According to several studies by the University of Warwick and the Wall Street Journal and the Opener Institute for People, when a worker is satisfied with his or her job, he or she is 12% more productive and up to 31% more efficient. Because of the direct relationship between work motivation and performance in their workplace, workforce happiness has become one of the strategic issues in the business sector. However, in order to address this factor, it is useful to know what work motivation is, how it is defined, what types exist and what are the most suitable techniques for its development.
Work motivation: various definitions according to different authors
When talking about work motivation, depending on the experts consulted, different definitions can be found, mainly depending on where the focus is placed in each case. Some of the best known are the following:
- In this regard, William P. Sexton, in Organisational Theories, refers to motivation as “the process of stimulating an individual to perform an action that satisfies some of their needs and achieves some desired goal for the motivator”.
- For her part, Anita Woolfolk, author of Educational psychology, understands it as “an internal state that prompts, directs and maintains behaviour”.”.
- Woolfolk's definition would be very much in line with the one proposed by James A. F. Stoner in his book Administration, in which motivation is referred to as a “what makes people tick”.”.
Importance of work motivation
In any case, regardless of the meaning that best suits each case, it is clear that work motivation is a key factor in making workers more productive and acquire a greater commitment to the company. It is therefore an element that all companies should take into account when establishing a relationship with their employees and that should guide the company's approach to its employees. actions identified for their promotion and development.
Types of motivation
As is the case when it comes to definitions of work motivation, there is a wide diversity in establishing typologies of work motivation.
One of the best known and most widely used in the business world is that developed by the psychologists Edward L. Deci and Richard M. Ryan. In this case, the most outstanding factor that refers to the different types of motivation that can be found is the origin of this interest in the worker:
- Intrinsic motivation: Motivation that is generated by factors internal to the individual, such as the employee's own personal satisfaction.
- Extrinsic motivation: This is work motivation that is induced by elements external to the subject, such as an increase in salary or public recognition.
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In addition to the origin of the motivation, it is also important to determine the nature of the motivation. stimulus This leads us to differentiate between two possible types of motivation:
- Positive motivationWhen the trigger is configured as a prize or reward.
- Negative motivation: If the reinforcement of the individual's behaviour is associated with a threat or punishment.
Finally, a distinction can also be made between two types of work motivation depending on the level of need experienced by the individual:
- Primary motivation: When the person acts to meet their basic needs.
- Social motivation: If the worker's behaviour is caused by his or her desire to be accepted by a certain social group.
Motivation techniques
Despite the relevance of work motivation, the truth is that data on the degree of satisfaction of human capital are not particularly high.
In fact, according to the Global Study on Engagement and the Workplace, from Steelcase, only 7% of Spanish workers feel happy in their job, The state is also tending to disappear.
Likewise, as a Harvard Business School study points out, 85% of professionals feel less engaged and connected to their jobs 6 months after joining the company.
However, companies have at their disposal a number of different tools to maintain and boost work motivation of their templates. Some of the most noteworthy are the following:
- Include new parameters in selection processes: In addition to experience and training, recruiters should take into account other factors such as aspects of personnel selection, The company's values, objectives and expectations are also important. Hiring professionals who believe in the company helps to keep motivation alive.
- Organise the staff correctly: There is nothing more discouraging for an employee than to be in a position where he or she cannot show off his or her skills or where he or she is undervalued. Because of this, the correct distribution of employees according to their competencies is essential for motivated and efficient teams.
- Commitment to professional development: The provision of tools for professional development is one of the aspects that employees value the most and that allows them to develop a concrete, positive and long-term work motivation.
- Empower workers: The fact that the professional feels the support of the company to carry out a task without the need for intensive control, or that he/she feels the confidence to put forward his/her ideas and proposals, is also highly motivating and helps employees to acquire a greater degree of commitment to the company.
- Recognise achievements: From awards and incentives, to promotions or simple thank-yous. Work motivation, by definition, will increase if managers know how to value the efforts of their staff and that this recognition is identified in something concrete and tangible.
- Adequate facilities: With long working hours, the workplace becomes a second home, so it is important that teams have comfortable and welcoming facilities.
- Facilitating good working conditions: Providing staff with salaries at which they feel they are well paid and valued, as well as putting in place additionalsocial benefits that improve their working conditions(such as Restaurant Tickets, Childcare Ticketor Ticket Gasoline, among others) will also be an important stimulus that will act as a trigger to improve and enhance the work motivation of individual employees.
