In this week’s discussion we focus on motivational techniques in which an
individual's passion, direction and determination of effort in attaining a goal.
In the workplace,particularly a decentralized structured organization, tasks
are distributed among employees and individuals are responsible to
complete such tasks, but unfortunately, not all individuals possess the same
motivational attributes that allow for a smooth and efficiently run
organization. Because not all individuals naturally have that motivational
instinct that many employers wish their staff had, motivational techniques
and factors have been well discussed and analyzed with this week’s
resources.
Throughout my work life experience, beginning at age 15 working as a
salesgirl in my neighborhood bakery, I can always remember my favorite
aspect of the working experience is giving my effort in all that I did and being
reciprocated with acknowledgement from my higher up. In different work
scenarios and under different employers, I have learned that appreciation
and acknowledgement for hard work and a job well done comes in different
forms. This took me a while to understand. At first, I believed that unless an
employer directly came to me and said “we need you here” or “you are our
best employee”. But as I obtained more experience in the workforce, I
learned the different strategies of motivation that exist and the need for
employees to understand such behaviors.
During my bakery days, that acknowledgement of a job well done came in
the form of discounted goods that my boss would let us take home. I began
to notice that the employees who would come in late or were not up to his
standards, he would have them pay regular price. This may not have been
the proper way to address his happiness with employees but this was a
motivational tactic that worked for me because my family had many large
parties where my boss would provides the desserts always at a discounted
price, so the incentive to be a great employee in order to save my parents
money on bakery expenses was motivational.
In my adult career, 10% off pastries and cookies do not cut it. In my field, I
have worked under several employers, all who offer different motivational
strategies. Under one employer, his motivational tactics was the type of
motivation I thought I always desired - more duties at a job well done would
mean more money. But working in my current office, I realized that is not the
best motivational tactic for me. With an employer who paid more, I felt any
increase in salary had been held against me and used to justify any and all
tasks assigned to me, even if they were the responsibility of another
employee, but because I would get a raise, I was expected to be flexible.
Instead, in my current workplace, I certainly agreed to a lesser salary but the
qualities of the workplace make up for that 100 fold. Flexibility to make my
own schedule, trust and respect to make executive decisions and a high tech
office are all motivation factors that have kept me very happy in my work
