Posted by Aoife Gorey
Motivating employees can be one of your biggest challenges as a manager and leader, but learning how to inspire each individual - especially those with quirky personalities - is the key to a successful organization.
Whether it’s a raise, a promotion, or simply the chance to work on a new project, all people are motivated differently - that is undeniable. People have different priorities in the workplace, the intern is hungry for experience, the young sales rep trying to meet goals for that juicy bonus, the VP struggling to balance home and work life.
Of course, money is not the main reason we all get up to go to work in the morning, but even motivational theories such as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs stemming back to the early 1900s outline how so many other factors come into play in regards to motivating people.
Unless you know your workers' differences, the music they make together may sound more like a cacophony than a symphony.
There are many different segments of employees in the modern workforce, and most organizations likely employ a combination of them. Various books and blogs define these groups in unique ways, but here are some of our examples:
1. Fair and Square Traditionalists - who want their work to provide stability and a secure future. Motivate them by:
- Asking for and giving them feedback
- Talking to them frankly
- Discussing the company mission and their role in making it happen
2. Accomplished Contributors - who prize teamwork.
Motivate them by:
- Nudging them toward team leadership roles
- Giving them specific measurements of their success and growth
- Asking for their input
3. Stalled Survivors - who see work as work, not life.
Motivate them by:
- Focusing on work-life balance
- Putting them on teams that provide support, empathy, and role models
- Helping them plan their career future
4. Demanding Disconnects - who are easily disengaged, need constant feedback and recognition.
Motivate them by:
- Giving them non-routine tasks
- Discovering their strengths to use on the job
- Paying attention to their ideas
- Maverick Morphers – who are enthusiastic and like trying new things.
Motivate them by:
- Providing a congenial work environment
- Letting them know what's going on
- Discussing their progress
6. Self-Empowered Innovators - who like work for the sake of work.
Motivate them by:
- Giving them responsibilities that allow for learning and growth
- Ridding their path of obstacles
- Allowing them to stretch the company's vision
Whether a leader, manager, or supervisor, the key to motivating employees is to understand what drives them. Understanding the core of who a person is, how they are wired, what motivates them, and what they enjoy doing, is key to motivating and engaging every type of employee.
Talent solutions and employee assessments can help managers understand the core of who a person is. Their work style and what motivates them is quickly revealed in the DiSC assessment. You will no longer need to group your employees into categories like the ones listed above; simply evaluate for job fit, and compare prospective and existing candidates to those top performers in your organization.
Take a free demo from our specialists at SmartMoves to learn more!
