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Workplace Motivation

Workplace motivation is one of the most important aspects of good management. It may be a complex, frustrating issue, but unless it is understood, and managed effectively, few organizations will flourish.

Some writers think that most employees are naturally pre-disposed to enthusiasm for their work, demonstrating an inherent preference for engagement and achievement.

Ironically, it can be managers themselves who dampen this ardour, through either poor management or a lack of understanding of what workplace motivation is all about.

Two quotes make this point rather succinctly:

"Most of what we call management consists of making it difficult for people to get their jobs done." (Peter Drucker);

"... the key question is not how to motivate employees, but how to sustain - and prevent management from destroying - the motivation that employees naturally bring to their jobs." (David Sirota, et al).

This page contains links to the Happy Manager's articles, tools and resources, on the subject of workplace motivation. Make sure you're a manager who not only understands workplace motivation, but one who manages it!

Articles on Workplace Motivation

What's Your Motivation in the Workplace: How Do You Define Your Work?
What's your motivation in the workplace? Would you define your work as a job or a calling? Here are two stories to show how you can make more out of your job, however you view it!

Employee Motivation Program: Play Your Ace!
Base your employee motivation program on the things that really matter to employees. Years of extensive research reveals how to keep enthusiastic employees enthusiastic. For the proven benefit of all!

Maslow Motivation Theory
The Maslow motivation theory is one of the best known and most influential theories on workplace motivation. Maslow's 'Hierarchy of Needs' is still one of the most influential motivational theories. Here we cover the essentials.

The Value of a Good Manager? People Leave Managers, Not Companies
Here's perhaps the best management tip of all. Whilst there may be many things we dislike about our jobs, the relationship between managers and employees is arguably the most critical. Employees who are well managed can forgive many of an organisation's shortcomings. When people are badly managed, there can be unhappiness, reduced efficiency and high staff turnover. When we resign, we often leave poor managers, not the organisation.

What Makes a Good Manager?
Whether you're entering a management role for the first time, moving to a new level, or simply taking time to reflect, asking this question should be your starting point. And it's an important one!

What Makes a Happy Company? Twelve Questions to Shape a Strong, Vibrant, Workplace
Twelve Questions to Shape a Strong, Vibrant, Workplace. Some critical ideas and tips for anybody who wants to manage a happier workplace.

Why is Teamwork Important? 8 Good Reasons!
Why is teamwork important? Well it's one thing to create a team, but quite another to create teamwork. Just as it's one thing to join a team, but quite another to perform as a team member. To put it simply, teams don't work without teamwork.

Our "Optimum Performance" series of articles:

Improving Motivation at Work: In Search of Optimum Performance
This is the first article in a series dealing with optimum performance at work. How do you go about improving motivation at work? Perhaps by seeking optimum performance. Managing is essentially a balancing act. The manager's role requires constant adjustment of resources, priorities and focus, and that's without that other great balancing act - work and life!

Self Motivation: Let it Flow
Does self motivation come easy to you? We often talk about people being 'in the flow' or 'in the zone'. In our second article on optimum performance we look at ways to create 'flow' in our work.

Work Motivation: Play to Your Strengths
Work motivation. How do you view work? Are you weighed-down or buoyed-up by what you do? Change your view of work by playing to your strengths.

Time Management in the Workplace: Creating Discretionary Time
In this article we discuss choice and time management in the workplace. Imposed demands on our time tend to make us feel trapped. Building more choice into how we spend our time, and how we perform our work, can reduce stress and make work more fulfilling.

Tips and Tools

Intrinsic Extrinsic Motivation - the Basics
Do you want to understand the basics of intrinsic extrinsic motivation? Workplace motivation can be a difficult and complex subject but it's still important to understand the basics.

Maslow Motivation Theory
The Maslow motivation theory is one of the best known theories on workplace motivation. Though more than half a century old, Maslow's 'Hierarchy of Needs' is still a widely read and influential motivational theory. Here we cover the essentials.

Self Motivation Techniques: Coping with Work Difficulties
Sometimes we may need self motivation techniques to help us cope with difficult situations at work. Whatever is causing you to be unhappy at work, here are some techniques which may help you change things for the better.

What Makes People Happy at Work? Fifteen Factors!
What makes people happy at work? Here are fifteen critical factors, distilled from exhaustive academic and practitioner research. 3 general principles and 12 specific questions to read in a minute!

"Stories have enormous power in terms of recall. If you look at statistics, or at PowerPoint, or at documents, what you discover from all the research is that there is almost no recall. What will be remembered are a few compelling stories that you share with your organization and with your team. And those will guide them when they are far away from you – which, by the way, is much of the day.”— Professor Jay Conger

Jay Conger is the Henry R. Kravis Research Chair in Leadership Studies, at Claremont McKenna College. He's also one of the leading business and management experts who have contributed to the stunning video story library at Fifty Lessons. Follow the link (left) to Cwerty.com, the official Fifty Lessons distributor. There you can explore the real power of story telling. Follow Cwerty's "Fifty Lessons" link, then click "Stories at Work", at the bottom of the page. You'll be able to see Professor Conger telling you himself.

"Developing a succession of talented managers and inspiring leaders is at the heart of all successful organizations. Designed for the 21st century, Fifty Lessons has developed a comprehensive and compelling resource of management and leadership lessons from some of the world’s most successful business leaders. In the form of short and powerful videos, we capture these leaders’ most important learning experiences, share their real-world business acumen, and discover the guiding principles behind their most important business decisions and their career progression."

There can be no better example of the power - and value - of story telling, than the Fifty Lessons videos. A worthwhile investment for individuals or organisations, which we're more than happy to recommend!