Motivating Factors

Despite the fact that scholars of management have not agreed fully on what motivates people, there is a general consensus that the listed factors do cause motivation.

(a)    Participation in Planning—when employees are given a choice to plan their own work and contribute to organizational planning, the plans are more acceptable to them—after all they have taken part in making them.

(b)    Challenging Work—when work is not challenging boredom sets in and this is likely to cause sluggishness and dissatisfaction at the place of work.

(c)    Recognition and Status—most people want approval by peers, friends and bosses. Benefits that show status e.g. company car, credit card, club membership may increase motivation.

Recognition is shown by items distinction e.g. a key to the executive lift, or washroom, carpeted offices, reserved parking etc.

(d)    Authority, Responsibility and Power—some people are motivated greatly by being responsible for the work of others. Many people stay in organizations with a hope of rising to upper levels. Management should therefore devise plans for advancement and growth.

(e)    Independence of Action—being allowed to work without close supervision.

(f)    Security—especially financial security achieved mainly through secure and comprehensive labour contracts e.g. that involve medical covers and insurance.

(g)    Advancement—people could become demotivated if the organization has little room for upward mobility.

(h)    Personal growth—people want to grow wholesomely both in aspects related to the job like skills and those outside the job like potentials in such fields as sports.

( I )    Good working conditions

The environment in which people operate is very important to their importance. Excessively noisy, congested, dirty or poorly arranged places may demotivate employees.

( j )    Money

A good salary is a basic motivator. In fact for some people money could be the greatest motivational force. For example for people who are financially hard pressed money remains the biggest motivator. However, people also look for other things in a job other than money and they may even accept lower paying jobs that have those other things.