Is Your Employer Motivating You the Right Way?

"Your salary is your motivation," we were told by our branch manager after a great number of employees complained about the company not doing enough to motivate staff. This was at an education services provider long ago. I remember a pretty upset colleague replying that a salary is the minimum and actually the least required form of "employee motivation."

The manager was partly right, though, as money is one, just one, of the sources of motivation for employees.  Very logical indeed:  You work and you get paid, unless you work voluntarily.  He was also VERY wrong as well simply because not everybody is motivated by financial rewards alone. 

The business world has moved from a purely manufacturing and production driven business model to a more intelligent content and service driven one and so have the needs of employees from a motivation standpoint.  The carrot and stick style of the industrial area is a simplistic view of employee motivation.  Fast forward to now and enter equal opportunity, social networking, CSR, the environment, etc. all having a great impact and why we work.

Ask yourself:
- Is my company environmentally friendly?
- Are we a socially responsible firm?
- What is the company doing to give back to the community around it?

- Does the company internally encourage team work and a sense of family and community?
- Am I being given the opportunity to be creative?
- How much control do I have over my work schedule?
- How's my company contributing to my personal and professional growth?
- Do we all have equal opportunities to be promoted and rewarded?
- Do I have a say in company matters?
- Does the company care about me as an individual?

- How does the company celebrate achievement?
- How does the company deal with underachievement and bad performance?
- How has the company dealt with the economic downturn in terms of staff relations?

A lot of stuff to digest indeed, but a glimpse at other factors, other than compensation, that influence employee motivation.

In my next installment, motivation 3.0.