MOTIVATING EMPLOYEES

Following a multiyear study, Tersa A. Amabile and Steven J. Kramer concluded that PROGRESS is the top motivator of employee performance. That is, “when workers have the sense they’re making headway in their jobs, or when they receive support that helps them overcome obstacles, their emotions are most positive and their drive to succeed at its peak.” What Really Motivates Workers, Amabile and Kramer, The HBR List: Breakthrough Ideas for 2010 (January-February 2010). Recognition, incentives, interpersonal support, support for making progress and clear goals were listed as factors believed by managers of over 600 companies to be the most significant workplace factors to make employees enthusiastic.

The authors go on to suggest their finding should be welcomed insight as progress of employees is within the control of management, and advise that mangers should “[s]crupulously avoid impeding progress by changing goals autocratically, being indecisive, or holding up resources.”

Set achievable goals and provide necessary resources to allow employees to visualize measure and achieve progress.