Many managers in this day and age are asking the question, "How can I motivate my employees?" In this paper, I will explore significant factors that affect motivation level of employees and suggest actions that and organization can take in order to ensure a higher motivational level for its employees. .
What managers need to realize, is that there is a difference between employee retention and employee motivation. The focus on retaining employees is to keep them on the job. But more importantly, the focus of employee motivation is to increase performance. As stated by Kulpa, Adorno & Zeder, P.A. (2001) : .
In order to increase performance, management needs to set goals and then link the accomplishment of those goals with rewards of value. Money is a reward of value for many employees. Yet, there are as many employees who also have personal goals that have something to do with job performance and career development. Good supervision and motivation seek out personal goals and align them with the goals of the firm. .
Pay and benefits can possibly contribute to a higher motivation level, but there still debate about the link between pay and performance. Therefore, I will discuss other factors that can be motivators and not to mention can also save the company's payroll. .
Recognition can be considered a great reward to many employees. Many consultants, in fact, do agree that recognition may be more motivating than salary in many cases (Kulp, Adorno & Zeder, P.A., 2001). Salary increases or bonuses typically happen only once a year, while recognition could take place every day. Employees become more motivated when they are rewarded everyday, instead of only once a year. An employee can be shown recognition in many ways, whether it is just a simple thank you or it could also be gained through achieving a certificate or earning a free lunch. .
Job context in general is also a big motivational factor.