Employee motivation has always been a central problem for leaders and managers. Unmotivated employees are likely to spend little or no effort in their jobs, avoid the workplace as much as possible, leave the organization if given the opportunity and produce low quality work. On the other hand, employees who feel motivated to work are likely to be persistent, creative and productive, turning out high quality work that they willingly undertake.
Organizational performance at individual, collegial and organization levels are being jeopardized and subjected to various organizational changes. Specifically, as developed organizations became larger, more multifaceted and more challenging, concerns about organizational performance competencies development and how it could likely to impact culture and direction of the organization have been in the forefronts of business dialogues. There had been much to say about the role of motivation and their expansion but very little has been done on developing motivation-based performance and much little movement on investigating organizational performance and its relative effect on employee’s productivity in organizations.
This is the fact that all organizations are relying on their people for the continued survival and growth of their organization. People, or the employees, are the key in sustaining the organization and this importance of their role gives responsibility to the organization to motivate them so that they can work more effectively. Motivation is the process that account for an individual’s intensity, direction and persistence of effort towards attainment of goals. Motivation is the energizer of behavior and mother of all actions. Therefore, motivation is directly related with productivity. Productivity refers to the working effectiveness by which the employees do their job and judged according to their effectiveness and significance. We can also say that motivation is the willingness to work at a certain level of effort. Motivation emerges, in current theories, out of needs, values, goals, intentions, and expectation. Because motivation comes from within, managers need to cultivate and direct the motivation that their employees already have.
People are one of the most important assets in business. They have unlimited potential to contribute in the achievement of objectives. Their aggregate productivity propels the operations of the company. It dictates the overall performance, which creates an attractive corporate culture.
The value of human resource productivity is a managerial concern. Employee motivation is the classic response on this matter. This has been utilized for ages by many different entities, small and large-scale businesses alike. It fosters mutual growth in an employer-employee relationship. Indeed, motivation increases productivity.
People need motivation just as pieces of equipment need fuel and operators. This is highly demanded to ensure that they are always at their optimum working condition. In turn, this will absolutely lead to optimum productivity.
There are several productivity surveys and case studies indicate that increased worker motivation and satisfaction can increase worker output. Progressive, innovative managers now achieve productivity gains with human resource management techniques that go beyond pay incentives. This study discusses that how we can increase the worker output by motivation factors in the light of motivational theories. According to Abraham Maslow there are five needs (Physiological needs, Security needs, Belongingness need, Esteem needs, Self actualization) through which organizations can enhance their productivity and progress by motivating employees. Employee motivation and productivity depends on management that is how better they manage these issues (i.e. providing a work environment) that will help to achieve organizational goals by increasing productivity. Getting high productivity from your employees depends on giving employees opportunities for their personal growth, achievement, responsibility, recognition, and reward. Frederick Herzberg, distinguished professor of Management at the University of Utah and Behavioral theorist conducted studies on worker motivation in the 1950’s. He developed the Motivation-Hygiene theory of worker satisfaction and dissatisfaction. This incredible researcher concluded that hygiene factors such as salary, fringe benefits, and working conditions can prevent dissatisfaction, but they do not motivate the worker. He found that motivators such as achievement, recognition, responsibility, and advancement increase satisfaction from work and motivate people toward a greater effort and performance.
Now question arises that how can we motivate employees? The answer is that there are only two ways to motivate a person. One is through material satisfaction, by providing tangible rewards called extrinsic motivation. Another is through nonmaterial satisfaction by providing intangible rewards called intrinsic motivation. A balanced mix of motivational tools is significant to serve its purpose. That is to satisfy the idea that motivation increases productivity. Extrinsic motivation is commonly practiced by most organizations to boost performance. It involves the provision of an attractive compensation and benefits package. This includes salary, health and personal insurance, and bonuses. There are also performance credits given in the form of a quarterly bonus, performance bonuses, gift checks, paid vacation, etc. Intrinsic motivation is simple and practical. It is an advisable practice to bring out the best in every employee. It can be done through providing effective systems for promotion, training and development, and recognition. The act of praising employees for a job well done is one way to do so. These are priceless tools to motivate them because employees are more motivated if what they are doing interests them. This is much more beneficial if the task delegated to the employee coincides with his interests.
So, by keeping above in mind, “Motivation can be represents as a measurable increase in both job satisfaction and productivity. The motivated worker does his job better and likes it more than those folks who are not so motivated.” No doubt, motivation increases productivity. It is but critical to upkeep consistency in the provision of extrinsic and intrinsic rewards for consistent performance. Many researchers have proven the relationship between intrinsic/extrinsic motivation and productivity. Some find that employees are most interested to recognize their-self as they are and get happy with the promotion and willing to perform well with this context and some researchers says that however intrinsic motivation is a part of motivation but it is not a overall motivator to fulfilling the desires of employees. From whom who are self motivated intrinsic motivation can be enough but for those employees who are not self motivated extrinsic motivation plays an important role for their motivation and to increase their morale regarding productivity.