Consider the outside organizations that employees join and contribute to, such as the Boy Scouts of America, Rotary International, and various charities. Why do they actively get involved in these organizations? Why do they seem to contribute time and effort to a greater extent than they do on the job? It may be that you are a contributing member of such an organization. Why do you get involved?
Answering for yourself or for your employees, you will probably respond with such things as:
- "A feeling of authority or power."
- "Challenge, responsibility, a sense of being wanted."
- "Recognition."
- "The chance to get away, to work out frustrations."
- "The feeling of contributing to society."
The problem, then, may not be that employees are unmotivated to perform; employees may show effort and dedication when performing for other types of organizations. The problem is to get them to perform equally well on the job. Is there some way jobs can be redesigned in order that the employees performing them get the same rewards as they do of the job?
This thought process can be carried out either alone, in a brainstorming format, or with an actual group of employees. Ask them what hobbies or outside activities they engage in and why. They can also be asked in what ways their jobs can be changed to provide them with the very things they seek in their outside activities.
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