WORK MOTIVATION: FACTORS, TECHNIQUES AND BENEFITS - JOB - 2024

The work motivation is the set of external and internal factors that drive a worker to carry out tasks related to their jobs and strive to the utmost in them. In general, it is related to emotional and attitudinal conditions that incite, maintain and direct behavior within the workplace.

Understanding how motivation works is essential in almost all fields; But in the workplace, it can become even more important. This is because the presence of this factor positively correlates with others such as performance at work or the benefits obtained by a company.

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In fact, some authors such as Michael Armstrong define work motivation as "the work of maintaining corporate cultures and tasks that lead to high performance." For this reason, in recent decades the way in which this work status works has been studied in depth, and attempts have been made to create programs to promote it.

Intervention in the field of work motivation focuses both on changing the external conditions of employees and helping them improve their own attitude and mood. In this article we will take an in-depth look at how motivation works, why it is so important, and what can be done to improve it.

Factors involved in motivation at work

Each worker's motivation (regardless of whether they are employed or have their own business) depends on a number of factors that encourage them to do their best in their employment. Depending on elements such as personality, personal values ​​or past experiences of each individual, each circumstance will affect to a lesser or greater extent.

There are different theories about which are the factors that most intervene in work motivation; but one of the most accepted classifications is the one that talks about the following: financial reward, personal satisfaction, flexibility, impact, and social recognition. Next we will see what each of them consists of.

Financial reward

When thinking about why we work, the first thing that comes to mind is money. Most individuals have a job mainly because they need a salary to survive, buy food, pay for accommodation, and provide other basic products and services for themselves and their families.

Various studies in this regard show that most workers will dedicate more time and effort to their jobs if they believe that by doing so they will receive a greater financial reward. This type of motivation is known as "extrinsic", since it comes from outside; and it may interfere with other factors on this list.

In any case, increasing the economic reward or material benefits derived from employment is one of the simplest and most effective ways to increase the work motivation of the workers of a company.

Personal satisfaction

The motivational factor opposite to financial reward is the degree of satisfaction that a person derives from their work. Studies show that employees who really enjoy what they do put more effort into their tasks, innovate more, and are generally much happier with all areas of their lives.

From an employer's point of view, it is important to do everything possible to make workers feel at ease. To do this, it is necessary to allow them to reconcile work and private life, foster good relations between employees, and show them all possible support.

Flexibility

Some studies on the factors that affect work motivation show the importance of flexibility in jobs. Benefits such as the ability to choose your own schedule, choose vacation dates, and the option to work from home greatly increase job satisfaction.

Impact

Workers like to know that what they do has a positive impact on other people and the world around them. Therefore, it is known that the happiest employees are those whose values ​​are aligned with the mission of the company.

However, this motivational factor can be exploited even by more traditional companies. Various studies show that small actions such as putting a worker in contact with positive feedback from their clients can make them feel much more appreciated and willing to do their best in their position.

Recognition

In contrast to impact, recognition is a factor that affects work motivation related to the approval that an employee receives from their superiors.

Like financial reward, it is a factor that promotes extrinsic motivation, so it can interfere with other types that we have already seen.

To get the most out of recognition, an employer can give rewards to workers who have achieved some type of achievement. Along these lines, setting clear goals and showing approval for those who meet them can also be a good way to motivate an employee.

Work motivation techniques

Encourage the spirit of enterprise

As we have already seen, two of the factors that most increase the work motivation of workers are the feeling that the work they are doing is useful for something, and personal satisfaction. One of the best way to foster both is by increasing your entrepreneurial spirit.

This can be achieved in two ways, which are not mutually exclusive. On the one hand, if you manage to improve relations between employees, they will feel part of a group and will extract a higher level of job satisfaction from going to work.

For this, the most useful thing is to carry out team activities that promote trust and interaction among workers. Some possibilities are taking company trips for team building, organizing company lunches or dinners, or offering alternative activities outside of working hours such as paintball or scape rooms.

