There have been many songs, jokes and even professional references made towards the term “money” over the year. “Money can’t buy you love” is what comes to mind and although that is true, is does buy pretty teal blue Tiffany & Co. boxes if you work hard enough.
Regardless of the job a person does, employees should be compensated for their time and hard work but it should not be the only motivator in certain situations (for example, selecting a position or changing positions). Due to the ever increasing desire of the human population to make more and more money, companies have had to stop advertising pay scale ranges on open positions to deter people from applying just because of the salary and not because the person is qualified. I don’t want people to think that I don’t want to make a good salary, but it should not be the deciding factor when selecting a job or career path.
I am a firm believer that people have to do what they love and the only way they can fully enjoy (or love) their job, is to work for a company/organization that loves and appreciates the hard work they put into their position. It never fails in any field of work I have been in that I have over heard someone say “that’s not in my job description” and really upsets me because I think that no matter what you do or the salary you bring home you should want to continue to give back to the company/organization you work for especially in this economy when good jobs are hard to find.
In the video the following 3 motivators were discussed
1. Give me interesting work
a. No one ever wants to get up every day and go to a job in which they are bored at. Although it is not possible to always have an interesting day at work, your job should be interesting which includes moments of joy and challenges. Companies should always try to encourage those types of moments within the workplace in order to ensure their employees are getting the most out of their positions. If I felt as though my job was uninteresting and I grew bored within my job duties I would look for another position or make an effort to speak with my supervisor to see in what ways other elements of the company could be incorporated into my daily tasks.
2. Expand my skill sets
a. Learning is the key to success in my opinion. Expanding my skill sets are important to me and should be with other. Employers should always feel inclined to teach or provide additional training to their employees to help grow the organization as well as personnel. Becoming stagnant within your position or your skills will only enable boredom.
3. Recognize me
a. I couldn’t imagine going to my job every day, doing good work and leaving feeling as though no one knows or appreciates the work I am doing. Whether it is a simple “thank you” or “you’re doing such a great job,” those little moments of recognition help to form unity among supervisors and their subordinates. I spoke in earlier postings that in my department we have a recognition board that showcases good work (I think every office should have that as it makes for a positive and healthy work environment).
Asides from the 3 motivators discussed in the video, below are 3 additional motivators I find important for a positive, prosperous and healthy working environment.
1. Push me to do more
a. Challenge me. I find that organizations do not always challenge their employees for many different reasons. Some reasons stem from the fact that their supervisor doesn’t want the employee to be overwhelmed or that they feel they already do enough work. Unless an employee says that they cannot handle the workload they currently have, they can do more. I am by no means stating people should turn organizations in the “sweat shops” but I think as human beings we like to be tested and challenges allow for those types of moments. You cannot decide what you can and cannot due until you are pushed (and sometimes to your limits).
2. Communicate with me
a. Talk to me and tell me your thoughts. Open lines of communication are key in healthy work environments. I don’t ever want to feel blind-sided during an annual review. If I am not doing my job or if my supervisor feels as though there are areas in which I can fix, I want to know about it right then and there. I believe that type of direct communication allows for disconnects to be eliminated between supervisors and subordinates.
3. Be flexible
a. When an organization is flexible the employee feels as though they are stakeholders as well. If I felt as though I could not be open with my supervisor about need time off or more time on a project it would hinder me from doing my best work. Knowing that your boss is human and is flexible (as things do arise in people’s lives) helps the employees feel more comfortable in the workplace and confident in the work they produce.
There are always different ways to motivate employees, the key is to listen and act.
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