What motivates your employees? Money, status, recognition and appreciation, more freedom? To answer this, we must understand what motivation is and what triggers it. Understanding this will help you create a better and happier work environment, and in return, you will achieve higher profits, productivity and reputation. So what is motivation? There are numerous definitions of motivation, but they all come down to the same thing. It is an inner trigger that initiates a certain behaviour. It also guides and maintains different behaviours all to achieve a particular goal. It can be of different intensities, usually based on a need that needs to be satisfied. These are all biological, social, emotional and cognitive forces that guide our behaviour and affect our every choice. As a leader, you must be able to distinguish the different needs and priorities of your employees. Some are stimulated by a higher salary and other kinds of bonuses and perks, while others find motivation in non-financial benefits, and a simple ''Great job!'' serves as recognition. These are the top motivation factors that you will run into and might help you boost motivation!

As a leader, you must be able to distinguish the different needs and priorities of your employees.

Financial benefits

This might be the first thing that comes to your mind, but as we’ve mentioned, it is not necessarily the most important one. But yes, financial recognition for a good job is a good motivator for many. It is important to have some type of financial reward- it can be in form of a raise, bonuses, benefits, or additional paid time off.

Flexibility

Flexible work hours provide your employees with more freedom to organize their responsibilities better. This will help boost their performance as well as their happiness. What we’ve also learned in the last couple of years, because of the pandemic, is that many people find remote work to be a great solution not just to the existing problem but a great way to balance their work and personal life. What might work better for you and your employees is hybrid working, which is a crossover between remote working and traditional ways. It is more structured than remote working, but not as strict and rigid as the alternative. It will boost your employee’s well-being as well as motivate them.

Company culture and work environment

We always hear about the company culture, but no one can pinpoint what it exactly is. It is a set of values, beliefs, and goals that all individuals within a company should have. And it should be similar to their personal goals because if it is not, it will cause a lot of frustration. Having a unique company culture will bring everyone closer together to achieve goals and create a sense of togetherness and belonging. This helps create a better work environment where people feel secure. When it comes to motivation, it translates into happier employees, being willing to work together in teams, and putting in extra effort for the greater goal.

Open communication

Having open communication is of great importance when it comes to motivation. When people know that their voices and opinions are being heard and considered, it makes a huge difference in how they approach their job. Having a top-down approach is surely important to communicate goals, responsibilities, tasks and so on, but a bottom-up approach is the bigger motivation booster. When your employees know that they can always pitch their ideas, share insights, or perhaps complaints, they will know that they are not voiceless. This can also be a great source of ideas for improving your products or services or the entire business. Having the technology that we now have, it is impossible and irresponsible not to set up open communication.

Recognition and appreciation

You can always use financial stimuli, but It’s not all about the money. Sure, money does help a lot, but it is not everyone’s #1 motivator. Sometimes a few simple words of appreciation will do the trick. The recognition can also be in goofy memorabilia such as mugs, trophies or even diplomas addressed to the specific individual. Simply knowing that your efforts are acknowledged will motivate you to continue doing your best.

Advance opportunities

Being stuck in the same job position, doing the same-old 9-5 job day-in and day-out without an opportunity to advance might seem quite depressing for many. Providing your employees with an opportunity to advance is a great motivator. Knowing that their efforts are acknowledged and recognised, and knowing that because of those efforts you might get an opportunity to advance to a better or higher-paying position will be a long-term motivator. Also providing your employees with additional training and improvement courses helps boost their motivation.

These are just some of the top motivating factors you can focus on to boost motivation in your organization. Understanding your employees better will help you understand what motivates them, which will in the end be a win-win situation for your business and your employees.