Investing in motivation at work is one of the keys to a company’s long-term productivity and growth: when employees feel motivated, they find it easier to perform. They take more initiative, make fewer mistakes and are less likely to miss work.
Early on, companies such as L’Oréal, Total, Accenture, Google and Microsoft understood the importance of a dynamic workforce to their performance.
These companies are renowned for their commitment to their employees, their innovative corporate culture and their good working climate.
To achieve this level of employee involvement, there are mistakes to avoid, measures to take and effective levers to utilise.
In this article, we’ll also look at the best ways of achieving employee satisfaction and boosting motivation at work.
Motivating employees: what’s it all about?
Before presenting the importance of motivation and providing useful information on how to motivate your team, we first need to understand what it is.
The definition of motivation
Work motivation can be defined as a set of individual, environmental, social and economic factors that encourage employees in a company.
It is the means used to stimulate, energise and change behaviour towards the achievement of corporate objectives.
The implementation of this process results in employee well-being and increased productivity.
The result is a total commitment by employees to their respective professional and global tasks.
In general, motivation is closely linked to quality of life at work. It should be noted that, depending on the means used, employee motivation exists in two forms: intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation.
Intrinsic motivation
This is the highest level of work motivation, which depends on the individual.Personal factors specific to each employee drive them to work and achieve their goals.These are generally values, passion and satisfaction derived from a professional activity.
Before hiring, it is possible to identify a candidate’s personal motivations during the interview process. But, this desire alone is not enough to encourage employee investment in a group setting – other motivational drivers are required.
Extrinsic motivation
In the case of extrinsic motivation, the employee’s behaviour is the result of external, independent factors. This type of work motivation is based on economic incentives, recognition by superiors and external sanctions.
Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation work together to positively influence employees and achieve lasting results.
The importance of a motivated corporate team
Are you hesitating to invest in workplace motivation and employee well-being? Just look at the impact of lack of motivation on a company and you’ll be convinced.
Motivation is an excellent way of unlocking a person’s potential and channelling their energy more effectively. Motivation in the workplace has many positive effects on both the company and its employees, whether in terms of profitability, work climate or personal desires.
Increase productivity and improve results
A motivated work team is an excellent asset for the company.
Motivation at work encourages professional commitment, initiative and involvement in the company’s operations.
Developing talent can be an excellent source of motivation for its employees. Indeed, in a stimulating and motivating work environment, employees are more competent, more confident and more efficient.
This has a positive impact on individual performance, and increases team productivity as well as company performance.
Improved staff morale and working environment
An employee’s performance depends on more than just skills and qualifications. To be effective at work, an individual must strike a balance between their ability to accomplish tasks and motivation at work.
This reinforcement promotes:
- A better working climate;
- Team cohesion;
- Better stress management;
- Improved QWL;
- Conflict management;
- Communication between employees and superiors.
Reducing staff turnover
Motivation at work is also an excellent lever for reducing absenteeism in a company.Indeed, when employees are motivated by their daily tasks and the mission they are required to accomplish, they are always happy to come to work.
Similarly, a stimulating and supportive work environment builds confidence and develops a sense of belonging.It also reduces turnover and promotes continuity within the team.This stability saves the company money on recruiting new employees.
Increased customer satisfaction
A company that relies on motivation at work encourages innovation and creativity among its team members.
Internally, this trust translates into a commitment to work and, consistently, high quality results from employees.
This motivation encourages employees to provide excellent customer service and develop a positive attitude in their interactions with customers.Externally, this has a direct impact on customer satisfaction and loyalty. It also encourages positive feedback from the target market.
Strengthening brand image
A company with motivated and committed employees tends to have a good brand image in the marketplace.Motivation in the workplace is useful for attracting new talent and integrating a new employee.
For employees, a company that makes sure its troops are motivated is perceived as a place where talent is nurtured and nurtured.This enhances the company’s reputation and promotes the employer brand.
