{"id":71,"date":"2011-12-11T10:19:13","date_gmt":"2011-12-11T16:19:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sanfordrose.wpengine.com\/somerset\/2011\/12\/11\/what-really-motivates-employees\/"},"modified":"2011-12-11T10:19:13","modified_gmt":"2011-12-11T16:19:13","slug":"what-really-motivates-employees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sanfordrose.com\/cartergroup\/what-really-motivates-employees\/","title":{"rendered":"What really motivates employees?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By understanding what is important, companies can attract and retain talent.<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are numerous local and national surveys naming the \u201cTop Places to Work\u201d or \u201cMost Admired Companies\u201d. These publications are usually fun to read because the focus tends to be on the perks offered by employers. Unusual or unique perks make for interesting conversation and allow companies to grab the spotlight momentarily, but do they result in improved employee retention long term? Other organizations take the approach that monetary rewards are the only real motivators. Consistently, employees list certain nonmonetary factors as primary motivators in their career decisions, and this edition of the SRA Update focuses on several.<\/p>\n

Some Disclaimers<\/strong>
\nBefore delving into a discussion of nonmonetary factors, it would certainly be na\u00efve not to acknowledge that salary and overall compensation absolutely matter.\u00a0 After all, the main reason that most people work is to earn money in order to provide for themselves and their families.\u00a0 Also, by necessity, this article is broad and general in nature, and the personal preferences and values of a particular candidate or employee may certainly differ.<\/p>\n

A Clear Direction and Vision<\/strong>
\nIt seems obvious that a strategic vision and plan for a company is essential for its success.\u00a0 However, many managers and executives only focus on the day to day operations and not longer term goals.<\/p>\n

Having and communicating a clear vision and direction for a company can be a very effective talent management tool.\u00a0 As the economy has steadily recovered, many employees have begun to think longer term about their career options.\u00a0 If leadership clearly articulates the goals and direction of the company, it engenders a lot more confidence in the strength of the company among employees.\u00a0 In the alternative, if management remains focused only on the short term or chooses not to share the direction of the company with employees, rightly or wrongly, the perception of employees will likely be that the company is not as strong financially or that the executives have something to hide.<\/p>\n

Effectively communicating the vision of the company can also inspire and motivate employees.\u00a0 Employees feel like they are \u201cpart of something bigger.\u201d\u00a0 It is important for leadership to help employees see how their daily individual contributions help the company meet its overall goals.\u00a0 Having a common goal or vision motivates those who believe in it to do their best work.\u00a0 Employees want work that is interesting and meaningful.\u00a0 A company with a corporate culture which encourages management and employees to work together towards clearly articulated goals should also be attractive to top talent from other organizations.<\/p>\n

Communication and Recognition<\/strong>
\nImproving communication from the top down through all levels of an organization can also improve employee morale, motivation, and engagement.\u00a0 As mentioned above, clearly articulating the company\u2019s overall vision and plan can inspire employees.\u00a0 Executives and managers should also strive to meet one on one with each of their reports to define the company\u2019s, as well as their own, expectations with respect to each individual\u2019s position.<\/p>\n

Too often there is a divide between company leadership and employees due to poor or infrequent communication.\u00a0 Company leaders assume that employees know what they should be doing and then wonder why employees fail to meet expectations.\u00a0 Both sides become frustrated, and ultimately, the company suffers.\u00a0 Employee morale decreases, and turnover increases through both voluntary and involuntary terminations.\u00a0\u00a0 When employees understand what is expected of them and how they fit into the bigger picture, they can focus on their performance and meeting their goals rather than trying to figure them out.\u00a0 More open and frequent dialogue can also inspire greater respect for, and confidence in, company leadership among employees and foster a more collegial working environment.<\/p>\n

