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There is an abundance of books, articles, speeches, and workshops that claim to know the secrets behind employee motivation. However, not all of these “secrets” work due to the lack of research behind them. This is why it is important to search for methods which are backed by the principles of Science, Social Studies, or Psychology.
Here are three of the well-renowned theories of motivation which can help you increase workplace productivity:
THE POWER OF GOALS
Goal-setting Theory suggests that properly set and well-managed goals increase employee’s motivation. To apply this theory at the workplace, a manager can assign some SMART goals to his or her employees.
Goal-setting and feedback go hand-in-hand. After communicating the goals, you shall track the performance of each employee in order for them to know if they successfully reached them. Proper execution of feedback will enable the employee to adapt the desirable behavior.
If a goal is met, reward your employee by giving recognition. You can personally acknowledge the achievements and efforts of your employees thru group memos, writing an email, handing a personal note, or awarding a certificate.
THE POWER OF OWNERSHIP
Proponents of the Job Characteristics Model states that jobs will have motivating potential if they offer variety, task significance, and task identification among others.
Let me focus on one aspect: task identification. It is the extent to which an employee feels accountable for the outcomes of the job to the point that it becomes an integral part of his or her identity. Increase task identification contributes to performance and job satisfaction.
Boost this aspect by letting your employees contribute to the planning, reporting, and evaluating phases of the projects.
THE POWER OF OBSERVATION
There is a tendency of people to work harder if they know that they are being watched or observed. Researchers dubbed this tendency as the “Hawthorne Effect”. It is named after a series of studies that was conducted at Hawthorne’s Western Electric Company. The studies measured the influence of physical working conditions on productivity. Rather than the physical changes in environment, employees were motivated to work harder as a reaction to the attention given to them.
Apply the Hawthorne Effect at the workplace by asking for your employees’ suggestions regarding their preferences in the working conditions. Then, ensure that you know what your employees are up to by providing regular feedback.
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Keeping your workers motivated is easier said than done. May these theories and its applications help you to accomplish your duties as managers or business owners!