Motivating your team at work: techniques that work
Within a company, the level of employee motivation varies from person to person.Similarly, depending on the particularities of different members of the same team, motivational factors can change.Before motivating staff, it’s important to take into account the needs of each individual.
Offer attractive salaries and competitive contractual terms and conditions
Recognition is essential to human resources management and employee success.This means offering competitive salaries that take into account each employee’s skills and experience.
Remuneration that is commensurate with the work performed makes employees feel valued and helps to develop commitment to the company. However, remuneration must be fair to avoid conflicts. Among the contractual conditions beneficial to motivation at work are:
- Health insurance;
- Pension
- Annual Leave
- Parental Leave
Promoting excellence and rewarding achievement
In addition to favourable working conditions, recognition programs for top performers are a powerful motivator at work. Rewards can take the form of bonuses, public acknowledgements, training courses or paid holiday.
Promoting excellence encourages the assumption of responsibility within teams. It also encourages positive, productive competition in working relationships. This encourages rewarded employees to get more involved, and encourages others to do more.
Creating an attractive and positive work environment
A dynamic, attractive work environment is an excellent investment in employee motivation.It’s all about promoting good habits that foster team cohesion and encouraging professional dialogue.
The working environment must also be as comfortable and welcoming as possible.This means installing break rooms, canteens, ventilation/air-conditioning systems and so on.
Setting clear objectives
In a company, employees are more motivated when they know what needs to be done and how to get there.
To achieve this, it’s important to define precise, achievable, relevant and timely objectives.Likewise, the associated results must be measurable, with periodic assessments.
Offer opportunities for career advancement
Many employees aspire to climb the career ladder and take on more responsibility. To ensure career progression, it is advisable to offer ambitious training programs and to have internal vacancies.
Internal promotion can also be a motivating factor within a company. This policy aims to promote talented employees to higher positions. It is also a recruitment process to retain the best profiles.
Motivation at work: Some tips and key elements to consider
Repeated departures can have a serious impact on a company’s finances and brand reputation. To avoid this, managers need to integrate certain key factors in employee motivation into their development strategy.
Training and retraining the team
Qualified and talented people are usually hired during the recruitment process.However, constant changes in the market and employees’ personal needs can force them to improve and upgrade their skills.
In a competitive environment, offering training and retraining opportunities can boost motivation at work. To this end, managers need to identify opportunities for progression, and offer training, mentoring and stimulating projects.
Empowering and trusting employees
Encouraging initiative or autonomy is an excellent motivator at work. The aim is to show team members that they can make decisions and contribute innovative ideas to projects.This strengthens their sense of belonging.
In addition, you can take the initiative in helping certain profiles who are reluctant to assert themselves by entrusting them with certain project responsibilities.This participative management to improve their skills and boost their self-confidence.
Ensuring work-life balance
The work-life balance of employees is an important criterion for maintaining motivation at work. So why not introduce, for example, teleworking or flexible working hours?
These forms of organization offer a number of advantages. It strengthens trust between the company and its employees, and encourages autonomy. What’s more, it’s highly motivating for employees to know that their superiors also care about their personal lives.
To create a healthy work-life balance, you can help to resolve certain personal problems.You can offer sick leave, maternity leave or childcare services within the company.
Team building as a motivational tool in the workplace
Team building is an event organized by a company to strengthen staff cohesion.It can take place between members of a department, a subsidiary or the whole company.
This event has many advantages, both for the participants and for the company. It’s a highly effective tool for improving the internal social climate, reducing potential conflicts, building employee loyalty and boosting motivation at work.
Team building organization
Any company with 10 or more employees can organize team-building events to boost motivation at work.For a successful event, you’ll need to:
- Plan the event: this is the key to guaranteeing a unique experience for your team.It involves setting clear objectives, choosing a date and establishing a budget.Of course, it’s important to choose a team building venue that appeals to the team.What’s more, the event must not only be fun, but also correspond to the company’s objectives and values;
- Getting the word out: once the dates, venue and event have been chosen, a communication campaign must be run to inform all employees;
- Evaluate the event: A few days after the team building event, it’s a good idea to analyze the event.To do this, gather feedback from participants and thank them for their participation.
