The human resource department is an essential part of any company. HR manages the well-being of the organization’s workforce and gives them ample opportunities to succeed. Motivated and engaged employees are the hallmark indicators of a competent HR department. However, maximizing productivity requires a strategic approach. It needs a thorough understanding of how employees become motivated.
How can HR drastically improve workforce productivity? They need to focus on employee motivation and engagement. Some of the best ways to optimize employee motivation are:
- Working to understand the sources of motivation
- Establishing clear work systems
- Giving employees greater agency
- Providing resources for growth
HR staff need to understand how motivation works and learn the best practices for improving engagement. By doing these, they can improve work experiences for a wide range of employees in their company. The HR department manages the human resources of a company. Thus, it has the greatest opportunity to implement pro-employee policies. HR can also ensure job satisfaction alongside job performance.
Bolstering and Maintaining Motivation
Motivation is a necessary ingredient for optimal performance. Some people subsist on discipline and dedication rather than motivation. But most people will do better at their jobs if given proper motivation. Unfortunately, some managers and HR personnel believe in a command approach. They hold the mistaken belief that their only task is to give orders.
Managing productive teams requires understanding how employee motivation works. It also means ensuring that motivation remains high in the toughest of times. According to Daniel Kahneman
, a psychologist who extensively studied motivation, “I’d like people to know that motivation is complex, and that people do good things for a mixture of good and bad reasons; and they do bad things for a mixture of good and bad reasons.”
Understand employee motivators from Day 1
HR personnel learn about potential employees even before they enter the company. They also guide them during their first few days at work. This period is crucial for employees to adjust to their new job and to set up systems for future success. HR can bolster this process by being proactive in their roles.
Each person draws from a different set of motivators:
- Many employees love their jobs and will put in the effort to become great workers.
- Others gain motivation from the prospect of career advancement, upskilling, or networking.
- External motivators, such as salary and benefits, can also drive people to perform at their best.
HR should understand which factors benefit each new employee. A personalized approach can build motivation. Through this, the company can gradually build an efficient, dedicated, and loyal workforce.
Check for employee-job-company fit
The concept of fit usually arises whenever prospective employees apply for new jobs. The traditional role of the HR department is to evaluate how closely the candidates fit the role. They also assess if applicants match with the larger values of the company.
Even the most talented candidates may not flourish if their values and goals don’t align with the company. High levels of employee-job-company fit usually translate to higher baseline motivation. Why? Employees who fit well can feel at ease with their position and their membership in the company.
Assessing fit is not only crucial during the application process. HR staff also reassesses employees to see if they fit their new roles in transitional processes, like:
- Promotions
- Lateral transfers
- Reorganizations
Therefore, HR needs a solid understanding of what motivates employees. It gives them guidance when placing staff in roles where they can flourish.
Use clear goals, outputs, and process
Nothing can kill motivation more quickly than unclear goals and processes. What happens when employees do not fully understand the purpose of their work and how they can do their jobs? They are more likely to be hesitant to pursue significant progress. But a certain level of uncertainty will always exist in any enterprise.
Therefore, limiting unnecessary confusion can improve employee motivation. Be clear with task deliverables and processes. This helps people take bolder steps in their work. It also encourages productivity.
One easy way to ensure better clarity is to communicate more. Teams should always have open lines of communication for any queries and clarifications. They should also meet regularly to discuss plans, assess progress, and make any necessary pivots.
HR personnel can learn more tips for boosting motivation through our article “25 Simple Ways To Increase Motivation In The Workplace.”
Acknowledge successes at work
Everyone wants to be rewarded for their work. Not everyone understands, though, that rewards don’t have to come solely as money. As social creatures, humans thrive on positive peer feedback and recognition. Employees whose outputs are acknowledged gain pride in their work and ultimately become better at their jobs.
Acknowledgment can come in the form of a simple thank-you note after completing a task. Managers should communicate what went well during task execution. Likewise, they can highlight the specific contributions of each team member. Genuine praise can do wonders for motivation.
More formal reward systems can also help people feel valued for their contributions. Awards can be a powerful motivator for people driven by ambition and recognition. This works really well for publicized awards. Compensation and benefits that are tied to performance also hammer the message that doing more reaps more rewards.
Keep communication lines clear
According to Craig H., CEO of Iron Bull Mining Inc, “When the top management itself was unclear as to its priorities among the different stakeholders, then the risk of confusion increased exponentially.”
Clear communication motivates people. How?
- There is a clear outline of expectations.
- Information on how to improve is provided.
- There are available resources people can tap into when they need help.
Communication also establishes trust. Employees know they can rely on their managers and HR personnel.
To be effective, clear communication systems should be accessible and consistent. This goal is best approached through a company-wide policy on open communication. For instance, businesses may set rules that discourage the overt use of titles. This removes communication barriers between junior and senior employees.
