Motivation in management describes ways in which managers promote productivity in their

employees. Learn about this topic, several theories of management, and ways in which this
applies to the workplace.
Motivation is about the ways a business can encourage staff to give their best.
Motivated staff care about the success of the business and work better. A motivated
workforce results in:

Increased output caused by extra effort from workers.

Improved quality as staff take a greater pride in their work.
A higher level of staff retention. Workers are keen to stay with the firm and also
reluctant to take unnecessary days off work.

The Definition of Motivation

Motivation is the process by which a persons efforts are energized, directed, and sustained
toward attaining a goal.
Motivation refers to the forces either inside or external to a person that stimulate interest to
pursue a certain course of action.
Motivation describes the level of desire employees feel to perform. Employees who are
adequately motivated to perform will be more productive, more engaged and feel more invested
in their work. When employees feel these things, it helps them, and thereby their managers, be
more successful.
Importance of Motivation
Motivation is important in business because it impacts mental and physical human reactions. Highlymotivated individuals and staff have a willingness to get the job done efficiently and effectively,
resulting in higher productivity, increased revenue, cost savings and satisfied employees and
business owners. Employees and staff with low motivation tend to work slower, without regard for
productivity or efficiency, and end up costing the business money. Low motivation can be caused by a
lack of direction or purpose, and can sometimes be reversed by the introduction of goals.

It is a manager's job to motivate employees to do their jobs well. So how do managers do this?
The answer is motivation in management, the process through which managers encourage
employees to be productive and effective.
Think of what you might experience in a retail setting when a motivated cashier is processing
your transaction. This type of cashier will:
Be friendly, creating a pleasant transaction that makes you more likely to return
Process your transaction quickly, meaning that the store can service more customers
Suggest an additional item you would like to purchase, increasing sales for the store
In short, this employee is productive and delivers a high-quality output.

Definition:
Motivation is defined as the process that initiates, guides, and maintains goaloriented behaviors. Motivation is what causes us to act, whether it is getting a glass
of water to reduce thirst or reading a book to gain knowledge.
It involves the biological, emotional, social, and cognitive forces that activate
behavior. In everyday usage, the term motivation is frequently used to
describe why a person does something. For example, you might say that a student is
so motivated to get into a clinical psychology program that she spends every night
studying.
"The term motivation refers to factors that activate, direct, and sustain goal-directed
behavior... Motives are the "whys" of behavior - the needs or wants that drive
behavior and explain what we do. We don't actually observe a motive; rather, we
infer that one exists based on the behavior we observe."
(Nevid, 2013)
Psychologists have proposed a number of different theories of motivation,
including drive theory, instinct theory, and humanistic theory.

Components of Motivation
Anyone who has ever had a goal (like wanting to lose ten pounds or wanting to run a
marathon) probably immediately realizes that simply having the desire to accomplish
something is not enough. Achieving such a goal requires the ability to persist through
obstacles and endurance to keep going in spite of difficulties.
There are three major components to motivation: activation, persistence, and
intensity. Activation involves the decision to initiate a behavior, such as enrolling in
a psychology class.
Persistence is the continued effort toward a goal even though obstacles may exist,
such as taking more psychology courses in order to earn a degree although it
requires a significant investment of time, energy, and resources.
Finally, intensity can be seen in the concentration and vigor that goes into pursuing
a goal. For example, one student might coast by without much effort, while another
student will study regularly, participate in discussions and take advantage of
research opportunities outside of class.

Theories of Motivation
So what are the things that actually motivate us to act? Psychologists have proposed
a number of different theories to explain motivation:

Instincts: The instinct theory of motivation suggests that behaviors are

motivated by instincts, which are fixed and inborn patterns of behavior.
Psychologists including William James, Sigmund Freud, and, William
McDougal have proposed a number of basic human drives that motivate
behavior.

Drives and Needs: Many of our behaviors, such as eating, drinking, and
sleeping, are motivated by biology. We have a biological need for food,
water, and sleep, therefore we eat, drink, and sleep. Drive theory suggests
that people have basic biological drives and that our behaviors are
motivated by the need to fulfill these drives.

