It's Not About the Money

The constant stream of negative news in our industry makes it difficult to motivate employees and sustain morale. To borrow a line from “American Pie” (the song, not the movie), there seems to be a lot of “bad news on the doorstep”. It’s become a daily challenge for owners and executives to keep their teams focused and energized. However, don’t think hope has taken the last train for the coast; there are steps you can take that are simple, sustainable and require little or no money. Read on...

Understanding What Truly Motivates People

A really smart guy by the name of Dr. Frederick Herzberg led a study in the 1960’s and identified six factors that truly motivate people.

• Feeling of Achievement
• Recognition / Status
• Continuous Learning
• Responsibility
• Meaningful Work
• Advancement Opportunity

These motivators become self-evident when employees take the initiative without being asked, go the extra mile or become intensely focused on their work. And, they vary from person to person.

Notice how money is missing from the list above? That doesn’t mean it’s not important. Herzberg found six drivers that aren’t motivators but when overlooked, lead to dissatisfaction among employees. He calls them “hygiene” factors:

• Salary / Compensation
• Job Security
• Supervision / Mentorship
• Policies / Procedures
• Work Conditions
• Interpersonal Relationships

What You Can Do

First things first: let's recognize that two of the significant Hygiene factors– Salary and Job Security, are big question marks at the moment. As much as you would like to pay your employees more or assure them job security, the market conditions might not support it. That’s the cold, hard truth so no need to dance around it.

However, there are many things employers can do for their employees that have nothing to do with that. As Dr. Gary Williamson, an industrial psychologist with PSP Metrics notes, “Five of the six motivators have nothing to do with money or promotion, therefore there is no reason (for an employer) to not provide them.”

• Step 1: ask your employees to force rank what matters most to them among the following motivators: Feeling of Achievement, Recognition / Status, Continuous Learning, Responsibility, Meaningful Work.

• Step 2: do the same exercise for the Hygiene factors that you as an employer have control over: Supervision / Mentorship, Policies / Procedures, Work Conditions, Interpersonal Relationships.

Remember, these twelve drivers vary from person to person and can change over time. Recognition and Achievement might be high on the list for someone in his/her 30’s but shift to Meaningful Work as they mature. Your goal is to learn what really matters most to each employee today... the top 1-2 drivers for them in both categories that you CAN control... and do something about it.

Want to learn more? We came across this entertaining video that demonstrates what we’re talking about. Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc

Credits:

• “One More Time: Answers for Motivating Today’s Employees”, Dr. Frederick Herzberg, courtesy of PSP Metrics.
• Dr. Gary Williamson, Managing Partner, PSP Metrics, Pittsburgh, PA