The Problem

The current uncertain economy has left more and more workers feeling overworked, unappreciated and under-compensated, making employee motivation more critical and more challenging than ever.

* Many employees have found that rising healthcare costs have gobbled up most of the meager raises they have received.
* Advancement opportunities have been severely limited due to the lack of organizational growth.
* Widespread reports of corporate misconduct have caused employees to become disillusioned with their leadership.

How to Motivate Employees

Motivating employees today requires getting back to basics. Here are seven suggestions:

1. Actively foster employee growth

Employees are more motivated when they know that their organization will provide them with growth opportunities—yet four out of ten employees feel that their supervisor doesn't support their growth. Our research shows that only half of all employees feel that they are given the opportunity to learn new skills on their job. And when business is slow, organizations are often too quick to cut training.

2. Link pay to job performance

Only three out of ten employees feel that their company does a good job of linking their pay to their job performance. And yet, we know that incentives work. Here’s an example. My son just returned home from his freshman year at college for the summer and he is working at his first real job, in a retail store. As part of his training, he learned that every time he convinces a customer to sign up for the company’s credit card he receives $5. He was also told that he would receive another $10 for selling a few selected products. He said, "Dad, these incentives REALLY are motivating me. I had learned in my economics class that incentives are one of the ten guiding economic principles, but now I really see it." He added, "I wake up each morning and think about how can I make more of these sales."

3. Set clear performance expectations

One reason employees don't believe that their pay is tied to job performance is because they have never been told exactly what is expected of them. Management simply assumes that employees know what is good job performance and what is not. However, employees must be informed of very specific job standards, criteria for success and acceptable performance levels or they will not be motivated to perform.

4. Provide employees with the opportunity to fully use their skills

One-third of all employees feel underutilized. Employees want to feel that they are fully using their valued skills and abilities on the job. If not, they will quickly lose interest in their work. Ask employees what else they would like to do and provide them with opportunities to use their skills.

5. Enrich jobs

One-third of employees feel they lack the decision-making authority they need to do their jobs effectively. To enrich a job, provide employees with challenge, autonomy, personal growth and more involvement in the decisions that affect them.

6. Help employees feel part of a winning team

Success breeds success. Employees desperately want to be part of a winning team. However, senior management more often communicates failures than successes. Always share good news and thank employees for their contributions. Doing so will help improve employee motivation.

7. Help employees feel that their work is more than just a job

There were three movers in front of a moving van. One was asked, "What are you doing?" He responded, "I'm just putting in my time for this moving company." He added, "The more hours I work, the more money I make."

The second mover was asked the same question. His response was, "I am moving these boxes from the truck to the house."

The third mover responded, "What I am doing is very important. I am helping a young family start a new life for themselves here on the east coast."

Which mover do you think is more motivated? It’s easy for employees to lose sight of the fact that no matter what their actual work involves, they are contributing to a greater good by performing an important function for their customers.

A pdf version of this article is available here for download.