Motivation at work – what is it and why is it important?

Motivation at work should be something that organizations should work on very well. Read this text and learn a little more about the subject.

What is motivation?

“Motivation”, from the dictionary definition, is “an act or effect of arousing interest in something.” So, here we already have an idea of how strong and decisive this factor is within the corporate environment.

Motivation at work is directly related to the desire to stay in the job. However, it goes beyond that, as this is the feeling that can drive most of your actions within the environment.

In short, is the desire to fulfill the goals that have been set. And, with that, be able to achieve good results, both for internal reasons (employee desires) and for external stimuli.

It is a very important point within organizational dynamics, however, it often ends up being rare in many companies.

Motivation is such a decisive factor that it directly influences an individual's behavior at work, intrinsically relating to the employee's commitment to the company.

Therefore, we can understand that the more motivated a professional is, the better he or she will perform his or her duties. Furthermore, the higher his or her productivity will be.

How important is motivation at work?

Here, it would be very superficial if we mentioned just one important point, so see what we indicate below as the main factors:

1) Improves employees’ self-esteem

One of the greatest benefits of motivation at work is the increase in self-esteem and, consequently, in employees' confidence in the organization. After all, feeling that the workplace is perfect for working is one of the best feelings one can have.

Motivated, Employees begin to see themselves in a positive light and also behave more proactively. This makes them feel so good about themselves that they transmit this energy to other employees, thus improving the organizational climate.

This improvement in self-esteem is reflected not only in the work environment, but also in the productivity of employees, who are able to produce more on their own and even start to adopt more innovative practices.

Furthermore, this well-being ends up being reflected in our personal lives, after all, if we are happy in the place where we earn our living, we also experience peace and well-being outside of the business environment.

Remember: when employees are motivated, they are more engaged. They achieve better results for the company, as they perform their roles with greater satisfaction.

2) Time optimization

This is one of the most analyzed points when talking about benefits related to motivation at work, as it is what will make the most difference in the company's daily life in general.

This is because when an employee is motivated, he ends up working faster and better.

In this way, the company is able to significantly save resources and even accelerate its internal growth, as it will not waste time unnecessarily.

Furthermore, by optimizing time, employees gain a better quality of life and, consequently, there is also a reduction in stress in the work environment.

Also: a good way to stimulate and increase productivity is to work with agile methodologies, which have generated great benefits in the job market (there are several courses in this area).

These strategies, for development, aim at more efficient and assertive functioning, having a great impact on the final result of the actions performed.

These management methodologies value the dynamics and interaction between employees and cooperation with the client, in addition to seeking to adapt to changes that may arise along the way.

3) Personal growth

There are several ways to evolve, however, within the professional sphere, nothing works better, more effectively, than the motivation to become productive, proactive and, in this way, leave our comfort zone, seeking new challenges.

Those who are motivated seek new opportunities and experiment with an innovative way of acting, a new way of performing their functions, going beyond repetitive work.

As we have already mentioned, motivation can lead to improved self-esteem and, as part of this process, there is also a employee's personal growth. This is because, with greater self-confidence, it is possible to develop better professionally and personally.

Although motivation at work is generally more focused on productivity and well-being of the company, it is healthy and very common that it also ends up being taken to the personal daily lives of employees. This can also have a positive impact on the company's routine.

With this positive relationship between the employee and the company, the growth cycle feeds back into itself in a fluid way, making both prosper together and ensuring that motivation remains for a long time.

How to stay motivated at work?

First of all, you need to understand what types of motivation exist:

Intrinsic motivation

This type of motivation is directly related to inner strength of each individual. In other words, this is the motivation that depends solely on the person who has it, it is very particular and can vary a lot.

This type of motivation, despite being individual in nature, is usually affected by internal and external factors, and may be stimulated by objectives, goals, dreams and also personal interests.

Extrinsic motivation

Extrinsic motivation is directly related to external factors. It is motivation linked to the collective, that is, it is how the company will motivate its workers to produce more efficiently and effectively.

To the awards or bonuses offered to employees achieving monthly or weekly goals are good examples of attitudes that can be promoted in the workplace to increase this type of motivation.