Arousal Levels: The arousal theory of motivation suggests that people are
motivated to engage in behaviors that help them maintain their optimal level
of arousal. A person with low arousal needs might pursue relaxing activities,
while those with high arousal needs might be motivated to engage in
exciting, thrill-seeking behaviors.

Extrinsic Vs. Intrinsic Motivation

Different types of motivation are frequently described as being either extrinsic or
intrinsic.Extrinsic motivations are those that arise from outside of the individual
and often involve rewards such as trophies, money, social recognition or
praise. Intrinsic motivations are those that arise from within the individual, such as
doing a complicated cross-word puzzle purely for the personal gratification of solving
a problem.
How to Motivate Employees
There are many ways to motivate employees. Managers who want to encourage productivity
should work to ensure that employees:
Feel that the work they do has meaning or importance
Believe that good work is rewarded
Believe that they are treated fairly
All of these tasks fall under one or more motivational theories.

Content theories stress the analysis of underlying human needs and how needs can be
satisfied in the workplace.

Process theories concern the thought processes that influence behavior. They focus on how
people seek rewards in work circumstances.
Reinforcement theories focus on employee learning of desired work behaviours.

Applying Techniques
If you want to become an effective leader, use the following techniques to create an environment
in which people want to work:
Use appropriate methods of reinforcement. Rewards should be tied directly to performance. If
you have determined that delivering quality service is important, then the employees
performance in delivering that service should be rewarded.
For example, the employee who "goes the extra mile" by personally delivering an item to a
customer who is ill and cannot get to your place of business should be acknowledged and
rewarded accordingly.
Keep in mind, however, that reinforcement is personal. What reinforces one persons behavior
may not reinforce anothers. It is also important to dispense reinforcement as soon as possible
after the desired performance.
Think of a recent incident when one of your employees went above and beyond the call of duty.
Did you reward the employee? If not, what could you have done to reinforce the behavior you
want repeated?

Provide people with flexibility and choice. Whenever possible, give employees a chance to
make decisions particularly when the decisions affect them in some way. Choice and the
personal commitment that results are essential to motivation. People who are not given the
opportunity to choose for themselves tend to become passive and lethargic.

For example, if you are thinking of remodeling or redesigning the employee work area, give the
employees the guidelines or parameters, then allow them to design the area themselves.
With what decisions can you involve your employees or allow them to make themselves?

Provide support when it is needed. One key characteristic of the achievement-oriented person
is the willingness to use help when it is needed. Employees should be encouraged to ask for
support and assistance; otherwise, they will become frustrated. Asking for help should never be
considered a sign of weakness; it should be considered a sign of strength. When an employee
comes to you for help, be careful not to turn him or her off with comments such as "You still dont
know how to do that? I thought I explained it to you." Instead, ask, "Tell me where you are having
problems. What can I clear up for you?"
Encourage employees to set their own goals and objectives. Let them participate actively in
the goal-setting process. People tend to know their own capabilities and limitations. Also,
personal goal-setting results in a commitment to goal accomplishment. In setting sales goals, for
example, ask your sales person to come up with a realistic monthly goal and a plan to reach that
number.
Then the two of you should sit down and evaluate the goal by applying the following criteria:

Is the goal specific? Write the goal so that anyone would be able to identify exactly what you are
going to accomplish. Is it measurable? Identify the deliverable.
Is it agreed upon? All those involved must agree. In most cases, this means the manager and the
employee who make it happen.
Is it realistic? Make sure that you have the appropriate resources (time, skills, equipment,
environment, money) to successfully meet the goal.
Is it timebound? Set deadlines, interim reviews and target completion dates.
Think of an employee you would like to involve in the goal-setting process. Then outline how you
are going to approach him or her. What will you say to communicate the reasons you are asking
the employee to set his or her own goals? Are there any guidelines or parameters he or she
should consider?
Demonstrate to employees how their tasks relate to personal and organizational
goals. Routine work can result in passivity and boredom unless employees are aware of how the
routine tasks contribute to their own development and the success of the organization. Point out
how their task fits into the big picture. A few extra minutes can increase productivity
tremendously.
Think about a task one of your employees does routinely. Outline a plan to explain how this task
ties into organizational goals.
Design tasks and environments to be consistent with the employees needs. What may
satisfy one person may not satisfy another. The observant manager is aware of the more basic
needs of the employee such as affiliation, approval and achievement.
Refer back to the list of motivators. Choose two employees and try to determine what motivates
each of them. Then identify what you can do to meet each persons individual need.
Clarify your expectations and make sure that employees understand them. Regardless of
the size of your organization, you should have a job description for every position, clearly
outlining qualifications and responsibilities. Also identify the expected standards of performance.

