Committed to Your Success Coaching & Consulting

It is ever so important in today’s workiplace that employees work hard, be productive and engaged. It is also ever so important for employers to provide opportunities to help employees be productive and remain engaged, both in their work and to the organization.  The best way to do this is to understand what motivates your employees and then ensure that those motivational needs are available. Employers need to know what makes their employees “tick.”

First, it is important to understand the concept of motivation, which can be defined as an impulse or urge to act.  Motivation is built on the work of Maslow and his stages of motivational needs, which are: safety, security, social, esteem and self-actualization.  Maslow stated that one must have basic needs met or satisfied before one moves to the next level.  Motivational needs can be either intrinsic or extrinsic.  Intrinsic needs are those that come from within, such as the need to get ahead.  Extrinsic needs are external, such as pay or benefits.  It is important for employers to assess the saliency of these needs to better understand what drives their employers.  Knowing this information will also help to develop programs and benefits/compensation. 

What is the best way to uncover these needs?  Start by asking them.  This can be done through the use of  assessment, either through a survey, a needs test, or by meeting with employees in small cohort groups.  You want to have them rate a variety of needs that have value, which can include:

•  pay
• health insurance
• promotional opportunities
• a caring and involved leader
• good working conditions
• participation in decision making
• job security
• open communication

There are many more that can be identified.  The information gathered should be used to look at current programs and whether they are meeting employee’s needs. If not, planning should be done to determine how those needs could be met and then  integrated into the organizaton.  Some solutions that employers could offer might include streamlining benefit packages or creating a relaxed or physically appealing work environment.  Managers could ’step up’ and be leaders for their employees by fostering open communication and caring about their employees’ success.  When organizations put their hand on the pulse of their employees, they will be more educated and aware of what motivates them and will create an engaging and productive workforce.