Employee motivation is vital to the success of any business or organisation. Achieving it may seem elusive but its benefit outweighs any reservation we may have. 

It helps to retain employees and increase the level of productivity in an organisation.

Recent research shows that employees work 20% better when motivated. This means that a company’s treatment of its employees can positively affect its result and productivity level.

When employees are motivated, they will do more but when they are not motivated, they will be less productive.

In this post, we will be looking at what is motivation? And the benefits of a motivated workforce

Let’s get started

What is motivation?

Motivation is derived from the word “motive” which means idea, need, emotion or organic state which promote a man to action. 

Stanley Vance defines motivation as “any emotion or desire which conditions one’s will that the individual is propelled into action”.

It is the process of getting the needs of the people realised with a view to induce them to work for the accomplishment of the organisational objective. 

motivation is that thing that encourages you to give your best performance. It is what compels and pushes you to achieve those goals and desires.

Motivation can be seen in how driven and happy an employee is when performing his or her task. Motivation makes employees work hard and produce a quality job.

Let's dive into the benefits of a motivated workforce

1. Decrease in absenteeism

According to a Gallup study, employee engagement and motivation reduces absenteeism by 41% and increases productivity by 17%.

It is obvious that an unmotivated employee feels uneasy at the workplace so they are constantly taking days off for sickness or other reasons. That will ultimately increase absenteeism. 

On the other hand, if an employee is motivated in an organisation, they are more likely to be willing to work and give their best to it.

2. Retention of workers

Motivated employees are 87% less likely to resign. This means that if employees are motivated in an organisation it lowers the level of staff turnover. If employees are motivated, they don’t switch to other jobs. 

This is very important for businesses because employees that have stayed long in the organisation have much more experience of the work environment than someone coming in new. 

This can help organisations save the time and cost that they would use to train a new employee. 

3. Enhance work efficiency

Motivation helps develop the working efficiency of employees. 

It encourages employees to work harder, arrives to work on time and focus on their daily tasks. This can increase the productivity of the organisation. 

Organisations that motivate their employees regularly see a 27% rise in profit.

4. Improves the relationship between management and workers

Motivation helps to maintain coordination and develop a feeling of harmony among workers and management, it minimises disputes between the management and workers. 

All members of the staff concentrate their effort to achieve the objective of the organisation and carry out the plans in accordance with the policies and programs laid down by the organisation.

Motivated employees are more likely to accept changes that can bring about organisational growth without dispute.

5. Improves work quality

Motivated employees make the best utilisation of their skills, knowledge and capabilities, these can be transformed into enhanced performance and higher productivity. 

Motivation helps to increases the standard of their work as they tend to put more effort into their job. 

When employees are motivated, they feel obliged to put in their best to the completion of their assigned tasks.

6. Continuous development of employees

Motivated employees will try to be as efficient as possible. They push each other towards achieving their personal and organisational goals. 

This helps in facilitating their self-development as they are eager to improve their skills and knowledge so they may be able to contribute to the progress of the organisation as much as possible. 

7. Better utilisation of resources

Motivated employees carry out the plans, policies and programs put in place by the organisation by utilising resources to the best of their effort. 

They work towards minimising wastage and create the willingness to share resources with their colleagues. This can help the organisation save costs. 

The value of having a motivated workforce cannot be overlooked as the success of any business or organisation depends on it