For example, if you expect the telephone to be answered within three rings, say so. Employees
are not mind readers. You cannot assume that just because they have experience in doing the
job, they know what you specifically expect of them in that position.
Select a position in your organization and write a job description for it. If you already have written
job descriptions, choose one and review it to make sure it is clear and includes specific
standards of performance.
Have a flexible management style. Many managers pride themselves on treating everyone the
same. This misconception can be dangerous. Employees are individuals with individual needs.
You need to treat everyone fairly but not necessarily the same. A flexible management style also
means that you vary your approach not only to the individual but also to the situation. An
employee who is new to the job will need more direction than a five-year veteran. However, if the
veteran employee is given a new task or responsibility, that person may need more direction in
that particular situation.
How would you characterize your management style? Do you use the same approach in every
situation? Think about situations or people that would require you to modify your style.
Provide immediate and relevant feedback that will help employees improve their
performance in the future. Feedback is most effective when it follows performance. Feedback
should be relevant to the task and should indicate to employees how they might improve their
performance at the task. Never give negative feedback without providing informational feedback.
Keep in mind that feedback should be both positive and negative. Employees often complain that
the only time they receive feedback is when they do something wrong. Practice catching people
doing something right and tell them about it. The feedback also must be specific. Just telling
someone that theyre doing a good job and "keep up the good work" is of no help. It is much
more effective and meaningful to say something like, "John, I liked the way you handled that
difficult customer. You showed a great deal of restraint and professionalism by not raising your
voice or losing control."
Identify a recent event in which the employee did something outstanding. What, if anything, did
you say about the employees performance? Would you say it differently now?
Recognize and help eliminate barriers to individual achievement.Many people that are
labeled "failures" or "incompetents" are simply being hindered by relatively minor obstacles that
managers have not recognized. The tragedy is that after a while, the employee may begin to
accept the failure label as a fact. Does the employee have the knowledge and skills to do the
job? If not, its your job to provide him or her with the necessary training. Does the person have
the appropriate tools or technology? If not, get it. Make sure people have the training,
information, tools and equipment to do the job.
Identify an employee who does not seem to be as motivated as you would like. Ask yourself if
there is a barrier that perhaps you have not previously considered. Then plan how you might
check out your theory.
Exhibit confidence in employees. There is a great deal of research to support the contention
that people who are expected to achieve will do so more frequently than others. Saying to the
employee, "I know this new procedure may be uncomfortable and may be even difficult for you at
first, but I know you will be able to make the adjustment" is more effective than "Give it a try. If
you cant get the hang of it, well have to see what we can do." The latter statement has
conveyed the subtle message that you expect the person to fail.
The concept of the self-fulfilling prophecy or Pygmalion effect is very powerful. Managers who
are positive Pygmalions create high performance expectations. They encourage employees to
ask more questions. They allow more time to do a job correctly, and they give employees the
benefit of the doubt.

Identify ways in which you demonstrate confidence in your employees.

Establish a climate of trust and open communication. Productivity is highest in organizations
that encourage openness and trust. Trust and openness are created by the way we
communicate. Do you use phrases that build people and get things started or ones that destroy
ideas and chloroform creative thinking? Review the following lists. Which do you use more
frequently?

