Friday, September 18, 2009

Using Psychology To Understand Worker Needs

By Ashley Cole

A lot of employees are unhappy with their career and are poorly motivated because after their basic biological needs have been satisfied (the ability to eat and survive), the rest of their needs are unmet (for example, the need to be mentally stimulated and challenged).

To change this it is first necessary to identify the different needs that people have. By singly identifying these needs you can make specific strategies for each to improve workplace motivation.

- Mental. They incorporate the basic requirements of life; air, nourishment and sleep. This is the first reason that people are motivated to work. If the lose of employment results in a chance of starving or the lose of a home, most people will naturally work harder than they otherwise would.

- Safety. On the meeting of biological needs, people may proceed to work hard to maintain the security of their job. However, for the majority their motivation will extend no further. Having established the security of their job, their missing motivation is a result of higher and deeper needs like the ones below.

- Interpersonal. Co-worker compatibility plays an important role. If relationships are sour or generally lacking, boredom results with unmotivated workers taking extra long lunch breaks or being regularly late for work. Make an effort to plan office outings and team-building sessions.

- Ego. Many managers subconsciously neglect this important need. To create buoyant and motivated employees, it is necessary to have them feel appreciated and important. When someone performs well on a project, give them rewards such as bonuses or time off.

- Self-Actualization. Offerings which mentally challenge workers and provide a chance of growth are ideal as a strategy to improve workplace motivation. Give greater responsibilities where possible and opt to have some kind of program that offers incentives where motivated workers are able to receive commissions.

About the Author:

0 comments: