a business.

• Motivated employees look for better ways to do a job.

• Motivated employees care about their customers

• Motivated employees take pride in their work.

• Motivated workers are more productive.

Multi-generational - Employee Motivation

The modern workforce now includes employees spanning three distinct generations. While all employees are inherently different despite age, differences between these generations do follow common themes– each has its own knowledge, strengths and weaknesses. Managers must know how to work with them all to maintain a successful business. If you understand a little bit about each group you will appreciate what motivates them to maximize their output, leading to fulfilling opportunities for everyone.

Baby Boomers

(Baby boomer is a term referring to a person who was born between 1946 and 1964.)

Economists predicted that this period would be partly defined by baby boomers retiring en masse. However, as a result of the recession, many have either elected or been forced to extend their careers. Their concerns about their financial future and desire to retire, therefore, should not be taken lightly.

Although they are loyal, if you want to keep hold of them make them feel valued. Their experience is invaluable, especially when you have a workforce full of enthusiastic, but often erratic millennials.

While they’re still around, take advantage of their strong management skills and work ethic to help train your younger employees. Facilitate the passing of knowledge between generations, but remember that baby boomers tend to be independent, so let them do so as they feel comfortable. You shouldn’t worry about giving them too much freedom – baby boomers tend to be overachievers.

Generation X

Gen X employees are technologically and internet-savvy, having seen modern technology introduced during their youth.

Many of this generation grew up without heavy parent supervision so as a result, also tend to be unafraid of working independently and taking risks. They’re also entrepreneurial so trust them to find inventive solutions to business problems and this will help your business’s agility in this ever-changing world.

However, GenX is the generation of instant gratification and they believe in a good work-life balance, so make sure they have the freedom to strike that balance or they will seek it elsewhere.

Generation Y

Apart from the baby boomers, GenY has been affected most by the recession. They make up the biggest proportion of the workforce, but also by far the biggest proportion of unemployed people in the US (48% in 2013).

They are pragmatic and hard-working, but they are jaded by the recent economic downturn and its effect on their job-search. They aren’t as loyal as previous generations and are open to new challenges. Provide ample opportunities in-house to progress or to further their education to avoid losing staff to your competitors.

In addition to personality differences, managers may have issues with the generational spread because they feel that this generation simply does not have the same set of skills as previous generations. 66% of businesses are still owned by Baby boomers, but most of their staff are statistically millennials and this clash of ideas and skills may cause conflict. Remember, a business’s expectations should be managed based on the makeup of its workforce as much as the whim of its owners.

How Are Tech-Savvy Millennials Shaping The Workplace?

- Rilind Elezaj

Millennials are largely considered to be the most tech-savvy generation in today's workplace. This group of people born between 1981 to 1997 grew up with technology. Technology continues to play a huge role in their daily lives, and they do not expect the workplace to be any different. This expectation and the overall influence of millennials has changed the way workplaces operate. The fact that millennials are the fastest growing population in the workspace only makes this truer.

The influence of millennials

So why and how have these millennials become such a big influence in the workspace? The answer is simple. Millennials are currently the most sought-after talent pool in any industry. Attracting and retaining a millennial workforce has become a major priority for many forward-thinking companies. Similarly, millennials are slowly coming of age and taking up leadership positions in society. Finally, the tech savviness of the millennials means that they expect companies and products that they interact with to be tech savvy as well. These factors have pushed business decision makers to recognize and understand the growing influence of millennials in the workplace and find strategies to attract millennials for the future good of their business.

In order to keep up with this rapidly changing landscape, employers must implement a benefits administration platform that integrates new employee on-boarding, employee management, time off, employee services, among other functions that millennial employees now consider to be their rights. It is always important to motivate your employees by giving advice and inspire them and move them toward great things - be their role models.

If you have such a system in place, you need to find a way to maximize its utility. These systems help streamline company functions, improving efficiency and saving you money. Plus, they run on the latest technologies that millennials can relate to.

Millennials are followed by technology

Millennials also constantly expect technological evolution to happen. Growing up and watching a new and improved iPhone come out every year has conditioned them to expect that technology will always advance and things will always change. When they take this mindset to the workplace, they become catalysts for change. It is not unusual for a millennial employee to recommend or even introduce a new and more efficient tech-savvy solution to an age-old problem that a company has been dealing with manually for years. Automation is the millennial way. If an app or a program can do a certain task, millennials will harness this power and make their jobs easier. This is another reason why they are so sought after in the workplace. That said, millennials are not only prone to performing tech-job related to apps or software. Take for example the locksmith profession. Even though this profession dates thousand years ago, the locksmith must always be updated with the latest technologies. This is another aspect where millennials come in. Considering their savviness with technology, they are the ones who will bring new and innovative ways to enhance the security of the entire building. Their innovative solutions help make work systems run more smoothly and efficiently, earning the company even more revenue in the process. Because they make change happen, millennials have become the driving force behind many technological advances. One could argue that because of millennials and their need to have ever newer and fancier devices, we have been able to innovate apps and that have changed the way we work today. These technological innovations offer all of us more flexibility and faster communication and computing power.

Millennials tend to adopt quickly

Millennials are also the most adaptable generation. They quickly learn new things, and especially new technologies. Millennials know how to take advantage of the resources made available to them to sharpen old skills and to learn new ones. Ebooks, tutorial videos, and even the entire Youtube platform is a testament to how many different ways and how many new skills a person can learn within a relatively short time given the right motivation. The ability to pick up and master new technology at a rapid pace also means that millennials expect updates and software changes just as fast. Relevance is key, so they would rather have the latest product in the market or none at all.

