Employee motivation is a critical tool for employers, considering that it defines the company’s success. Naturally, if people are satisfied with their job and everything that comes with it, then it is likely that their performance will be outstanding. Overall, it is of utmost importance for employers to constantly motivate the staff with various types of rewards to inspire them to be hard-working and contribute to the company’s success.
To begin with, it is critical to analyze how the motivation or lack thereof impacts employees to realize how and why employers should reward their workers. Richard, an employee in a local pool company, answered two questions regarding his work experience. When asked about what made him feel exceptionally good about his job, he chose recognition from the employer. It is likely that when Richard gets positive feedback for his work, it inspires him to work harder, especially in the position he has, which requires difficult physical labor. As a matter of fact, the praise can convey a message to the employee that one is valued and respected in the company.
It seems that Richard loves his job, and his salary is not the most critical element, considering that his answer to this question focused on psychological reward and not monetary. This is why it was quite shocking to learn about what made him feel bad about his job at the pool company. It turns out that Richard is not entirely satisfied with his salary, working more than 40 hours a week; he would expect to get a raise, especially if the feedback is any indication of his outstanding performance. Unfortunately, in Richard’s opinion, his employer does not adequately monetary rewards him for his duties and responsibilities at the company. All in all, it can be concluded that the employees value not only the positive feedback, praise, and recognition but the monetary rewards as well when it comes to job satisfaction.
The survey with Richard is yet another example of Herzberg’s Two-Factor theory, which concludes that job satisfaction and dissatisfaction are not mutually exclusive. Herzberg specified that there are sets of motivators that either decrease or increase job satisfaction, but they are entirely independent, and, thus, an employee can be simultaneously satisfied and dissatisfied with his position. For instance, the researcher claimed that physical rewards such as praise, feedback, and personal growth are the factors that can only increase employee motivation. Yet the actual working conditions, salary, and workplace settings cannot increase job satisfaction but, in fact, decrease dissatisfaction. In the case of Richard, it is apparent that he loves his job and feels valued in the company, but he is still dissatisfied with his monetary rewards. It does not mean that he wants to leave the company, but rather that he is not motivated because, in his opinion, he is underpaid, so his performance remains as good as his paycheck.
To sum up, it can be concluded that employers have to spend their time motivating their employees because it is crucial for the company’s success. Therefore, they should opt for increasing job satisfaction by giving good feedback and making workers feel valued in the company. It is also critical to consider the factors that can decrease job dissatisfaction, such as fair salary, comfortable work settings, and fair rules within the company. Overall, it is impossible to reach entire satisfaction with the job, but employers should pay attention to not only intrinsic rewards but extrinsic ones as well.