One question that continues to haunt the thoughts of human relations professionals is "What will get employees motivated, and how do we keep them that way (all the time!)"
How long has this question been asked? Oh, maybe 50 years or so! Frederick Herzberg an American business psychologist, is well known for introducing the idea of "job enrichment" and also author of "One more time, how do we motivate employees?" & "The Motivation to Work".
In his researching and theorizing about motivation, he arrived at a point of view that most would assume . . . well . . . a bit odd. He proposed that satisfaction and dissatisfaction arise from completely different factors. Our perception is often that the two are polar opposites of a single thing or idea.
It has been found that in surveying employees on what makes them dissatisfied within their job or career, they may likely regard factors involving the context within which they work:
- I want more job flexibility!
- I want to make more money!
- I want more freedom at work!
- I don't like the way they do things (process, operations, policy)!
- I want to have a good relationship with my coworkers, leadership!
Ask employees what makes them satisfied, and they may be more likely to mention factors that reflect intrinsic motives:
- Having an interest in my job, career, or field
- Receiving recognition for my contributions
- Moving up the ladder
- Feeling good about what I do
- Growing within my profession
Did you notice that the listed items associated with satisfaction and those associated with dissatisfaction aren't really similar? What does this mean??
Maybe Ferzberg had a point: satisfaction and dissatisfaction within the workplace environment may not arise from the same factors. This makes motivating that much more of a challenge.
The Evolving Workplace
It can be said that an overwhelming majority of focus on motivation within the average workplace rests in extrinsic factors of motivation. Things external to the process are among those we feel can be controlled, measured, changed, and overall much more easily understood.
However, many working dynamics present this line of thinking with some challenges. The workplace continues to evolve and will always be in continuous states of change. The diversity within America's workplace settings and environments means that Control is often dispersed and responsibilities are shared.
Because of this, it is of even greater importance to have the truly "engaged" employee act and react independently while maintaining the ability to be effective with tasks and achieve necessary goals. In the absence of an engaged, motivated employee the organization's culture, operations, and structure will most likely suffer in some way.
Reducing the barriers to motivation involve getting in touch with what drives someone and how to engage them to motivate . . . (wait for it) . . . "themselves"! Maybe support for increasing employee motivation and performance can be found within the basic elements of the theory of Self-Determination.
- Competence
Feeling capable in what you do; having knowledge in your own level of ability; predicting abilities and outcomes involving others.
- Connectedness (relating)
A person's relationship with others; interpersonal dynamics will affect performance; relationships and interactions determine happiness in the workplace.
- Choice (autonomy)
Investing in experiences that coincide with morals and values; Feeling a sense of freedom to engage in tasks that align with what you know and what you can do.
What exactly do the 3 C's tell us?
Humans desire to feel competent in the areas they attribute value.
Humans want to connect with individuals and items they positively regard.
Humans want to feel as though they are engaging in actions that resonate with who they perceive themselves to be.
Constructing work tasks and organizational objectives that tap into these human needs are increasing likely to motivate the employee. Is this the only way to motivate? Certainly not!
Will this potential formula bring success in motivating your workforce? Possibly. What do we know for sure?? Bringing this theory into practice may be an opportunity to take on a new perspective and better understand that people inevitably motivate themselves to perform (or not!).
Intrinsic forces are always at work and often stronger than any extrinsic factors we can introduce or support. Reducing barriers to motivation by structuring tasks and operations that compliment these three basic human drives just may be a great place to start.
Sources:
- One More Time: How Do You Motivate Employees? (Harvard Business Review Classics) Paperback by Frederick Herzberg
- Motivation to Work Paperback by Frederick Herzberg