Some people are motivated by money, some by power, some by a compulsion to help others…the list is probably endless or nearly so. Of course, your job performance motivators could also be a combination of influences. Maybe you want to earn really good money but you also would be happy to be the person in charge of a group or organization. Maybe you would like to earn a great salary but you also have a drive to help people less fortunate than you are–which can present a challenge if the organizations who do what you want to do tend to not pay well. Also, your job performance motivators might change at different points in your professional and personal life. We don’t necessarily stay exactly the same people as we started out being.
C-Suite Turnover and Long-Term Incentives
A couple of weeks ago, I read an item from BlueSteps (based on the 2012 Executive Compensation Report) that discussed key job performance motivators for C-level executives. The opening paragraph indicated that “even though turnover in the C-suite is increasingly rapid, 65.4% of global executives, from a survey of 731 executives worldwide, believe long-term incentives do in fact motivate them to higher levels of performance.” Many of those executives commented that the growing lack of such incentives was having a significant effect on the high turnover rate at their level. I found it interesting that the article mentioned well-publicized mammoth salary and compensation packages for some executives and commented that many executives earn more moderate amounts and, at least in some cases, have seen their compensation actually decrease.
Employee Motivation a Complex Issue
Do you understand what motivates you as an employee? Whether you’re a senior executive or much lower down the ranks, you will have at least one factor that motivates you in your job performance–probably more. But do you know what those factors are, and do you have a clear grasp of their relative importance to you?
Countless studies have been made and articles/books written on this subject, and as far as I can see, there’s still a substantial amount of uncertainty and disagreement about the complex issue of employee motivation. For example, an article on Employee Motivation found on the Practical Management website has this to say: “High motivation is a significant contributor to exceptional performance….However, motivating employees is complicated since it depends upon individual needs, aspirations and values.”
Some people believe the factors that motivate performance aren’t so complicated. Thomas Haizlip, an executive coach, is apparently one of them, as indicated in his article on “10 Tips to Boost Job Performance“. The factors he says are “simple to understand, easy to measure” and potentially very valuable to organizations are:
- Interesting work
- Appreciation & recognition
- Feeling involved in the work process
- Achievement
- Job security
- Increased responsibility
- Good wages
- Good working conditions
- Being part of a team
- Help with personal problems
Obviously, there can be exceptions to just about anything, so these could certainly be open to interpretation and argument. However, you might receive some value from reviewing the list and deciding which of these items constitute as least a portion of your job performance motivators. The next step could be to review your current job and career situation and determine whether your key motivators are being met well or seem to lack fulfillment in your present environment. In the latter case, you might want to give serious consideration to mapping out and executing some changes, which could involve either looking for other opportunities with your current employer or seeking an opportunity with a different employer.
