Motivation and engagement
Dan Pink speak about motivation and rewarding performance at work place in his Ted Talk in 2009. Dan refers to a researchers saying that if there are high cash rewards for performing well, it actually affects negatively on the level of performance in some cases. Pink talks about ´autonomy, mastery and purpose´ as a driver for motivation at work. Employees should have autonomy over their daily routines and work. This way employees are proven to be more productive and engaged to their work and happier about their employer. Pink also tells about some companies in the Northern America as an example where the employees can have a total ´mastery´ over their work. They can choose where to work, when, how and attend meetings if wanted. And a purpose is also presented as a very important aspect what comes to motivation at work. Employees want to feel that what they are doing, matters and that they are in control of their performance. (Pink 2009.)
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| Dan Pink´s idea of what is behind motivation |
When I think of my own experience in working life, my conclusion is that employees are more satisfied with their work and motivated if they can control at least some parts of their job and make decisions on how they do things and when. I feel that I am motivated when I can choose how I do a certain task and If I feel that the task or a job is developing my skills and I learn something out of it. I do not feel good if I am used for doing too easy tasks, then I feel like my expertise and skills are not appreciated.
I have been in a sales job where there was cash rewards according to the level of performance, and the rewards would be paid each month. In some months, there was also chosen the ´Most valuable player´ of the team, usually the one who made the most sales in monetary value. This system is motivating when the rewards are not too unrealistic to actually reach. But if the reward seems like way too hard to achieve, then performance could drop dramatically. There was also competition between employees in the same job and the would get bonus rewards occasionally. This is a well working system if all the employees are competitive in a nature.
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| non-monetary reward |
Kevin Kruse emphasis that making employees happy at work is different matter that making them engaged and being productive and profitable. The engagement at work means that the employees are engaged to the businesses´ goals and the whole organization. And this engagement means emotional engagement too. This kind of emotionally engaged employees do not work only for the paycheck but they care about the endeavors and goals of the company and really might think about how they could develop certain functions and their own work. According to Towers Perrin research, companies with truly engaged employees have 6% higher net profit margins and higher shareholder returns. (Kruse 2012)
Thinking about my own experience, I have seen both, employees who are not engaged in any level to their work, and employees who are very engaged to the company and their own work. As an employee and also as a fresh entrepreneur, work engagement is very important to me. When talking about working for someone else, I want to feel that I am doing my best at work and think how could I develop the organization and it´s actions so that my work also becomes more effective and enjoyable. I would not work for a company where I do not feel engaged, because it is no good for me or anyone else either. I don´t feel like wasting my time for work which I do not want to do. As an entrepreneur it is clear that I am 200% engaged to the company and would do anything to make it work, but it gets interesting when I would hire an employee. And when I would hire one, I want him/her to add value to my company, not just be in it for money.
Rewarding employees
A company can decide to give monetary or non-monetary rewards for its employees. Monetary rewards are tangible and non-monetary are intangible. Non-monetary rewards could be for instance more interesting or challenging assignments or public recognition or recognition within the organization. eBay offers for example golf lessons or dental services as a reward for employees. Those companies who emphasis monetary rewards, usually reinforce individual achievement but in companies providing non-monetary rewards, the focus is on the company as a whole and relationships within departments and culture. (Gómez-Mejía L., Balkin D., Cardy R., 325.) In my previous work places there were monetary rewards, such as cash and also holidays to different destinations. Some work places did not have rewards at all.
New trend in rewarding has been offering well performing employees for example holidays, trips or REI (recreational equipment) to have more engaging activities for employees. And for employees with family, reward could be working from home which creates more flexibility. (Gómez-Mejía L., Balkin D., Cardy R., 326.)
My conclusion is that it always depends on the working environment, organizations´ culture and goal which way employers reward or motivate their employees. If the company wants to make great profit and gain global recognition for instance, they should invest in making a good reward system for the employees and hear the employees on how they want to do their job and why are they engaged or not. It is most likely very important to know your employees so that you know what motivates and drives them into better performances.
Sources
Gómez-Mejía L., Balkin D., Cardy R. 2016. Managing Human Resources. Pearson Education Limited. Harlow. Accessed 23.10.2018.
Dank Pink ´The puzzle of motivation´ https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_on_motivation/discussion?language=en. Accessed 23.10.2018.
Picture 1: https://corporate-rebels.com/dan-pink/
Picture 2: https://www.trophiesplusmedals.co.uk/recognition-at-work-why-you-should-reward-your-employees/recognition-at-work-why-you-should-reward-your-employees/
Kevin Kruse ´What is employee engagement´ https://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinkruse/2012/06/22/employee-engagement-what-and-why/#10ec23ac7f37. Accessed 23.10.2018.
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