How to build motivation in today’s workplace

In this article, How to build motivation in today’s workplace, Gregory M. Lamp resembles employee in the workplace as trapped as they go to their jobs because they don’t feel comfortable at their own jobs. The book shows an analysis was done by Frederick Herzberg that claims that people’s attitude toward their jobs can cause success or failure. Herzberg asked both satisfied and dissatisfied people what they like or dislike about their job. However, the replies of both groups varied totally. Satisfied people gave answers that involve them such as achievement, recognition, and advancement. Dissatisfied people gave answers that blame their job or boss such as supervision, company’s policy, and salary (p 324). Anyway, People tend to stay in their jobs although they don’t like their jobs because they think that there is no opportunity to find a better one. Lamb says that employers and employees should exert more effort to find a better place to improve their morale. However, high salary isn’t the supreme in bringing employees satisfaction; statistics showed that 83% of 500 employees were motivated by the challenge at work, and employees rank salary as the third most important motivating factor. Anyhow, motivating employees by a negative attitude like threats aren’t any good; Joseph Wellesley says that you succeed more when you’re in the success mode than in a survival mode. Experts suggest that people managing in today’s organizations should stick to six different ways to motivate their employees; these ways are called motivators as it said in the book they are the factors that increase satisfaction (p325):

1. Employers can provide continuous opportunities to learn and to grow, even without
promotions.

2. Praise those who perform better: managers don’t have to spend any money or efforts to do that, they can do that as they say “hello” in the morning.

3. Take employees’ own goals into account: that can be done by asking “what is important to you (the employee)?”

4. Make pay and other decision as equitable as possible: employees’ motivation will certainly go down when an unfair decision is taken. Managers must carefully make decision; decision has to be fair and clear showing reasons of doing so to the employees.

5. Negotiate for perks other than pay raises: employees like it when they have authority of making decision or authority over their work and time.

6. Show your value-and be visible: a boss should show his/her values to the employees to encourage working hard to achieve the boss’s or the organization’s goals.

Questions of motivations are most likely to be asked by the interviewers. These questions are designed to find the subjective aspects of job applicants. Examples of questions about motivation are “what motivates you? How do you motivate others? What are the best and the worst aspects of your previous job? What are you interested in this position or this job?