How do you recognise a motivated employee? Most HR managers or recruiters can usually come up with a quick answer to that question. How should they make sure their employees also stay motivated? The answer to that one is a little less straightforward. In collaboration with Vlerick Business School, we have organised a master class on the importance of a motivational work environment to keeping people on board for longer. Here are the key learnings.
How to keep employees motivated
09-11-2023
1. The power of the combination
Let’s be absolutely clear on one thing. Unfortunately, the perfect recipe to (re-)spark an employee’s motivation does not exist. Fortunately, what does exist are evidence-based theories that can provide guidance to get you started. One of these is Herzberg’s two-factor theory. According to this theory, there are two different factors that influence what makes an employee happy or unhappy at work.
The first of these is real motivators. These include such things as job content, development, recognition, responsibility, growth and performance.
Aside from the motivators, there are also all kinds of hygiene factors that affect an employee’s motivation. Examples include salary, status, company policies, work environment, leadership, safety and interpersonal relationships.
The power of this model lies in the combination of both factors. Merely tinkering with the hygiene factors will not ensure that employee satisfaction increases in the long term. Anyone who wants motivated employees will also have to work on the real motivators.
2. The more autonomy, the stronger the motivation?
The more freedom someone has, the better they perform and the stronger their motivation is – this is what some people think, but it is not entirely correct. Suddenly giving an employee more autonomy will not always make them start coming to work with a spring in their step. What’s more important is to strike a good balance between freedom and clarity. Consider, for example, a project where it is not clear who in the team is taking the lead. Chances are that the project will not move forward and, after a while, frustrations will abound in the team.
So, what does work? Clear boundaries and informed choices. As an employer, don’t be shy about setting a clear framework while giving employees freedom of choice within that framework. A good balance between clarity and freedom enhances an employee’s motivation. And no, you can never satisfy everyone within that framework, but don’t let that be a reason for not doing anything at all.
3. The importance of (in)formal appraisal interviews
Research shows that an appraisal interview does not always influence employee performance in a positive way. Still too often, managers tend to focus in these conversations on ‘what’ the employee has done recently and pay too little attention to ‘how’ they have done it. So, start doing this and mention it to your supervisors. An appraisal interview only works to enhance motivation when the ‘what’ and the ‘how’ are more balanced.
Interestingly, that same research also shows that the frequency of informal conversations has more impact on an employee’s motivation than the frequency of formal ones. So, in addition to those annual appraisal interviews, make sure you don’t forget to connect sufficiently with your employees informally and really listen to them then too.
4. Performance pay: yes or no?
Performance pay also warrants discussion. Are bonuses really motivational, as is often claimed? The answer is nuanced. Yes, a financial bonus does motivate many people to work extra hard temporarily, but such a system certainly has its limitations too. That’s because commitment and performance are not always directly linked. Someone can try very hard, without this being translated into clear results.
What’s more, a sample shows that 75% of people want to see a closer link between performance and remuneration. The same sample also reveals that 90% of people believe they perform better than their colleagues, while various studies show that around 65% of employees perform below the average. This means that anyone who does reward on the basis of performance runs the risk that there will be more dissatisfaction than satisfaction among employees as they often rate their performance better than it actually is.
5. All employees are not the same
The last tip we would like to pass on is: do not underestimate the power of customisation. Motivating an established worker will require a different approach from that for a dynamic high potential or an inexperienced newcomer brimming with energy. Different profiles have different expectations of work and therefore of your organisation.
No one size fits all
Conclusion? There is no standard formula that will ensure your employees stay motivated. Finding the right fit between your employees’ expectations and your corporate culture is essential to make an impact.