One of the biggest issues and complaints most businesses and workplaces have when it comes to millennials concerns their problem-solving skills and practical application of technological advantages. Studies have shown that millennials can often be narrow viewed, learning to utilize technology in ways that benefit them. For example, they can use almost any device to access and carry out a wide range of activities on social media platforms. However, these skills may be limited. Research has shown that many millennials cannot perform most productivity related tasks such as sending an email containing data collected from a spreadsheet.

Similarly, social media can be a hindrance in the office. Most employers believe that employees who use social media during work hours are less productive than those who do not. Ironically, employees who use social media during work hours agree.

Their adaptability can make employing millennials a huge asset to the work environment of any business. Although their constant exposure to technology and their high expectations can often have many drawbacks, they are a generation that is willing to learn new things and can take on new challenges as they present themselves. It's all part of being a millennial.

Generation Z

How to Attract Gen Z Talent in a World of Distractions

Recruiting can be a tricky venture for any business. Prior reliance on Millennials, Gen Xers, and Baby Boomers have been workforce mainstay. It may be time for Baby Boomers to move out of the way as Gen Zers are approaching working age.

What exactly is Gen Z, though? According to most timelines, Gen Z includes people born between 1997 and 2012. While some are still having fun at recess in elementary schools across the nation, some are graduating from universities with advanced degrees and entering the workforce.

Gen Z is the first generation raised entirely in the computer age, where everyone has a smartphone. For recruiters, this should usher in a large number of opportunities to incorporate new technologies into workplaces that may be lagging behind similar companies.

The Benefits Gen Z Brings to the Table

When determining why a recruitment program focusing on bringing in Gen Z personnel would be suitable for your business, you must look at everything they bring to the table.

• • More familiarity with a variety of technologies

  • An understanding of cloud computing, digital marketing, and social media

  • Looking for stable and rewarding careers -- interested in success and fulfillment

  • Self-starting and resourceful -- full of new ideas

  • Researching online is as natural to them as brushing their teeth

  • Geared more toward seeking promotion than switching employers frequently

While we could continue to list the benefits Gen Zers offer as individuals, we would also like to point out some additional highlights about how they can improve your business.

As millennials age up into management positions (when they stay in one job long enough), companies are looking at recent college graduates to fill entry-level positions. Bringing in technologically savvy people speaks to the future of the digital age.

There will arrive a time when almost everything we touch will be computerized at least to some degree. With that in mind, hiring the “kids” that were born with their thumbs firmly attached to a mobile device is a smart business move.

How do you Attract Competitive Gen Z Applicants?

Because this generation is like no previous group, hiring managers will have to revise their tactics to attract the right applicants.

Gen Z thrives on being connected. They will research your company. They will check reviews, stats, earnings statements, and employee relations. They will find any tidbit of information they can and read all of it before applying or accepting a contract.

Businesses also need to research your online footprint. Is the information you find how you want your company seen?

Be prepared to use email, texting, and social networks. Ditch old-style phone meetings and find a virtual conference center with video calling. Put your company training on video.

Gen Z personnel will train themselves if you offer them the tools to accomplish that. Use a virtual office management system to stay organized and keep your team focused would also fit the skillsets of tech-savvy team members.

This generation also has developed an 8-second information filter. Keep that in mind and style presentations to use that. Once you have their attention, you will have no trouble keeping it.

Multi-tasking is also a common behavior for younger people. Gone are the single task assignments. Once you train them, these young people will amaze you with their ability to complete several tasks simultaneously.

While they often need a little more hands-on than Millenials. They like feedback about their job performance. Rather than cringing when the boss invites them to the office, they listen to and act on feedback.

They are sponges and want all the information. Don’t be afraid to “parent” them a little. What they lack in personal training is minimal compared to what they offer. Analyze your HR department and make necessary changes before beginning a recruitment program.

Beyond the Interview: Reviewing the Benefits Gen Z Wants

One of the significant differences between Millenials and Gen Z is what they want.

After watching their parents struggle for years, the most significant consideration on the list is stability. Beyond a decent base pay, Gen Z employees will look to the benefits package the company provides.

Health insurance, vacation, personal time, flexible hours -- these are just a few things people will look for in a benefits package. Conduct an honest assessment of what your company offers. Are you competitive? Can you increase benefits without compromising in other areas? Are you flexible?

Millennials tend toward entrepreneurship. They move quickly from job to job to advance rather than working for promotion. Gen Z people will stick with a job if they have hope of advancement, and the employer is all about equality.

Diversity in the workplace is also an important value to this group. They are accepting of everyone while striving for individualism.

Does your company offer the ability for employees to work from home occasionally? If an employee’s car breaks down, they can still complete projects remotely to stay on deadlines. If you don’t offer this perk, consider adding it. Productivity will increase.

Remember -- this is a group of people that have never known life without the internet. Practices like remote working, where employees split their time between working from home and the office and hiring reliable freelancers, are two ways companies are beginning to use younger generations.

Contrary to popular belief, Gen Z is not a lazy generation. They want homeownership, investments, and a future that they watched their parents struggle for but never quite attain. They have the shovels of technology, and they are not afraid to dig in and work for the rewards.

Providing a benefits package geared toward Gen Z is about much more than a paycheck. Their bottom line doesn’t have a dollar sign. Expanding your benefit offerings for this new generation of employees will pay off in the long run.

Take Your Business to the Future with Gen Z Talent

Whether you are a small business or a large corporation, modernization needs to occur. Grasp it by the horns and look at Gen Z for the employees to carry you over the finish line. They’re young, skilled, and hungry, making them the perfect candidates to accomplish a variety of tasks.

By investing in a recent graduate, you will add a valuable asset to your team. Their knowledge of computers and technology can help keep your company competitive in this digital age.