Another example would be open-door policies. This goes for conversation between employees and team leaders. Likewise, communication materials should contain comprehensive information and thorough explanations.
The HR department is in the best position to push for policies towards more open communication. These guidelines eventually contribute to a more motivating workplace.
Provide commensurate rewards that incentivize performance
Extrinsic rewards are also important for motivation. HR should ensure employees receive compensation aligned with the work they do. It can be difficult to ensure this policy, especially when companies pursue cost-cutting measures. However, fair compensation is essential, regardless of market conditions. It makes employees feel appreciated. It also gives them the proper motivation to do well.
Allow for work-life balance
HR policies need not fixate on just work. Management should also strive to give employees a positive experience, even outside of the workplace.
A good work-life balance is necessary for any employee. It allows them to deliver outstanding performance year after year. Without this balance, they can fall prey to burnout if work demands are too heavy. Protecting employees’ time beyond work helps keep motivation and morale up.
Creating an Environment for Engagement
Motivation and engagement go hand-in-hand. Many strategies seek to enhance both to make a more productive and fulfilling workplace.
There is a subtle difference between motivation and engagement. The latter involves more proactive action from employees. Engaged employees:
- Are more upfront with managing their work
- Point out issues
- Propose solutions
- Move beyond self-directed actions
- Seek to ensure the well-being of their teams
A workforce full of engaged employees is a dream come true for most businesses. And HR staff can do a lot to make this vision a reality. Building engagement relies on creating work environments conducive to productivity. It also means giving more agency to employees.
According to Cassi Mecchi, Director of Inclusion at Netflix, “In order to drive positive change, we ought to work much more on the systems and practices level (e.g.: how we hire, how we promote, etc.) than on the individual level (e.g.: unconscious bias training).”
Provide employees with autonomy and decision-making authority
You can improve engagement by giving deserving employees more autonomy at work. Don’t just give them more responsibilities.
The standard promotion involves placing employees in roles with harder tasks and heavier responsibilities. Unfortunately, some promotions like this do not change the agency or influence those employees. Employees may feel that the company is rewarding them with more work.
People who have proved they are reliable and innovative benefit from gaining more authority. This autonomy allows them to decide how they approach work. They now have more power to enact productive changes to themselves and their teams. Giving agency also implies a certain level of trust given to these employees. It shows that the organization trusts them enough to do well with increased influence.
Megan McCaleb, Founder of Improv Team Culture, agrees with this. She says, “Allowing employees more autonomy and control over their work improves job satisfaction and lowers turnover rates.”
HR personnel should consider how promotions work within their companies. Higher positions should come with increased agency and influence alongside heavier responsibilities. Mentorship avenues can also prepare employees to take on bigger roles and handle more high-impact work.
Give constructive feedback
Many people think that feedback only occurs when someone makes a mistake. Yes, critical feedback has its place. However, companies also benefit from a culture that espouses constructive feedback even when everything is going well.
High-quality feedback helps remove uncertainties by clarifying what works and what needs improvement. It contributes to clear communication systems, leading to highly motivated teams.
HR staff should encourage managers to provide feedback regularly. This can be during project execution and after an employee or team completes a task. HR policies that ensure evaluations are well-detailed and worded positively can also improve the corporate culture on feedback.
Ensure the availability of proper resources
HR staff should also look into resource availability. Do employees have all the tools they need to do their jobs well? Companies that provide employees with modern work devices show they truly care about employee well-being and motivation. Some productivity equipment might require significant investment. Nonetheless, these can remove work barriers and set up people for success.
Enable career growth and development opportunities
Many people look beyond compensation and influence when choosing jobs. They may prioritize workplaces with ample opportunities for career development. Thus, HR should strive to provide everyone with adequate access to learning opportunities.
Doing so attracts talent and directly improves employee performance. These opportunities also prepare them for more valuable roles. Knowing that their company invests in their abilities through upskilling is also an excellent motivator for many.
The Two Motivation Classifications
People have different reasons behind their actions, and employees are no exception. However, we can classify motivation depending on where it originates relative to the task at hand. Intrinsic motivation comes from factors inherent to the work itself. Meanwhile, extrinsic motivation comes from artificial sources independent of the task at hand.
According to Harvard Business Review, “Even the best strategy will fail if managers ignore the people working in the trenches to execute it.”
Each person responds differently to these two motivation classes. Effective workspaces use a combination of both to empower their employees.
Intrinsic Motivation
Intrinsic motivation taps into the inherent desire for fulfillment and success. Many people find that doing their jobs properly gives them feelings of agency, control, and accomplishment. Some workers love their jobs because they have the skills and can take pride in their consistent, high-quality work.
Others gain motivated from the prospect of contributing to society through their work. This is especially true if their work directly helps people. Their jobs are specific niches of society where they fit perfectly. This gives them a sense of affinity and harmony with the rest of the workforce.
