Work motivation is something that goes beyond incentive programs for employees. Know the most indicated techniques to increase the strength of your staff.
The success of a company is directly related to the level of work motivation of its workers. And it is that they are the true engine of the business and the ones that, in the end, will make our company succeed or fail. All the more reason to ensure that they feel comfortable and to implement Human Resources policies that point in this direction.
Labor motivation and productivity, inseparable
Thus and according to numerous investigations, work motivation directly influences the performance of workers. Something that, in a way, is very logical. In other words, when a worker feels that their organization cares about their well-being, their commitment to it and their involvement improve. This, in turn, encourages them to want to reach their goals and comply with a strategy in which they feel they are an active part.
The employee’s expectations of the company and the position they hold are also important. If it has them, it will have a positive impact on the entity, while if it lacks them, quite the opposite.
Types of work motivation
On the other hand, there are various types of work motivation; intrinsic motivation and extrinsic work motivation.
Intrinsic work motivation
Intrinsic motivation is one that arises thanks to the satisfaction that a task brings in its execution. It is a self-motivation that comes with the person, which is self-stimulating and does not require a third source (for example, that the boss recognizes him).
It includes an objective part, related to the person’s abilities. That is, if you are good at performing certain tasks, you will feel more accomplished because you will get good results. Whereas if you are not good at it, your motivation will drop. In short: it is a type of work motivation directly related to our level of personal satisfaction.
Extrinsic work motivation
Extrinsic work motivation is the one that comes from outside, that is, the one that comes from the outside, from a third source. He talks about the process, the resources, the external recognition and the best and the impact achieved with that task that we have carried out.
It is usually associated with objectives and prizes, but it is destined to disappear over time, especially if we compare it with the previous one.
Attraction, recruitment and selection, onboarding, development, retention, exit and employer branding… each phase is equally important for the future of a professional in the company and, consequently, taking care of them will be essential for its productivity and profitability.
In our guide we teach you how to take advantage of technology to boost the performance of your staff and take maximum care of each phase.
11 Work Motivation Techniques
The right working environment, the recognition of achievements, the flexibility of schedules or the possibility of promotion within the company are determining factors in keeping the workforce satisfied and motivated and, consequently, guaranteeing the success of the organization. However, they are not the only work motivation techniques that we can implement in our company. Let’s analyze each of them in depth.
1. Adaptation to the job
The adaptation to the job is essential to achieve excellent work motivation. That is, the challenges and requirements of the position must respond to the needs of the worker and stimulate him. For example, it can be very frustrating to perform repetitive tasks that do not require the training we have.
This could be related to errors in the recruitment and selection process, and to the lack of definition of the role that the worker occupies within the company according to his professional category.
2. Improvement of working conditions
The working hours of workers do not have to be completely strict. Companies can implement alternative schedules in order to better suit the needs of their employees. For example, one option is to reduce the time for lunch in order to bring forward the end of the workday. Also, many employees look favorably on extending their work hours from Monday to Thursday in order to have Friday afternoon free in return.
They are simple time variations that improve the quality of life of employees and allow work, personal and family reconciliation. In addition, during the summer season, it is best to implement the intensive working day, since, in addition to increasing productivity, workers can enjoy more time with their families.
3. Recognition of achievements
The fact that bosses recognize and congratulate workers for a job well done has a very positive impact on their motivation. In fact, if those in charge are sufficiently involved in the results, and recognize the achievements in a personalized way to their employees, they will promote a good working environment and the motivation of the workers.
4. Career plans as work motivation
One of the greatest incentives for a worker is having the opportunity to climb positions in the organizational chart of a company. In this sense, the possibility of training within the company itself through courses and activities facilitates the professional growth of workers, as well as allowing them to draw up a career plan within the company. In fact, this is one of the most effective work motivation techniques.
5. Clear and feasible goals. incentives
Employees do their jobs more efficiently when they know their goals are real. Communicating the objectives to the workers in a joint and personalized way is essential to increase their involvement and commitment. This is where bonuses and incentive trips come into play, whether financially or as free time.
6. Measurement and evaluation of the work environment
It is clear that an optimal work environment helps to a great extent to achieve the objectives set by a company. Therefore, implementing periodic surveys and analyzes that make it possible to verify which are the critical points that affect the workforce is essential to be able to correct them in time in order to promote the motivation and performance of a company’s human team.
Currently, companies have at their disposal well-designed computer tools that allow them to analyze and identify the needs of workers. These technological resources make it possible to quickly and easily assess the work environment, in addition to adapting to the specific needs of each business. In this way, we will be able to know how to motivate employees and improve the productivity of our business.
7. Implementation of social policies
Implementing social policies has a positive impact on work motivation. However, its adoption will depend on the values of the company and its social responsibility. The most common have to do with plans to encourage healthy eating habits and sports among employees, and even with the incorporation of pets into the office.
Integration and diversity policies, as well as those that highlight the company’s commitment to the environment, are also very beneficial. What they achieve is that the worker feels proud of belonging to a committed company and, therefore, goes to the office more motivated.
8. Team Building to improve work motivation
Fostering team activities with initiatives such as team building and coexistence are very interesting, not only to see how the team behaves in another situation, but also to strengthen ties between co-workers. This is key to improving the work environment.
If we do not want to invest in this type of initiative or we do not have the possibility to do so, we can encourage other kinds of activities, such as simply going out for a drink together once a month.
9. Participation
The same goes for participation. The worker must be allowed to be an active part of the company, communicate, give feedback, report their needs, etc. Doing so encourages the birth of new strategies and favors communication in the broadest sense of the word. It is in these environments where the most creative ideas arise.
To achieve this, we must have the necessary channels and means that favor horizontal communication. It will also be necessary for employees to know that these mechanisms are available to them.
10. Presence in the media
Leaving aside how it affects the brand image in the eyes of customers and abroad in general, presence in the media (appearing in newspapers, radio and the like) is also a source of pride for workers. Especially if we do it organically, that is, without investing in advertising.
Reports and surveys, for example, are often a source of information for the media; and constitute an excellent way to position yourself as a benchmark in the sector.
11. Transparency
The company must also be clear and transparent with its workers. Ideally, it is even that it goes beyond administrative and financial procedures. We are referring to communicating the business results, the objectives that are being achieved, and so on. It is also important that workers are aware of the organization’s financing systems.
Other types of communication that we should not ignore are those referring to the internal problems of the company, the implementation of new strategies that affect different departments, etc. In addition, it must be considered horizontally and allow the employee to give feedback on it. You never know where the best ideas come from.
Some companies even bet on sharing the salary of their workers, a very controversial issue in the Human Resources area that entails both advantages and disadvantages and that we will address at another time.