Furthermore, motivation in the workplace can also be encouraged by diverse activities, training and other benefits for the work team as a whole.

Based on this information, always try to surround yourself with things that bring good stimuli and provide well-being. It is also important to see conflicting situations as challenges to be overcome and not barriers to your success.

Organize the work environment

According to the website from the Brazilian Coaching Institute, the tip for organizing your work environment is:

Start early – Arriving a little early to organize your things helps to not take up your work time;

Tidy up your desk – Organize where each item will go (computer, pen holder, desk decorations, papers, books). Preferably, put all the papers in a box, describing on the lid what each item refers to. After that, gather up the accumulated trash and get rid of it.

Prioritize the day's activities – Prioritize the most important ones by listing your daily activities. Do the most important ones first, as they directly affect the delivery of results.

Limit the time for each task – Here, the idea is to optimize time and avoid distractions.

Take breaks – Short, regular breaks help to ensure that your performance and productivity do not suffer. This way, you can stay focused and do your work more effectively.

Set goals

When you seek meaning in what you are proposing to do, your concentration on work increases by 100%.

According to Dr. Ricardo Monezi, from Unifesp: “to convince the brain that your professional activity is important, you need to show it that this activity makes you grow and also makes you have fun in some way.

In other words, the tip is to try see the good side of the activity you are doing, even if it is not your dream activity. If it is something boring, think that behind it there is a purpose, a greater mission”.

Therefore, setting goals helps you focus on what you are doing and avoid idleness.

Value your job

We know that these are not easy times for the job market.

Many adaptations had to be made so that people could continue working, facing all the advents of the pandemic, each in their own way.

Therefore, thinking that the opportunity you have to earn a living is one of the reasons to make your dedication to work worthwhile.

Remember that many good things can come from it. You may have material or immaterial achievements (a sense of achievement), but always try to weigh the positive side so you don't get discouraged and continue on your journey.

Not every day will be easy, but it will be through them that you will grow and have even more knowledge to achieve your goals.

Build relationships

If there is one thing that is certain in the world, it is that people cannot do everything alone.

Even more so within corporations, it is important to build relationships. Help is always welcome and having colleagues can even help with mental health issues.

Competitiveness may exist, but not everyone thinks only about gaining status. Consider that having colleagues where you work can bring enriching experiences.

Take breaks during the journey

Breaks are essential, as we said before. They help your mind rest for a period of time so that you can be more productive.

Short coffee breaks help the brain “breathe”.

Empower yourself

Studying broadens horizons and brings wonderful results in professional life (which also implies an increase in quality of life outside the organizational scope).

Take courses in the area in which you work or want to work, check out what's new in the niche you're in and, most importantly, always allow yourself to learn.

Nobody knows everything and knowledge sets you free!

How to deal with demotivation?

Dealing with demotivation in the workplace is not easy. However, this is a challenge that companies need to know how to adapt to and be able to resolve.

It is important to remember that when employees know they can be rewarded for achieving goals, they feel more encouraged to work even harder.

To overcome demotivation, a strategy that can bring surprising results is praise.

That's right, a simple compliment can change an employee's day and greatly increase their motivation levels. However, for this to work, the compliment needs to be sincere, as it is obvious when something is said without being true.

It is important to say that, at the first sign of demotivation, it is necessary stop reproducing/disseminating negative speech and thoughts of the work environment.

These behaviors are very harmful to the organizational climate and can even generate even more demotivation.

Conclusion

In today's article, you learned several things about motivation and also how to deal with demotivation within the corporate environment.

Mental health is very important and helps to provide incentives so that people, in addition to feeling comfortable where they work, feel that their work is being recognized, a crucial point for tasks to be performed satisfactorily.

In addition to everything, a good organizational climate is remarkable and ends up infecting the people who come into contact with it.

So, if you are a team leader, always pay attention to your employees and use strategies so that your team does not get discouraged.

Even though we are in a pandemic and have many challenges, it is very important to always think about people and how they feel.

Content Team Theadmin September 26, 2021

Development