Inside the App: Motivation

Motivation. It’s what drives behavior. Motivation is an important factor in performance and satisfaction.

According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workforce report, 85% of employees are not engaged at work.

So, how do employers motivate employees to keep them engaged and increase performance? Understanding what motivates employees is the first step. It will be different for everyone and can change depending on the situation or period in time.

Extrinsic motivation involves sources of motivation that are outside of ourselves and can be out of our control such as getting a raise, public recognition, or avoiding reprimand.

Intrinsic motivation involves sources of motivation that come from within ourselves and are typically more in our control such as satisfaction from completing a project or appreciating a challenge.

Psychologists Ryan and Deci defined Self Determination Theory as a way to explain motivation through three basic psychological needs: Autonomy, Competence, and Relatedness. Developing these three areas will help employees to feel more secure, engaged, and motivated.

Autonomy helps employees feel in control of their situation. Managers should talk to employees about their goals and what they need to achieve those. Using the Truvelop app, managers can work with employees to evaluate their current performance, establish goals and develop a plan for achieving them. With the app, managers can send Sparks of encouragement or schedule more frequent evaluations to help keep the employee-focused and provide guidance based on performance.

Finding enjoyment in our work or being proud of our accomplishments can boost confidence and can be a positive motivator. People who feel competent in their work generally are more positive and when recognized for their accomplishments, can feel more motivated. Managers should talk to employees about their strengths and help them learn skills they need to improve in the areas where they might be struggling. Managers can reinforce progress with Sparks or notes of encouragement on the Recognition Wall.

We spend a lot of time with our co-workers even in a virtual, remote setting. Employees want to have strong relationships with their co-workers and feel valued and heard by their boss. Regular check-ins with employees can help develop a sense of relatedness. Taking the time to listen and understand the challenges faced as well as what is motivating them, will help managers to better engage employees over time. With the Truvelop app, managers can increase touchpoints with employees, which can create a stronger relationship.

By helping employees to feel more in control, more competent and more valued, managers will be able to drive the motivating factors that keep improving employee engagement and satisfaction.

Contact us today to learn more about our modern approach to performance management and development that actually improves the manager and employee relationship. Don’t just take our word for it, see what our Customers have to say.