Motivation at Workplace Environment

Motivation is the force which makes a person raise performance, as a result of individual needs being accomplished; therefore inspiring one to complete the assigned needs, each employee at the work environment has individual needs which varies from person to person. Generally, human motivation is a personal characteristic and depending on the level of motivation of the employees, it determines the efforts that they put into work thereby increasing the standard of the organization in terms of production.

At any workplace, the aim of the management is to get things done through the employees, therefore the motivation to the employees is necessary; the issue of motivation in most cases is overlooked at the workplace. In order to understand motivation the parties involved must clearly understand human nature. The managers who maintain high production understand their employees and create an enriched working environment which has the following, the Positive reinforcements,  the effective disciplinary and punishment Fair treatment of  people, satisfaction of the employees needs, setting the goals which are work related, restructuring of the jobs, the base rewards on the job performances.

Motivation has a great effect on the output of any business in relation to both the quantity and quality. Most businesses heavily rely on the efficiency of production by using their staff to make sure that the products that are manufactured in numbers meet demand on the market. If the employees lack the motivation at the work place which is essential to increase their production to meet the demand, then the business can face problems which can lead to the disastrous consequences.

The managers need to identify the factors which can raise the motivation of their employees, and ensure that the work environment that is set up supports it.  In most workplace environments this include; change, challenge, being in charge and a variety of the activities that have been integrated for everyday at the workplace.

This paper deals with motivation at the working environment and theories regarding the human nature. Many theorists have come up with the theories which explain how to improve motivation at the workplace, the Maslow motivation theory is one of the best known and the most influential theories on the workplace motivation. The Maslow's 'Hierarchy of Needs' is still one of the most influential motivational theories which cover the essentials of motivation.

Maslow based his argument on the satisfaction of the human needs. Fredrick Herzberg's in his motivational two factor theory analyzes the factors which motivates the employees which he terms as motivators and those which prevented job satisfaction which he terms as hygiene factors. The ability of the managers to maintain the motivation of their employees at the workplaces is a major determinant of their business success. The lack of motivation at the workplace causes poor results.

In summary all the theories are based on the following:

• Manipulation of different types of personalities, people have different personality traits and the quirks. For a workplace, to be highly motivated the management must understand its workforce in terms of individual differences and learn how to deal with them diplomatically at different situations.
• Use of the rewards

Rewards can be in the form of the promotions, the bonuses or the simple means of affirmation through the words for a job well done.

• Allow for independence

The employees at the workplace need to be able to think and make decisions on their own, they should be only informed on the expectations in order to boost their morale and enable them take pride in their way of doing things

• Giving room for the errors

The management at the workplaces should plan for the errors to be in a position to tackle the effects of the errors. This is due to the fact that human beings are prone to errors.

Generally, the workplace should be full of fun and enjoyment this is because most people spend approximately 7-10 hours per day at the workplaces. The motivation at the workplace takes time and patience of the managers. A well motivated staff is necessary for the for maximum production,

Characteristics of a working environment with motivation

There is feedback; the employees are asked on the issues concerning their job, they provide the feedback. If a reoccurring theme is noticed, then the management addresses it.

Existence of an element of understanding, the employees are Listened to. Active listening is a vital skill for the survival of both the employees and the employers at any workplace. In most cases, the vast majority of the resignations are as a result of the employees not feeling appreciated.

There is regular recognition. The management shows the employees that it appreciates their hard work by letting them know what they have achieved publicly. This is because the human nature is such that everybody wants others to be aware especially when they have worked hard, this gives them a feeling of satisfaction since they have a hand in shaping the team's working environment. 

The management shows signs of financial stability. If the employees perform well, the management gives them a token of appreciation, such as getting them a gift certificate to the local mall, or a trip.

There is Fun. It is advisable for the management to create fun at the workplaces by letting the employees to play around a little. A good fan should not get out of hand, instead it should be brought back to be productive fun. A game can be made out of accomplishing tasks. All the parties at the workplace should enjoy themselves because more time is spent at the workplace than at home. If employees find their job to be enjoyable, you will never wish to spent time away from work a day in their life.

There is friendly Competition. Competition is genetically oriented. People need to compete against each other, in order to prove their ability to everyone. If a healthy competition is fostered at the workplace it allows for team building which is vital for the maximum production.

There is neutrality to everyone; Favoritism at the workplace is a hard accusation to be tolerated along, especially if it has been discovered. The management should not put itself in a position which could result in the work environment of favoritism. The extent of giving the preferential treatment to a person based on a non-work related basis should not be encouraged. This is because unfairness at the workplace leads to high turn-over rates amongst the employees.

Sharing is encouraged. The managers should retain all the information to themselves. The employees should be allowed to know where they stand; this keeps them motivated, the lack of communication is a common downfall of any organization. It is impossible for the organizations to try to be motivated in the face of the goals that can not be measured.

There is constant coaching; the managers should instill the culture of coaching amongst their employees. High productivity is achieved by sharing of the ideas. If the managers does not listen to their employees and consult them in the action planning process, the employees feel like they have no value because their opinions don't matter. Human nature is such that everyone likes to feel like they can effect change.