Employee Motivation

Employee motivation has always been a critical problem for leaders and managers in organizations. Unmotivated employees are likely to spend little effort in their jobs, avoid the workplace as much as possible and produce low quality work. On the other hand, employees who feel motivated to work are likely to be persistent, creative, high quality work and productive.

Motivation is the desire to do things. It is an inner force which drives individuals to achieve goals and improves the morale to increase their level of performance, productivity and efficiency.  So employees need to be motivated at all times and it is highly important on achieving company goals as well.
 

In 1950s, Frederick Herzburg in his motivation – hygiene theory, gave a new perspective on job attitudes. The frequency percentage of positively or negatively occurrence determine the attitudinal status towards their jobs (Hezburg 1966).  Positive job attitude factors such as achievements, recognition, work itself, responsibility; advancement and growth are called motivational factors. Another set of factors such as company policies, supervision, relation with supervisors, subordinates or co workers, work conditions and salary which creates negative job attitudes are called hygiene factors. General perspective of job attitude was, opposite of job satisfaction is dissatisfaction and opposite of job dissatisfaction is satisfaction. According to Herzburg motivation-hygiene theory it is not true. He described that the opposite of job satisfaction is not dissatisfaction, but no satisfaction and opposite of job dissatisfaction is not satisfaction, but no dissatisfaction. With his theory he insists that by removing the job dissatisfaction of an employee will not make him satisfied, but will only make him not dissatisfied. As an example I need to be paid on time each month so I can pay my bills. If I am not paid on time, I get really unhappy. But when I get paid on time, I hardly notice it. On the other hand, when my boss gives me a pat on the back, I feel good. I don't expect this every day and don't especially miss not having praise all of the time. 

In Sri Lanka many organizations uses Herzburg motivation- hygiene theory to motivate the employees. But the question is whether it is practiced correctly or whether it really motivates the employees. What companies practice today is that they try to minimize only the hygiene factors, which will only make the employees no dissatisfaction and do little to improve the motivational factors, which does not help to satisfy the employees. Many organizations hesitate to give more responsibilities or advancements to employees even if they have the right potential where as they are satisfied with the seniors. This will de motivate the employees and will not bring positive attitude towards their jobs or the organization even if they change their policies, work conditions and give increments to the employees to make them satisfy. So maintaining hygiene factors in an optimal level will not create job satisfaction but the presence of motivational factors will create job satisfaction.

As an example if an incentive is given it will make the employee happy but it will not motivate the employee to perform well. But making the same person employee of the month or give recognition will definitely motivate him to perform well. As managers it is always important to be systematic and put an effort on improving the condition of hygiene factors initially before implementing motivational strategies. So while maintain hygiene factors in an optimal level it is also important to improve the motivational factors. Because motivated employees are more productive and will bring more profits to an organization or a business.