The existence of intrinsic motivation challenges the notion of “do work, get paid.” Contrary to what some people might think, money is not the sole motivation of many workers. Large-scale volunteer projects and non-profit ventures enabled by pro bono efforts are a testament to the power of intrinsic motivation.
Some companies may frequently undervalue intrinsic motivation. Their leaders may believe anyone can become motivated if given enough money and benefits. However, no amount of money can compensate for the following:
- Dreary jobs
- Poorly managed teams
- Stagnant work environments
- Unsupportive work culture and colleagues
- Terrible supervisors and team leaders
Nearly everyone wishes to be a positive contributor to the people around them. This establishes the groundwork for intrinsic motivation. HR departments should tap into this natural source of motivation to ensure long-lasting engagement.
HR staff can learn more about how employees boost their motivation levels through our article “10 Simple Things You Can Do To Improve Your Daily Motivation.”
Extrinsic Motivation
Extrinsic motivation involves incentives and punishments based on performance. Extrinsic motivation is decoupled from actually accomplishing the task. Someone can receive nothing even when completing a task, and vice versa.
In the workplace, extrinsic motivation involves various rewards. These are given to achievers and top performers. It can also involve the basic compensation package every employee receives as long as they can adequately fulfill the requirements of their post.
Some rewards are static. People can receive the same rewards as long as their outputs fulfill acceptable standards. Other rewards, such as performance bonuses and sales commissions, scale with achievement. This further incentivizes people to do more.
Despite the terminology, extrinsic motivation is necessary for any workplace. Hardly anyone would want to work a full-time job with no compensation! Properly designed reward programs push people to do their best at work. These programs should ensure fair compensation for everyone. Likewise, they acknowledge people who contribute more than their fair share.
However, a common pitfall of extrinsic motivation is the tendency to foster toxic competition. Thus, reward programs should discourage peer-to-peer comparisons. Instead, management and HR should encourage employees to improve against their past performance.
Related Questions
Why do some traditional employers get by even without making concrete efforts toward motivating their people?
There was a time when most HR practices didn’t exist. Centuries ago, employers could get by even with work practices considered inadequate by modern standards. They believe they can easily find replacements for any of their employees. Thus, taking extra steps to motivate them and encourage retention is unnecessary.
Some traditional companies continue to subscribe to this perspective. However, research continues to show a link between motivation and productivity.
Some career experts advise employees to develop discipline instead of relying on motivation. How valid is this viewpoint?
Indeed, motivation is not enough to keep people going. Certain situations occur where employees have to continue working, even if they feel unmotivated. However, many of the motivational guidelines presented in this article help boost overall productivity with minimal costs.
Focusing on motivation always results in more productive employees, regardless of discipline.
FAQs Covered in this Article
Q: What is the relationship between employee productivity, engagement, and motivation?
A: The article explains that higher employee engagement and motivation lead to increased productivity. Engaged and motivated employees are more likely to be committed to their work and put in the effort required to achieve their goals.
Q: How can HR strategies help boost employee engagement and motivation?
A: HR strategies can help boost employee engagement and motivation by focusing on providing a supportive work environment, fostering a positive company culture, offering development opportunities, and implementing effective performance management systems.
Q: What role does company culture play in employee productivity?
A: Company culture plays a crucial role in employee productivity, as it influences employees’ attitudes, behavior, and overall job satisfaction. A positive company culture fosters collaboration, communication, and trust, leading to increased motivation and productivity.
Q: How can HR support employees’ professional development to boost productivity?
A: HR can support employees’ professional development by offering training programs, workshops, and learning resources, providing regular feedback and performance reviews, and encouraging employees to pursue new skills and experiences that align with their career goals.
Q: What is the importance of an effective performance management system in maximizing employee productivity?
A: An effective performance management system helps employees understand their goals, receive regular feedback, and identify areas for improvement. This process enables employees to stay motivated, engaged, and focused on their work, ultimately leading to higher productivity.
Q: How can organizations recognize and reward employee achievements to increase motivation and engagement?
A: Organizations can recognize and reward employee achievements through various methods, including monetary rewards, promotions, public recognition, or additional development opportunities. These incentives help reinforce positive behaviors and motivate employees to continue performing at their best.
Q: How can HR promote a healthy work-life balance to support employee productivity?
A: HR can promote a healthy work-life balance by implementing flexible work arrangements, encouraging employees to take breaks and time off, and providing resources to help employees manage stress and maintain their well-being.
Q: What role does communication play in boosting employee productivity?
A: Effective communication is crucial for employee productivity, as it helps ensure that employees understand their roles, responsibilities, and goals. Open and transparent communication also fosters trust, collaboration, and a positive work environment, leading to higher engagement and motivation.
