Motivation can be observed in every walk of life. Parents motivate their children to do better in their academics and other activities. People get self motivated by reading biographies and success stories of inspirational leaders. Motivational speakers are equipped with classical oratory to instill vigor among their audience.
There are many traditions which show that motivation has been imbibed into the culture. The Japanese appreciate their colleagues at the end of the day with “Job well done” greetings. German and Swiss take pride in their engineering products and watches respectively. Important days like Memorial Day, Labor Day are celebrated in honor of the past achievements and motivate people to do well in their field.
Historically, motivation has been achieved through many forms depending on the individual’s or the team’s focus. Giving perks to waged labor during festivals has been an age old practice in India. Quite often material benefits such as bonuses, parties, awards and goodies are given away. Sometimes intangible means like appealing to ones good sense, appreciating their role, showing the purpose of the service or product, reminding of the past accomplishments and its impact are used to motivate the workforce and helps them believe that the job they do is meaningful and valuable. This could also help them gain confidence and trust for the organization, its purpose and values.
Each individual has their own factors that motivate or inspire them. It is important to identify these factors. People work at their best when they get to use their strengths. This way they are energized and usually get good results.
Managers play a significant role in identifying these factors and thereby support the staff by listening, encouraging, helping and ensuring that the resources are performing to their potential. This support enhances the self confidence of employees leading to greater productivity. It is the responsibility of the manager to build the teams in a way that develops co-operative spirit.
I believe being engaged and dedicated to the cause of the organization and its goals is more important than being motivated for personal gains. A motivated employee would probably complete his/her tasks on time. However, he/she might try to find short cuts to achieve the same. Whereas an engaged employee tries to complete the job effectively in such a way that it easily integrates with the team’s work. This would be a win-win situation for both parties. Anyone who believes “Work is Worship” is an engaged employee and is an asset to the organization.