What Drives Employees To Perform? Part 1.

The Top 10 Motivators of U.S. Employees

In a 10-part series, Robert Gray, President of Insightlink Communications, answers this question based on results from Insightlink’s Survey of the American Workplace. Through this annual survey, completed by thousands of U.S. employees, Insightlink has identified the 10 most critical influences on job satisfaction and can also show how well most companies are performing on these same factors. In this series, Robert will summarize each of these drivers and give practical direction on what action really needs to be taken.

Enjoyment

It may sound obvious but the single most important motivator of job satisfaction is to enjoy the work that you do. U.S. organizations are doing okay on this measure – about seven-in-ten employees agree that they find their work enjoyable, although only one-in-four agree strongly about this.

“I love working with people. I take great pride and satisfaction in the work we accomplish. It seems to be of value and help to our clients. I feel part of something 'bigger' and 'greater' and love being a part of that.”

“The people I work with are all very supportive and have great attitudes, which in turn makes me feel good and reciprocate the same. My job allows me to do more than just the same thing on a daily basis, so I am never bored. I love the flexible work schedule because sometimes life happens and it is great to work with understanding people.”

Recommended Action Steps

Because this is such a key factor, there is room for improving the level of enjoyment in most companies and here are some suggestions to accomplish that:

1. Give all employees a clear and comprehensive job description. We see in survey after survey that, if your employees are not sure what their jobs entail, they'll have a hard time doing those jobs well. On the other hand, knowing what they’re supposed to do means they’ll be more likely to do their work to the best of their ability.
2. Identify your company's values. Once your employees get a handle on your "big picture" goal, they will feel more motivated to take part in it and help to achieve the common mission.
3. Encourage your employees to stay open-minded and flexible. It's easy for them to get caught up in a rut at work, where they do the same things day-in and day-out but, at the same time, they may also feel uncomfortable at the thought of making changes. However, don’t constantly make change just for the sake of change or make changes without taking employee attitudes into account – this type of change will leave your employees frustrated and demotivated.
4. As we will see later, getting recognition at work is essential to job enjoyment, and this is gained by making yourself stand out from the crowd. Putting in some effort, and developing a special set of skills that sets you apart, will ensure that you feel appreciated and valued.
5. Make an effort to build teamwork among your employees. Feeling that they are part of a team with can help build self-esteem and morale, give them a sense of camaraderie and also help your organization reach its overall goals.
6. Invest in your employees’ personal development. Feeling insecure in a particular job can lead to high levels of tension and stress, but offering ways to improve their skills can help reduce this anxiety.

Of course, the best way to plan action for your own company is to conduct your own survey so if we can help please let us know. Contact us at info@insightlink.com for more information, to get pricing click here or feel free to contact Lynn Gore at 866-802-8095 ext. 705.