Killer phrases
"A great idea, but"
"It wont work."
"We dont have the time."
"Its not in the budget."
"Weve tried that before."
"All right in theory, but can you put it in practice?"
"You havent considered"
"We have too many projects now."
"What youre really saying is"
"Lets put it on the back burner."
"Lets discuss it at some other time."
Igniter phrases
"That would be interesting to try."
"Im glad you brought that up."
"Good work!"
"Youre on the right track."
"Thats the first time Ive had anyone think of that."
"I have faith in you."
"I appreciate what youve done."
"See, you can do it!"
"Go ahead, try it."
"I never thought of that."
"Im very pleased with what youve done."
"We can always depend on you."
"We can do a lot with that idea."
Can you think of others to add to either list? If you find yourself using any of the "killer phrases,"
reword the phrase to be more encouraging and positive. Be careful not to give mixed messages.
People receive mixed messages when the verbal and nonverbal actions are not communicating
the same message. The manager who says, "Im listening" and continues to look through papers
on his desk is communicating that he really isnt interested in what the employee has to say.
Listen to and deal effectively with employee complaints. It is important to handle problems
and complaints before they get blown out of proportion. In addition, people feel more significant
when their complaints are taken seriously. Conversely, nothing hurts as much as when others
view a personally significant problem as unimportant. By telling someone, "Its no big deal" or
"You shouldnt feel that way" devalues the individual. You may not think its important, but it is to
the employee. Acknowledge the complaint and its validity then solicit the employees input in
resolving it.
Think about a recent employee complaint that you regarded as trivial. How did you respond to
the employee? Is there anything you should have done or said differently?
Point out improvement in performance, no matter how small. This is particularly important
when employees are beginning work on new tasks. In getting employees to improve
performance, frequent encouragement can be useful; however, it should be reduced as the
employee becomes more confident and proficient.

Identify an employee whose performance needs to be improved. How you are going to
communicate the desired change? How you are going to monitor the performance? What you are
going to say to offer encouragement?
Demonstrate your own motivation through behavior and attitude.Nothing turns people off
faster than a manager who doesnt practice what he or she preaches. Be a role model. If you
expect people to be on time, then you must make sure you are on time, too. If you expect
employees to treat customers with courtesy and respect, you should treat the employees the
same way. If you expect employees to get additional training to upgrade their knowledge and
skills, you should be attending workshops and seminars to fine-tune your management skills as
well.
Think about any areas where you might not be modeling the appropriate behavior. What can you
do differently?
Criticize behavior, not people. A person can do a task poorly and still be a valuable employee.
Always remember to respect the individual. Too many people are inappropriately labeled "dumb,"
"incompetent" or "unqualified." Be sure to address behavior not attitude. Managers often have
difficulty distinguishing between attitude and behavior.
For example, the following statement: "Janet does not take her work seriously." Is that an
attitude or behavior statement? The answer is attitude. An attitude is a conclusion that identifies
a feeling or emotion about an observed situation. A behavior, on the other hand, is something
that can be observed. To state the above example in terms of behavior, you might write, "Janets
reports contain errors that require rewriting. She misses deadlines that affect the timeliness of
our quarterly statements."

Seven reasons for employee demotivation

As an employer, you have a certain amount of responsibility for the motivation and
wellbeing of your workforce. For a team to function to the best of its ability, all
members must be fully engaged and fully committed. Its important to recognise that
true engagement will mean different things to different people and to understand
what really drives an individuals motivation.

Its crucial to really listen and respond to your employees needs to ensure high
levels of engagement throughout your company. Spotting the warning signs of
demotivation early and addressing them quickly can help encourage employee
contentment and talent retention.

If you fear that one of your employees may be lacking in motivation, here are a few
common causes that could be at the root of the issue.

1. Lack of career vision

In the majority of cases, money is merely one part of an employees motivation. Most
people want to have clear career objectives in place to feel that theres progression
for them within their organisation. Career visioning can be a useful process in setting
clear, long-term goals for an employee so that they can proactively work towards
projected outcomes.

2. Job insecurity
Following on from the above point, a lack of career vision can give rise to feelings of
insecurity. All employees want to feel a sense of security and longevity in their roles
and an employer must help facilitate this with regular coaching and objective setting.

3. Feeling under-valued
If an employee feels that their efforts are not being recognised or appreciated, theyll
soon begin to lack energy and commitment in their role. Its important to celebrate
successes and give credit where credits due. Try to make sure that achievements
are rewarded even if its just with a pat on the back.

4. No development opportunities
Regular training and development opportunities can help boost employee motivation
and engagement. Most employees will value ongoing learning potential and the
sense that theyre expanding and improving their skills and knowledge. If a
workplace feels stagnant, non-progressive and uninspired your employees
motivation levels will soon dwindle. Get regular feedback from your team to see
where increased training or development opportunities would be best placed and
appreciated.

