Motivation of subordinates is an important aspect of a managers job. 1. What do you think motivates a person to work well? 2. What steps can a manager take to motivate his subordinates?
Motivation of subordinates is an important aspect of a manager's job.
. What do you think motivates a person to work well?
2. What steps can a manager take to motivate his subordinates?
The job of managers is to make sure that work is done by their employees. To do this, he might be able to motivate employees.
Why do we need motivated employees? Motivated employees help organizations survive. Motivated employees are more productive. To be effective, managers need to understand what motivates employees within the context of the roles they perform. Of all the functions a manager performs, motivating employees is arguably the most complex.
In Ukraine we've got an old saying: you can take horse to the water, but you can't make it drink - horse will do it only if it wants. I think it is the same with people. They will only do the thinks they want, or motivated to. But what will motivate employees to do their job well? What do they want?
According to Maslow, human wants to satisfy 5 basic levels of needs:
* Physiological needs - food, water, sleep, heat, sex etc. (lowest level)
* Safety needs - protection, security, stability.
* Love needs - family, friendship, affection, work and status in group.
* Esteem needs - achievement, self-respect, reputation.
* Self-actualisation needs - personal growth and fulfilment. (highest level)
Maslow suggested that most people are motivated by a desire to satisfy specific groups of needs. And until a particular group is satisfied, behaviour will be dominated by them. People satisfy their needs systematically - starting at the bottom and moving up the hierarchy.
However, some people motivated by self-actualisation, even when some basic needs not satisfied. For actors and artists, for example, self-actualisation much more important then friendship or family. Nurses are much more interested in self-fulfilment, then in basic sleep.
Maslow's hierarchy of needs received a lot of criticism, however, his model is very important - it is not perfect; it's just a useful framework, which helps us to understand some basics.
But Maslow wasn't the only one who thought about improving motivation. Herzberg provided us with two-factor theory. This theory is based on interview analysis ...
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However, some people motivated by self-actualisation, even when some basic needs not satisfied. For actors and artists, for example, self-actualisation much more important then friendship or family. Nurses are much more interested in self-fulfilment, then in basic sleep.
Maslow's hierarchy of needs received a lot of criticism, however, his model is very important - it is not perfect; it's just a useful framework, which helps us to understand some basics.
But Maslow wasn't the only one who thought about improving motivation. Herzberg provided us with two-factor theory. This theory is based on interview analysis of engineers and accountants. Herzberg asked what caused them satisfaction and dissatisfaction. He found out that people needs are of two types:
Hygiene factors:
* Supervision
* Interpersonal relations
* Working conditions
* Salary
Motivator factors:
* Recognition
* Work
* Responsibility
* Advancement and growth
According to Herzberg, man has two sets of needs - first as an animal to avoid pain, and second as a human being to grow psychologically. Motivators are more concerned with the actual job itself. For instance how interesting the work is and how much opportunity it gives for extra responsibility, recognition and promotion. Hygiene factors are factors which 'surround the job' rather than the job itself. For example a worker will only turn up to work if a business has provided a reasonable level of pay and safe working conditions but these factors will not make him work harder at his job once he is there.
Herzberg believed that businesses should motivate employees by adopting a democratic approach to management and by improving the nature and content of the actual job through certain methods. Some of the methods managers could use to achieve. These are:
Job enlargement - workers given a greater variety of tasks to perform (not necessarily more challenging) which should make the work more interesting.
Job enrichment - workers given a wider range of more complex, interesting and challenging tasks surrounding a complete unit of work. This should give a greater sense of achievement.
Empowerment means delegating more power to employees to make their own decisions over areas of their working life.
All this is just a theory. But practice is always ahead the theory in this field, I think. So, let's try to answer two questions: what motivates person to work well? And what steps can a manager take to motivate his subordinates?
What motivates person to work well?
Really, what is the main motivator? Money? People commonly argue that money is a primary motivator. But I think, that for most people money is not a main motivator - despite what they might think and say. Of cause, people motivated by money if they come to work to fulfil economic needs. Nevertheless, for all people there are bigger motivators than money.
For example, what happens when people win big lottery prize? Many of them give up their jobs, but some do not. They wisely recognise that their work is part of their purpose and life-balance. Others who give up their jobs do so to buy or start and run their own businesses. They are pursuing their dream to achieve something special for them, whatever that might be. And whatever it means to them, the motivation is not to make money, otherwise why don't they just keep hold of what they've got? The reason they invest in a new business venture is that pursuing this sort of plan is where the real motivators are found - achievement, responsibility, personal growth, etc - not money. Money, and spending it, is not enough to sustain the human spirit. People exist for more.
Many people are also motivated by the social contacts they make at work. Formation of social relationships and need to belong to group is a very important motivator. People always wants to be a part of a team, especially when they know that the work they do is very important for organisation.
Person's reputation is an important motivator as well. Everyone wants to feel his/her importance. Opportunities to achieve and to receive recognition for that achievement are also powerful motivators of most people.
What steps can a manager take to motivate his subordinates?
* Manager should ensure adequate level of pay. And of cause it might be fair. You can't treat everyone in the same way, and pay everyone the same salary. Otherwise, it won't motivate employee.
* Persuasion is far more powerful then coercion. I think managers have much more chances of success if they use persuasion rather then coercion.
* Managers should train their workers, so they can master the job, and eventually move to bigger one.
* I consider treatment to be important part of motivation. Person always feels better, when he/she treated in a good way. Managers should take an interest in the person and thank him/her when he/she has worked well.
* If you want people to do a good job, give them a good job to do. Managers need to ensure that person's job was challenging one, however modest and level.
* It is always better to be a part of a group. So, managers should develop a team spirit, in which the members feel that they can support others and be supported by them as well.
Conclusion
There is no simple answer to the question of how to motivate people. In reality, it does not add significantly to the theories of Maslow, Herzberg, and others. It seems to borrow a little from each of their works on motivation.
To understand motivation one must understand human nature itself. It can be very simple, yet vary complex too. Understanding these will cause effective employee motivation on the work place. And as a result - effective management and leadership.
Reference:
. COLE, G. sixth edition, 2004, "Management. Theory and Practice", London, YHT Ltd.
2. www.en.wikipedia.org
3. www.accel-team.com
