Rome wasn’t built in a day, but we can assume the actual builders of the eternal city wished that it had. An admirable achievement, whether that be the construction of a great feat of architecture, or turning a failing business into a profitable endeavor, is always going to require a certain degree of determination and motivation.
Motivation, however, is a fickle feeling. What motivates many will likely lead more to the depths of apathy. Far too many corporate leaders and business owners to count have pulled their proverbial hair out attempting to inspire their workers. That’s the thing about inspiration, though; trying to force it defeats the purpose. Motivation is one of those elusive qualities that one must find for themselves.
A fascinating piece of research published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology even details how motivation tends to shift and evolve as an individual begins, progresses towards, and ultimately reaches an end goal. That study suggests when we begin a project, plan, or resolution, motivation often stems from the hope and excitement that comes with that new opportunity, fresh start, etc. As time goes on, however, individuals eventually derive their motivation from a will to finish what they’ve started.
When it comes to the dynamics of motivation among employees specifically, another study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that organizational empowerment or motivational initiatives tend to backfire when placed in the hands of power-hungry executives and middle managers.
While there likely isn’t any one absolute answer to the always relevant conundrum of how to optimize workplace motivation, recent years have seen a number of noteworthy revelations come to light. Here are just a few of the factors known to influence motivation.
Instant incentives
When it comes to rewarding stellar job performances, patience isn’t a motivational virtue. In life it’s often preached that instant gratification is a foolhardy pursuit, but a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology suggests workers reaped more motivation to finish a given task from immediate incentives as opposed to either delayed rewards or even larger incentives. For example, instead of offering an employee a hefty bonus after they finish an assignment or land a big sale, managers should consider offering smaller, periodic compensation throughout the duration of a work project.
Everyone needs a break
It’s become troublingly common across modern corporate settings for bosses to expect their employees to be available at any hour of the day, any day of the week. Accelerated by the meteoric rise of remote work and more flexible working arrangements, this “always available” mentality may look good on a spreadsheet, but it’s an absolute motivation killer. No one should have to answer emails on a Sunday, or take a business call on a holiday, and doing so extracts a tangible toll on worker morale.
Research published in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes indicates that when we work during time typically considered “off-hours,” it leads to rumination over how that supposedly personal time could or should have been spent, ultimately lowering both work enjoyment and motivation.
Highlight high achievers
Different personalities and dispositions produce different workers, and we’re all familiar with the high achiever. There’s always one or two members of a team or workforce who are more than happy to go the extra mile in everything they do. While such individuals rarely have a problem finding their own motivation, a study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology reports they can also serve as sources of stimulus for co-workers. Scientists say high achievers should be placed in a pivotal position within teams and around workflows, so as to ensure they come into contact with as many co-workers as possible, as their zest for work often proves contagious.
Autopilot off
Managers looking to extinguish lethargy and laziness among their workforces may want to hold off on joining the AI revolution for at least a few more years. Telling research published in Frontiers in Robotics and AI found that human workers tend to see their motivation disappear when paired with a robotic or automated co-worker. Participants scored much worse, and put in less effort, during a task if they believed a robot had already worked on the same project.
Role models & motivation
When picking a role model, it’s best to keep your choice realistic. Spiderman is an exciting super hero, but he’s quite difficult to emulate in the real world. Putting potential radioactive spiders aside for a moment, one STEM-centric study published in Basic and Applied Social Psychology tells us that much greater levels of motivation can be found by aspiring to be like hard workers (Edison, Tesla) as opposed to geniuses (Einstein, Hawking). Being born brilliant certainly doesn’t sound half bad, but it’s much more inspiring to believe anything is possible with enough hard work and determination.
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