Employee motivation is a mindset that enables team members to face their daily work tasks and challenges with optimism and a positive attitude, driving them toward the achievement of goals.
This mindset is what allows employees to give their best, get engaged in projects and corporate goals, and always try to find the best way to get the job done.
Those companies that stand out from the competition are characterized by having a workforce with high levels of motivation. That’s because when employees feel that they can do anything, they have enough confidence to be more innovative and proactive, leading them to discover new ways to offer better products and services.
Also, motivation is a transversal factor. This means that it directly influences other equally important dimensions such as employee satisfaction, commitment, loyalty and productivity. In other words: the motivation of the employees is the main responsible for high performance teams.
What factors influence employee motivation?
As each person is different, the motivations of the employees can vary according to their expectations and needs. However, below we list the eight factors that most affect the level of team motivation.
Internal Factors
- Desire for achievement. Employees want to meet their short and medium-term goals, devise new ways to achieve satisfactory results and grow personally and professionally. But the challenges must be realistic. If the challenge is too high, it can demoralize the team causing their motivation to drop.
- Autonomy. This factor involves employees’ desires to exercise control over their own tasks. In other words, motivation increases when team members notice that their decisions influence their workflow.
- Positive relationships. Another aspect to take into account is the affective ties that are generated through daily contact with colleagues. When these relationships are positive, the work environment becomes more stimulating, fostering teamwork and the desire to cooperate to achieve greater and more rewarding results.
External factors
- Leadership style. The way the team is led has a critical impact on employee morale. To nurture motivation, a leader must be open to communication, empathetic, and supportive of their team at all times.
- Recognition. It’s motivating for the workforce to know that the company holds them in high esteem, considering them not as a number, but as professionals with an important role in the development of the company.
- Working environment. The work environment is a reflection of the company culture. It’s essential that the company cares about the well-being of its team and uses practices to create a healthy environment. Because who would want to work in a toxic and demoralizing company?
- Growth opportunities. If employees see that they will not be able to develop personally and professionally, there will come a time when they will feel stuck, causing their motivation to decrease.
- Rewards and remuneration. Despite being less influential than people think, a salary according to the efforts made is still relevant to keep the motivation of employees alive.
What are the benefits to the company of keeping employees motivated?
There are many benefits of having a motivated workforce. Among them we highlight:
- Increased productivity. Motivated employees tend to be less distracted and more focused on their work. Consequently, they make better use of time.
- Greater loyalty. Companies that know how to motivate their employees also have higher levels of employee satisfaction. This makes employees feel comfortable and happy with the company, making it less likely that they will want to accept other offers of employment.
- More quality in products and services. Motivated employees pay more attention to the production process, making it easier to spot failures and inconsistencies. In addition, it also improves customer service.
- Reduced absenteeism. Enthusiasm also makes people want to go to work more. And, in relation to the previous point, the increase in attention also influences a lower production of occupational accidents and work-related diseases.
How to boost employee motivation?
Below, we share with you 5 strategies that have proven to be effective in keeping team motivation high. Read them carefully and implement them in your company for amazing results.
Offer your employees good tools and resources
In order for employees to fulfill their tasks and achieve the company’s objectives, they need access to resources that allow them to carry out their duties without complications, making them enjoy their work.
If not, they could spend more time resolving incidents and solving operational problems than doing what is really expected of them. As a result, tasks would pile up and employees would get discouraged.
For this reason, it’s essential to keep all systems updated and put all the necessary resources at their fingertips so their work is comfortable and fluid.
Help your team grow
Motivation is linked to attainable challenges. Once employees have mastered an area, the next step is to give them an even greater challenge with which they can learn and grow personally and professionally.
It’s all too easy for employees who feel stuck quickly become bored and demotivated. As a leader, you must know the ambitions of your employees and manage time appropriately for sustained growth that helps them become better professionals, keeping the flame of motivation alive.
Strength the communication
Get involved in the development of your employees by maintaining open and continuous communication with them.
An article published in the Harvard Business Review magazine revealed that those companies that communicate with their employees and involve them in corporate decisions have higher levels of motivation. In fact, according to survey data, employees who feel heard and represented are nearly 4 times more likely to raise their level of contribution to the company.
To facilitate this process, you can use specific employee feedback software such as Team Insights. With it, it’s much easier and faster for you to get in touch with your employees to find out what they think and feel about the company. And take actions in the right direction that have a real impact on the operation of the business.
Values the contribution that employees make to the company
The recognition of a job well done does not have to suppose an extra cost for the company. There are many strategies with which to reward employees without the need for an economic outlay.
It’s enough with saying thank you at the right time, praise them in public, and launch initiatives with which employees can play a more relevant role within the organization.
But if your finances can afford it, a raise or promotion are also good ways to recognize employees.
Stimulate teamwork
Strengthening team connections encourages collaboration between colleagues and managers. The results of working together are greater than when done individually. And feeling part of the game makes the motivation soar to achieve even greater goals.
In this sense, the activities of Team Building, whether outside or in the workplace, are a good strategy for motivating staff while building relationships and having fun.
In conclusion
The motivation of the employees is an essential factor for the competitiveness of the company. Identifying and implementing techniques and strategies to keep the morale of the workforce high is a must for any department leader.
If motivation is neglected, the company can suffer from a high turnover rate, low work commitment, and many doses of dissatisfaction on the part of the employees, making the company very unprofitable.
In Team Insights we help you discover what motivates your employees. All you have to do is sign up and start sending surveys from our library. Why don’t you try it? It’s free!