Team-building events can also be a motivating factor in management. It’s a good time to evaluate certain decisions made within the company.You can ask employees about areas for improvement and their expectations of management.
Examples of team building activities to boost motivation at work
There are many examples of activities you can consider to boost motivation at work.You can organize games such as treasure hunts, paintball or escape rooms.These allow employees to relax while stimulating their soft skills.Examples include:
- Competitions: To build team spirit and encourage initiative, nothing beats competitions. You can offer cooking contests, sports matches or rally races.In virtual terms, this last activity brings together employees who live in different geographical areas;
- Environmental activities: explorations of lakes and mountains can offer an extraordinary experience. Activities include gardening, organic fruit tasting, flower-making workshops and creating a beehive;
- Short films: Would you like to offer an unusual team-building activity?Short films can be a good alternative. The idea is to make a short film on a specific subject. Employees are then invited to share their ideas, act in front of the camera and create their own films.
While these activities help to create strong bonds between employees, it’s important to ensure that they actually contribute to motivation at work.
On the other hand, human motivation is complex, and there are many individual differences.If you want to create a favorable working environment for your employees, you need to avoid certain mistakes that can undermine their motivation at work.
Mistakes to avoid to not affect your team’s motivation at work
Like coaches, you need to create cohesion, synergy and momentum in your team to improve their skills. Motivated, committed employees are the driving force behind a company’s success.
Every manager has their own methods for motivating teams. On the other hand, certain managerial errors can be fatal to a company’s success.
Lack of communication and transparency
The feeling of powerlessness leads people to give up and avoid difficulties. Indeed, employees are frustrated if they only receive instructions without knowing the reasons and basis for decisions. What’s more, lack of transparency reinforces doubts.
The slightest misinformation can also undermine trust and lead to employee malaise. Therefore, you need to foster communication and transparency at all levels. Be open and honest about the company’s strategy, ambitions and decisions.
Lack of justice and fairness
If employees feel they are being treated unfairly, they won’t feel secure. Even if salaries vary according to experience or professional qualifications, there must be no injustice in the distribution of remuneration.
A positive corporate culture plays an important role in motivating employees and strengthening team spirit. It emphasizes fairness and fosters employee commitment.Consequently, it is important to promote fairness and equity in the workplace.
Poor management of internal conflicts
Tensions may arise between employees, or they may be unable to agree on the company’s objectives. This is perfectly normal.
However, while some conflicts can be resolved without the manager’s involvement, others are more serious and can be detrimental to motivation at work.
In such situations, it’s up to the manager to find common ground and settle the dispute. They must act fairly and make appropriate decisions, involving applying appropriate sanctions where necessary. The aim is to ensure that no one feels aggrieved by a conflict.
Ignoring employees’ needs and expectations
Nothing destroys morale and motivation at work more than a boss no one trusts. When employees tell you what they want from you, put their needs and expectations first.
If employees find themselves in a situation where they feel they are fighting for the company and their expectations are not taken into account by the employer, they will be disappointed.Be understanding and actively defend your team’s interests when the opportunity arises.
Failing to celebrate success and reward achievement
All successes must be rewarded. If your employees are working hard and achieving good results, it’s important to recognize and reward their efforts. If you don’t, it creates frustration for the employee and removes any possibility of motivation at work.
In most cases, a simple thank-you or token of recognition will suffice. But, if results far exceed expectations, a performance bonus may be necessary.
Team motivation in the workplace: What to remember?
Work motivation is an important concept for any company. Indeed, a motivated work team is an advantage for the company’s productivity and reputation.For employees, it’s ideal for instilling a sense of job satisfaction and encouraging them to stay longer.
Before achieving this result, however, it is useful to put in place the foundations of a good management style. This involves personal communication with employees, transparent decision-making, clear corporate values and a system for recognizing effort.
Investing in your employees’ well-being is an excellent way of coping with today’s ever-changing business environment, provided you avoid managerial errors that can undermine motivation at work.
