Motivation in Ob

Introduction

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Motivation of the workforce is a topic that has been discussed by many people and very rightly so. If one could just find the one motivation that works for all employees!!!.

The importance of motivation

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Employee motivation is important. We all want to start our day excited about what we are doing. At the end of the day, we want to feel like we have accomplished something and that someone has noticed, appreciated, and benefited from our efforts.

Recognition is what encourages us to want to come back tomorrow.

Motivation can have an effect on the output of the business quantity and quality.

What are some of the most important Motivation Theories and how they still influence our day-to-day work.

Having explored some of the theories of Herzberg (the Hygiene factors/motivators and his vertical loading), and then Maslow's Hierarchy (of needs and others) what I have tried here is to link some of these theories with my own work experience.

One cannot help but start with Maslow's Hierarchy of needs which listed five basic needs, the highest being self actualization. Maslow sees this as what humans can be, they must be or at least becoming everything that one is capable of becoming.

Maslow also argued that these needs are not necessarily in a fixed order. However, he also suggests that

- A satisfied need is not a motivator.

- Lack of need satisfaction can affect mental health.

Of course his theories have been criticized and is it really that much farfetched nowadays?

I personally think that there are elements in his theory that are still valid today.

If you ask teenagers today they would possibly agree that as long as their needs for basic things, like food, water, shelter and affiliation are not met they will not be interested to go to school/university.

Suppose one could argue however, that the lack of these basic needs might drive others to improve the situation as needed and therefore move forward.

Maslow's is a content theory. Content theories are more concerned with what motivates the individual person.

Looking back in life one of the stories that have always fascinated me is the story of the "Tortoise and the Hare". In my organization and being responsible for management of ships as a core business activity, I invariably have the challenge of having to get the deck department and the engine department to work together on board ships. This along with at time about 7 different nationalities can be a big task.. In variably to hit upon the fact that each person is unique and his skills have to be utilized in the best possible manner by identifying them I use the story.

Once upon a time a tortoise and a hare had an argument about who was faster

Tortoise: I am the one who is faster.

Hare: I am the one who is faster

They decided to settle the argument with a race. They agreed on a route and started off the race.

The hare shot ahead and ran briskly for some time. Then seeing he was far ahead of the tortoise, he thought he would sit under a tree for some time and relax before continuing the race.

He sat under a tree and soon fell asleep. The tortoise plodding on overtook him and finished the race emerging as the undisputed champ. The hare when he woke up realized that he had lost the race. Now the moral of the story as we all know is that "slow and steady wins the race".

This is the version of the story that we all grew up with. But are we all content is what I ask my team on board my ships

The hare like all of us has his own self esteem (internal factors) and he looked towards the drive to achieve what one is capable of (self actualization).

And that's where the story continues

Disappointed with the loss and did some soul searching. He realized that he did lost the race only because he was overconfident and lax. If he had not taken things for granted there's no way the tortoise could have beaten him.

So he challenged the tortoise to another race. The tortoise agreed. This time the hare went all the way from start to finish without stopping and won by several miles.

Now seeing the moral of this story "Fast and consistent will always beat the slow and steady" and

as a manger when I have two people,