On the other hand, it is also very useful to give incentives to workers and show personal interest in them, in order to make them feel proud of belonging to the company.

In this sense, factors such as offering a pension plan, promoting work-family reconciliation or worrying about your personal life can be very useful.

Set clear goals and reward their achievement

Another of the simplest ways to increase the work motivation of workers is to give them specific tasks to perform and show them the importance they have for the company.

In this way, not only is their sense of personal satisfaction increased and their intrinsic motivation is fostered, but their sense of impact is also enhanced.

On the other hand, when a worker performs all his tasks in a particularly good way, a good technique may be to reward him to increase his sense of recognition. This becomes much easier if the objectives of each employee are perfectly clear.

Make the company's vision clear

Every good company has to have a vision; In other words, an idea of ​​what it is you want to contribute to the world. In general, the creators of a company and senior managers are clear about the value that it is generating. However, many times ordinary workers have never stopped to think about this aspect.

Therefore, making the vision of the company explicit and communicating it to workers on a regular basis can help them feel more committed to their work.

In addition, if the company's vision is aligned with its own values, it will also improve the feeling of belonging and personal satisfaction.

How can this goal be achieved? There are many ways to do it; But some of the most useful ideas would include creating a strong brand for the company, an emphasis on social actions, and holding regular meetings that show the positive impact of the company on society.

Create more flexible jobs

We have already seen that work flexibility is one of the factors that most influences when it comes to having a good motivation at work. Luckily, today it is easier than ever to create positions where you can make the most of this fact.

Various studies indicate that in the coming decades, more than 50% of jobs will be done from home. In fact, most of the tasks that are carried out in an office today could be done through a computer connected to the Internet. Therefore, it is easier than ever to allow the option of telecommuting to your employees.

Companies that promote teleworking, in addition to flexible schedules or work by objectives, not only increase the job satisfaction of their employees, but also generally increase their productivity and achieve greater economic benefits.

Leave room for innovation and creativity

To the extent possible, giving your workers the freedom to do their jobs in their own way can be one of the most effective ways to increase their job satisfaction.

Although this is not feasible in all companies, most may tend towards this model. Even small changes in this regard can be very useful.

The best way to encourage innovation and creativity among workers is to make them work for goals rather than for specific tasks. This will require training managers in more flexible leadership techniques, and employees in self-management methods. However, the rewards can be very high.

Be concerned about the welfare of your workers

Some employers see their workers practically as enemies: people who want to take advantage of them and who are worsening their quality of life. If you want to increase the motivation of your employees, you will have to abandon this vision as much as possible and start trusting them and seeking their well-being.

A multitude of studies show that the employees who are happiest with their company are the ones who work the best and have the fewest problems at work. Therefore, doing everything possible to make them feel comfortable will not just be an altruistic act: acting in this way will also affect the company in a positive way.

Some of the actions you can take to improve the well-being of your employees are to invest in continuous training for them, offer them job retraining courses, allow them to express their complaints or suggestions, and in general use flexible and close leadership techniques.

Importance and benefits

As you can see, improving the work motivation of your employees can be quite complex. Because of this, many entrepreneurs wonder if it is really worth trying so hard in this regard. What benefits can a company owner get from having his employees as motivated as possible?

There are several reasons why worker motivation is important. On the one hand, various studies have shown that workers who feel more comfortable in their company increase their productivity and improve their profits. If an employee is not motivated, they will tend to waste time and work as little as possible.

On the other hand, if you manage to increase the work motivation of your workers in an adequate way, you will also greatly reduce a series of problems that can become very annoying, such as absenteeism, continuous medical leave, or even the need to find new employees. constantly.

Being able to create a positive work environment is essential to take your company to the top. Although it can be very difficult to achieve it, more and more studies suggest that it is very important to improve the work motivation of your employees.

Now that you know what factors intervene in the psychological well-being of workers and their desire to collaborate with your company, and you have learned several work motivation techniques, it is your turn: get down to work, and in a short time you will see how they improve the results you get with your company.

References

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