Everyone wants a \u201cpat on the back\u201d for a job well done.\u00a0 Bonuses, raises, trips, and other traditional rewards are certainly welcome.\u00a0 However, a company does not necessarily have to spend a lot of its resources on creating an elaborate employee reward or incentive program.\u00a0 The simple acts of thanking someone personally and praising an individual for their accomplishments are powerful.\u00a0 Feeling appreciated by one\u2019s supervisor or boss can motivate an employee to continue to perform at a high level.\u00a0\u00a0 On the flip side, employees who do not feel that they are appreciated or feel that their contributions are taken for granted will start to look for new opportunities.\u00a0 Even programs that include bonuses or some other monetary reward can be enhanced by announcing the accomplishments of high achieving employees companywide.\u00a0\u00a0 The \u201cstar performers\u201d receive additional recognition amongst their peers, and company leadership appears grateful and aware of individual contributions.<\/p>\n

Career Development and Advancement<\/strong>
\nAs the economy has improved, employees have begun to take a longer term view of their careers.\u00a0 An employer that offers training, career development, and advancement opportunities will be more attractive \u2013 particularly to the top talent that can ultimately assume leadership positions in the organization.\u00a0 The opportunity for advancement is a motivating factor often cited by those making a career change.<\/p>\n

Some companies turn to outside sources to work with or train their executives and \u201chigh potential\u201d employees who are being groomed for leadership positions \u2013 e.g. business coaches or MBA or other executive education programs.\u00a0 A good business coach, like a good sports coach, can push individuals to achieve more.\u00a0 The coach can serve as a mentor but can also demand accountability and improved performance from an employee.\u00a0 Typically, companies that utilize MBA and other executive education programs either hire professors or instructors to speak in-house or pay for selected employees to attend courses on campus.\u00a0 The content in these programs tends to be more generic rather than specifically geared towards the company\u2019s business and goals or an individual\u2019s performance.<\/p>\n

Rather than hiring \u201coutside experts\u201d a company can develop its own internal training, mentoring, and development program.\u00a0 In the long run this may turn out to be the most effective approach.\u00a0 First and foremost, it is important that employees understand their potential career path at the company.\u00a0 Company leadership should clearly define the internal path of advancement and the milestones that must be met for promotion to each successive position.\u00a0\u00a0 Employees cannot \u201caim high\u201d if they do not know where to aim.\u00a0 A company without a clearly defined path for advancement will likely find itself at a disadvantage in both retention and recruiting efforts.<\/p>\n

The participation of senior executives can make a significant difference in the success of an internal training and development program. By sharing their own experiences and knowledge, company leaders, who \u201chave been there and done that\u201d, can effectively prepare the next generation of executives and help the company ensure an orderly succession.\u00a0 Also, the involvement of the senior leadership conveys a message that the company places a premium on the education and development of its employees which is an effective message for the recruiting and retention of top talent.<\/p>\n

Fifty-eight percent (58%) of the executives polled in ExecuNet\u2019s 2011 Executive Job market Intelligence Report stated that their organizations will work harder on retention during 2011.\u00a0 In retention, as well as recruiting, nonmonetary factors and benefits can influence employees in their career decisions. The companies that better understand what employees want and meet those needs will be more successful in attracting and retaining the top talent.\u00a0 Sanford Rose Associates\u00ae search consultants take the time to understand not only the skills necessary to fill open positions for their clients, but also the company\u2019s culture and \u201csizzle\u201d in order to attract the top candidates to fill those positions.
\n\u2014Rick Carter<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By understanding what is important, companies can attract and retain […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[20,5,6,7,8,9],"class_list":["post-71","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sra-updates","tag-human","tag-recruitment-news","tag-retention-strategies","tag-sanford-rose-associates-best-practices","tag-search-industry-insights","tag-sra-update"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sanfordrose.com\/cartergroup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sanfordrose.com\/cartergroup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sanfordrose.com\/cartergroup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sanfordrose.com\/cartergroup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sanfordrose.com\/cartergroup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=71"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sanfordrose.com\/cartergroup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sanfordrose.com\/cartergroup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=71"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sanfordrose.com\/cartergroup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=71"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sanfordrose.com\/cartergroup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=71"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}