Many organizations deal with employees that do not perform to standards. One of the most frustrating things for managers and supervisors is to have employees who continually repeat the infraction. However, when the issues continue managers and supervisors are left to discipline and more likely terminate the individual.
One of the critical factors impacting work is job satisfaction. With ever increasing productivity demands, the stress level within organization is very high. The question posed then is what can a manager do to assist with increasing performance? Further is it possible for a manager to motivate an employee?
Causes of low morale correlate to the organization, its culture, and its management. Several factors contribute to employee motivation and organizational morale. A study by the Corporate Leadership Council reveals the tremendous impact managers have on an employee’s level of commitment. It is imperative to note that individuals do not leave companies—they leave poor managers. Organizational mismanagement contributes to negative morale. As recent as 2006 the Gallup Organization estimated there were 32 million actively disengaged employees, with an estimated $350 billion yearly in lost productivity. Such loss includes absenteeism, tardiness, and poor work.
Taking time to build relationships with employees through personal interaction is a key step managers can take to keep morale high. Employees need to feel trust and respect from their managers. Employees desire feedback from management to understand their work matters. Many motivational issues stem from the inability of a manager to confront employees to build relationships and offer appropriate feedback.
Second there is an intrinsic issue within an organization, that being lack of passion. Too many organizations simply hire bodies. Managers hire employees to take positions that fill voids rather than hire individuals with the passion and conviction needed for the job. In his book “First Break All the Rules” Marshall Goldsmith states that talent is innate. If the proper employees were hired for the right positions, job satisfaction and morale would be higher.
Intrinsic motivation states that employees must feel good about the jobs they do. Good examples are nurses who build relationships with patients and customer service representatives who know numerous clients by first name. In order to do a job well and in order for motivation to be high, employees must love it. Managers cannot be responsible for passion, they can hire for it. That said, it is imperative to hire right. Hire individuals that complement each other, the customers and the culture within the organization.
There is, however, some degree of management involvement in workplace motivation known as extrinsic motivation. This type of motivation uses recognition and reward as factors. Mentioned earlier, employers must build relationships with employees. Individuals enjoy and feel safer when relationships are built. Additionally, feedback is vital to employee success. The concept of job satisfaction and motivation is two-fold, employees desire recognition and reward and managers need to understand motivators that provide this purpose. Employees want to be a part of the team, and they want to share in the successes and failures of the organization. Therefore feedback, and recognition are active ingredients to motivational success.
Just as important to recognition is reward. In fact, they go hand in hand. Employees are analogous to children in that they want recognition for a job well done. Gift cards, corporate announcements, even a simple thank you card are tactics that illustrate the ultimate prize—success. The ability to become one with management gives the employee a sense of purpose and need.
Today’s employee desires to be happy on the job. In order to be happier in the family and in the job an employee wants to reach the top, personally and professionally. They want kudos for a job well done and will go through a great number of means to reach it. Recognition and happiness are the catalysts that drive this change. It’s the job of management to work to build relationships, know employees and seek the means to acknowledge them. The manager therefore is not only one portion of motivational theory, but the driving force.
