One Little, Two Little, Ten Little Motivators

My previous post examined the difference between motivation and engagement.  While engagement arguably leads to better overall performance, sometimes motivation’s the best you can do. 

Let’s face it, someone in a boring, repetitive job is unlikely to feel engaged, but it is possible to motivate them to do a better job:

Motivator #1: Rewards - Despite a certain amount of controversy surrounding this topic, the prospect of personal gain is highly motivating. The catch is that rewards-based motivation is pretty narrow in focus.  The opposite of reward is punishment, which is more likely to produce sullen resentment than motivation and should therefore be avoided as a motivational strategy.

Motivator #2: Anticipation – In an earlier post Show Me the Monkey I explored how anticipation with a dash of uncertainty significantly increases the pleasure of receiving a reward.  The opposite of anticipation is entitlement, which is extremely de-motivating because it removes the need for personal exertion.

Motivator #3: Fear – Fear is a strong motivator but tends to backfire in a business setting because people avoid taking chances or making decisions.  The opposite of fear is confidence, which is a good thing unless it swells into overconfidence and starts causing trouble.

Motivator #4: Pride - Pride is one of the strongest motivators but it’s tricky to formalize because not everyone takes pride in their work.  People are most likely to feel professional pride when their skills, aptitudes and interests line up with their work.  Pride can also be encouraged with strategic recognition.  The opposite of pride is shame, which adds no value whatsoever.

Motivator #5: Responsibility – A feeling of personal responsibility can be highly motivating but not for everyone.  The trick is to give responsibility to people who feel motivated by it.  The opposite of responsibility is obscurity, which frustrates people who crave responsibility no end. 

Motivator #6: Interest – People who find their work interesting want to work and devote their personal time to doing so.  The opposite of interest is boredom, which can’t always be avoided because some jobs are just plain boring.  Fortunately, you can inspire people to do a boring job well with strategic application of other motivators.  

Motivator #7: Progress – Nothing motivates like feeling you’re moving ahead, which is why career development is so important in high performing companies. The opposite of progress is stagnation, which is like boredom on steroids.

Motivator #8: Loyalty – Loyalty’s a strong motivator, which is why you find high-performing teams in poorly-managed organizations.  However, loyalty tends to be focused on a specific person rather than the business.  The opposite is disloyalty, which can manifest in various undesirable ways.

Motivator # 9: Gratitude – Most people feel a sense of obligation when someone helps them and will try to repay the favor.  Nonetheless, gratitude is a weak motivator because people have different ideas about what is owed.  The opposite of gratitude is resentment, which may lead employees to subtly sabotage the business.

Motivator #10: Belonging – Belonging is a strong sense of group identity that can have a motivating effect if properly channeled with team messaging, public recognition and perks.  The opposite of belonging is alienation, which is a feeling of being outcast and alone.  High performing companies hire for cultural fit as well as skills to help create a strong sense of belonging.

All of these motivators are partial motivators and the more motivators you offer the closer you are to achieving engagement.  In fact, I tend to think of engagement as ‘holistic motivation.’

Which is a fancy way of saying that the best way to engage employees is to be a great company.

Picture courtesy of thejoywriter.

Laura Schroeder is a Compensation Strategist at Workday, headquartered in Pleasanton, CA.  She has nearly fifteen years of experience designing, developing, implementing and evangelizing global Human Capital Management (HCM) solutions and holds a certificate in Strategic Human Resources Practices from Cornell University.  Her articles and interviews on HCM topics have been published in the US, Europe and Asia.  She lives in Munich, Germany and enjoys cooking, reading, writing, kick boxing and spending time with friends and family. If you want to read more from Laura, check out her talent management blog Working Girl or follow her on Twitter @WorkGal.

Comments

[E. James (Jim) Brennan]

Holy cow, Laura, what a great list!

On point #1 (Rewards), don't be too categorically dismissive of punishment. Yes, negative reinforcements (punishments) can lead to negative reaction formations ranging from aversion to avoidance (in both positive and negative forms), but negative consequences also can extinguish undesirable behavior. Fire someone, and they won't do THAT again here, and others will tip-toe, thereafter. Granted, positives are usually much more powerful than negatives, but they all have their place.

Bottom line, all those should be in your motivational toolbox, but which works best varies by individual. "Motivators" are like scents: just as smells are the result of certain receptors in your nose responding to particular particles fitting in, offering a "motivational" inducement won't work if the receptor is missing or non-functional. The intended stimulus element won't create the desired result of "motivation" if the person doesn't care about it. Having a generous maternity leave policy does not motivate this old guy.

[Margaret O'Hanlon]

Laura, thanks for parsing out the dimensions of emotions and impulses that spur us on. The list identifies areas of influence that we usually run together -- and so deal with less than thoughtfully. What a contribution!

[Laura Schroeder]

Jim - Great point about negative incentives, although I attribute the motivational value more to the fear of punishment than the punishment itself. At least, that's how it works with my kids... ;-)

Thank you, Margaret!

[E. James (Jim) Brennan]

Much is in the mind of the beholder. There's a classic story about the gal comes in late once a week, watches the boss go ballistic (with no actual repercussion beyond a temper tantrum) and says privately "what a hoot!" because it was simply pure entertainment for her. "Sweet dreams (are made of this)."

[Laura Schroeder]

Now, ain't that the truth! And I definitely agree that a healthy threat - or judicious application - of negative consequences can be motivating.

[Chris Young]

Great post Laura! I've included it in my Rainmaker 'Fab Five' blog picks of the week (http://www.maximizepossibility.com/employee_retention/2011/04/the-rainmaker-fab-five-blog-picks-of-the-week-3.html)to share your suggestions for finding motivation in mundane jobs with my readers.

Be well!

[Laura Schroeder]

Thank you, Chris, I'm honored!

[Derek Irvine, Globoforce]

Great list, Laura. I'm pleased to see "negative" motivators included as well. These are - as you note - just as powerful and, as Jim points out in the comments, sometimes a necessary adjustment to maintain desired company/team culture.