5. Poor leadership
Effective leadership is an essential factor in the motivation of your staff. If strong
leadership is lacking or is negatively affecting the outlook of the team certain
employees may start to feel demoralised. Leaders must have a flexible, inclusive
approach to managing a team and be able to communicate clearly whilst instilling

confidence and focus. If a particular team or individual is lacking motivation in your

business, it may be due to a lack of good management.

6. Conflict
Conflict in the workplace is hugely detrimental. Healthy debate is often productive,
but its important to keep an eye out for any workplace intimidation or bullying. Some
employees may feel worried to come forward about issues relating to a fellow
colleague - which is where an anonymous employee survey may help to reveal any
problem areas.

7. Unrealistic workload
Its important to keep a check on the expectations and demands that are being
placed upon your employees. If someone feels overburdened by a large, impossible
workload they can soon become disillusioned, stressed and lose motivation.
Equally, if an employee has a workload thats too light or not varied enough, they
might quickly lose interest.

1. Fuzzy expectations. One of a managers most important jobs is to get employees

aligned around clear goals and expectations. When that doesnt happen, employees dont
have a clear understanding of what success in their jobs would look like and its hard
to excel when youre not even sure what you should be excelling in.
2. Ruling by fear. Managers who rule through rigid control, negativity, and a climate of
anxiety and fear generally operate like that because they dont trust that they can get
things done any other way. But it ends up backfiring because fearful employees wont
take risks or bring up new ideas for fear of being attacked and wont be honest about
problems. Moreover, very few great people with options want to work for a fear-based
manager, so over time these managers have trouble attracting strong workers.
3. Not recognizing good work. Imagine spending weeks working on a project or working
through the weekend to make a client happy and then see no signs that your boss
noticed or cared. When that happens, employees often conclude that since great work
isnt recognized, theres no point in putting in extra effort or doing more than the bare
minimum instant demotivation.

4. Making unreasonable demands. Holding employees to a high standard is a good thing.

But some managers cross the line from holding people to a high standard to pushing
them to the brink. Managers who insist that people work over the weekend to complete a
project that isnt time-sensitive, enforce truly unreasonable deadlines, or demand that an
employee do the truly impossible are signaling to their staff that a reasonable persons
idea of excellence will never be enough for this manager and as a result, cause a
drop in morale and productivity.
5. Constantly moving goalposts. Some managers cant stick to a decision about the most
important ways for employees to spend their time. One week, youre supposed to drop
everything to work on Project A for the next month. Three days later, your boss has an
idea for Project B and so Project A is forgotten. The next week, she wants all your
energy focused on Project C. As a result, employees stop taking any of the work
seriously, knowing from experience that theres no point in giving it their all when
the priorities will change soon anyway.
6. Neglecting to deal with problems. Some managers avoid conflict and tough
conversations at all costs. This often takes the form of shying away from addressing
performance problems, reluctance to make necessary course corrections to a project for
fear of offending someone, or not intervening when another department is creating
roadblocks. Ironically, while these managers are usually just trying to be liked, over time
the opposite happens: As problems go unresolved and difficult decisions go unmade,
staff members grow frustrated and lose motivation to work at a high level (and the best
among them usually leave).
- See more at: http://quickbase.intuit.com/blog/2013/11/12/the-top-6-ways-managersdemotivate-employees/#sthash.R0K3kyfe.dpuf

How to motivate employees

Additional responsibility. Learn to recognise when a member of your team wants and is ready for
additional responsibility. Smart people often crave opportunities for development, figuring that the
additional skills they pick up make them more marketable.
Job title. It costs nothing to improve someone's title but may mean a great deal to him or her personally
and the way that they are perceived in the workplace.
[Demonstrate integrity every day. Nothing destroys team morale and cohesiveness more quickly than
a boss who no one trusts, particularly one who plays team members off against each other. You must
be prepared to demonstrate integrity and stand up for your staff at times.
Be flexible and gracious. Sometimes staff members may have to take time off unexpectedly. Try to be
gracious and accommodating about such requests. In return, staff will often work exceedingly hard to
make up for lost effort. Indeed, when happy we're all more productive.
Clear goals to a rewarding career. People need clear goals for the short and medium term at work. Do
your best to provide those objectives and steer them towards meeting them