Motivation system

Motivation system is a term that describes one of the management instruments. It consists of purposely chosen motivators which are all connected to each other; they satisfy the assumptions and the mission of company by encouraging the employees to certain behaviors and practices.

Motivation system supports processes of undertaking decisions, planning and controlling (Stabryła 1996).

Beginnings of motivation systems

Basically, motivation is described as a need that causes a person to take some action. Most of the times, this process comes from a desire which leads to behavior and then is connected to a reward. There has been underlined a few theories about motivation and its sources. The most common are:

• Reward and punishment theory - very significant instruments which are connected mostly with promotion perspectives for employees; they create constant behaviors for reaching company's aims and also they eliminate unwanted actions. Rules for these issues in particular are most often executed by the management board.
• Needs theory - firstly combined by Maslow, these instruments assume that every little action is being undertaken because of a need or a desire that every human has, even not-knowing about them. The Maslow's hierarchy consists of five levels in so-called ‘pyramid of Maslow’, where the most basic needs are located at the bottom (order of the needs: physiological, safety, belonging, esteem, self-actualization).
• Process theory - underlines psychological acts that affect motivation, which are values, aims and justice.

Motivation in companies

Assuming that associations are based on a rewarding system of motivation, we can distinguish processes of encouraging the employees at three levels:

1. Earning motivation (bonuses, raises in wages, perks)
2. Non-earning material motivation (health programs, insurances, company gadgets, conferences, special trainings)
3. Non-earning non-material motivation:

• Organizational - promotion possibilities, authority, higher information access
• Social and psychological - commendations, self-realization, job certainty
• Technical - working on better ware, assistance.

Beside listed above instruments for encouragement, also the work environment itself takes part as one of the motivator for companies. Each employee gets benefits from good atmosphere at work, decent localization of the firm, good ware to work on and a good economical situation of the company that implies less stressful work.

One of the most important factors occurring in processes of motivating are also principals’ attitudes to all of workers. According to Douglas McGregor (McGregor 1960), the way a superior covers for job is exactly the same as it becomes to all of his subordinates. Another important rule makes that the amount of information that reaches an employee is as significant as it increases his work motivation.

Motivation systems are influenced by certain factors:

• Coming from the outside of the company (i.e. political and tax structures, gross domestic product, unemployment rate, different systems of values)
• Coming from the inside of the company (i.e. enterprise's strategy, organizational structure, competition, size and wideness of the company)

Examples of Motivation system

• Performance-based rewards: Performance-based rewards are one of the most common types of motivation systems. This type of system rewards employees for reaching specific goals or objectives. These rewards can be monetary or non-monetary, such as recognition, extra vacation time, or a better job title or position. For example, a company might offer a bonus or a raise to an employee who meets or exceeds a sales target.
• Recognition and appreciation: Recognition and appreciation are two of the most powerful motivators. This type of motivation system encourages employees by recognizing and appreciating their achievements in the workplace. For example, management could hold an awards ceremony or host an appreciation lunch to recognize employees who have made significant contributions to the organization.
• Flexible work arrangements: Allowing employees to customize their work schedules, such as flexible hours and work from home days, can be a great way of motivating them. This type of motivation system allows employees to balance their work and personal lives, which can help them stay focused and productive. For example, a company could allow employees to come in late on certain days or take an extended lunch break to accommodate their personal schedules.
• Career development opportunities: Providing employees with opportunities to develop their skills and progress in their careers can be an effective way of motivating them. This type of motivation system encourages employees to stay with the organization and reach their full potential. For example, a company could offer employees the chance to attend professional development courses or seminars, or to participate in job or career advancement programs.
• Team building activities: Team building activities are designed to increase collaboration and communication between employees. These activities can help motivate employees by providing a sense of camaraderie and team spirit. For example, a company could organize team-building events such as golf outings, charity runs, or team-building retreats.

Advantages of Motivation system

A well-structured motivation system can bring many advantages to a company. These include:

• Improved employee engagement - A motivated workforce is more likely to stay engaged and perform at a higher level which can result in increased productivity and improved customer service.
• Increased motivation to perform - The rewards or incentives in a motivation system can act as a source of motivation for employees to strive for excellence.
• Improved team morale - A well-structured motivation system can help to build a positive work environment which can lead to better collaboration, higher morale and greater job satisfaction among employees.
• Improved loyalty - A well-designed motivation system can help to foster loyalty among employees as they will be motivated to stay with the company for the long-term.
• Improved communication - A motivation system helps to create an atmosphere of open communication and understanding between employees and the management.
• Increased creativity - A motivation system can help to stimulate creative thinking and problem-solving skills among employees which can result in innovative solutions.

Limitations of Motivation system

• A motivation system can be costly to create and maintain. It requires consistent effort from both the management and the employees to ensure that the system runs smoothly and provides the desired results.
• If the motivation system is not tailored to the specific needs of an organization and its employees, it may be ineffective and not reach its full potential.
• If the management is not consistent or clear in their expectations and rewards, employees may not understand the system and may not be motivated to work as desired.
• The system can also be subject to manipulation by employees, which can lead to a lack of trust and collaboration within the organization.
• A motivation system may also lead to a situation of over-motivation, where employees are incentivized to take excessive risks or put too much pressure on themselves to reach unrealistic goals.

Other approaches related to Motivation system

Other approaches related to the Motivation system include:

• Performance appraisal - a system of evaluation of employee’s performance, which helps to identify areas for improvement and development.
• Employee rewards - a system of rewards for employees that recognizes and encourages performance excellence.
• Job enrichment - a process of changing the job design in order to make it more challenging and meaningful for the employee.
• Employee recognition - a system of recognizing and rewarding employees for their achievements and contributions.
• Organizational culture - a set of shared values, beliefs, and expectations that guide the behavior of the members of the organization.
• Leadership style - the way in which managers interact with their employees in order to motivate and inspire them.

In summary, the motivation system is composed of various components, such as performance appraisal, employee rewards, job enrichment, employee recognition, organizational culture, and leadership style, all of which are designed to reward and encourage employees for their efforts.

Motivation system — recommended articles

Non financial motivation — Management by motivation — Motivation — Atmosphere at work — Internal motivation — Negative motivation — Organizational culture — Organizational commitment — Theory X and Y

References

• Matsubara, Y., & Nagamachi, M. (1996, June). Motivation system and human model for intelligent tutoring. In Intelligent Tutoring Systems (p. 139-147). Springer Berlin Heidelberg.

Author: Anna Wilkońska