What Motivates You at Work?

Motivation is a powerful tool that drives us and simulates energy in us to be continually determined in a job, role or to make any effort to reach our goal. When it comes to work, every individual have different motivation factor for working at a job. We all work to achieve something from our job: to obtain a quality life, to meet our personal and professional goals. To achieve all these, we need consistency in our work and to make us keep going in the job we need some kind of motivation.

Each employee has their own sets of motivation factor that makes him work in a best way possible. It’s important for business owners to understand the need of motivating their employees in order to reach the target of their company and also help the employees to achieve their personal and professional missions through meaningful performance at work. Some common factors that motivate people at work are discussed below:

• Financial Reward: Whatever our reasons might be for working, bottom line, however, is that we all work for money.  Money fulfills all our basic necessities and the riches we want in our life. Rewards in the workplace have positive impact in both employee and employer. When employee’s stellar performance is rewarded, he performs even better with more job satisfaction and increased morale which in turn helps employer in experiencing greater efficiency and increased productivity at the workplace.
• Recognition: Employee who receives recognition at workplace tends to have more enthusiasm and hold a positive attitude at workplace. Recognition can be made by announcement at meetings, verbal praise in front of all employees or award ceremonies. This employee recognition is a way of thanking employee for his contribution and encouraging for more of similar action which will help in making an organization successful by creative more positive, productive and innovative organizational environment.
• Flexibility: Business owners in order to motivate their employee need to provide flexibility in the workplace. Providing time out of the work for family schedules, vacations, personal grooming or work-from-home option are powerful incentives to the employers. In addition, flexible scheduling will help to motivate employees at work. Every employee appreciate being able to have more personal life and by this, they can perform even better at workplace.
• Personal Satisfaction: It is in us that make us keep going at a certain job. Employee who love their work and are thoroughly satisfied by what they do tend to perform more efficiently than who aren’t satisfied. Not every employee has a passion for their respective work but a business owner can drive passion in them by providing a supportive workplace where they feel valued. This kind of environment keeps employee motivated and happy at workplace.
• Trustworthy leadership: Leaders or supervisors above employee that are looking after them, who take care of their interests ultimately win the heart and trust of their employees. Trust is something to be gained and if the relationship between leader and employee is transparent, it will have positive result and motivate employee in their work and also develop new opportunities to explore more talent. 
• Work environment: The environment of the workplace should be able to handle the work-life balance of an employee. Creating a proper workplace that employee enjoys being at and feel inspired to work better is a way of maintaining the motivational buzz. Proper working conditions like good lighting, cleanliness, proper ventilation are to be expected in the workplace. The good work environment will benefit in overall productivity and satisfaction of an employee.
• Career advancement: Career advancement perhaps is an important motivating factor. Every employee likes to continue their job and stay focused if something great awaits them in future. When growth opportunities are abundant and if there are doors to advance the career, employees work with more vigor and strong dedication than working at the place with less opportunities and with no sign of growth in career.

Keeping the factors in mind, business owners can motivate their employees. Creating environment that motivates employee is a difficult yet important task required for the long term-success of the organization as motivation leads to higher performance of employees and successful company.