Discussion Can Leaders Really Motivate Employees? In today\'s turbulent environm
ID: 327722 • Letter: D
Question
Discussion
Can Leaders Really Motivate Employees?
In today's turbulent environment, success depends on employees using their skills and capabilities to the fullest. Employee motivation can be a challenge at work. Those leaders who don’t emphasize employee satisfaction as a key part of the organizational strategy will not be able to leverage the potential of the human assets to the fullest.
Every person needs motivation at work. The reasons for working vary widely, but we all work because we obtain something that we need from work. This affects morale, production, retention, and overall quality of life. To create positive employee motivation, employees must have a voice and feel that they are worthy to the team and to the organization.
Can leaders really motivate employees? If so, how and for how long?
Is there a way to create and sustain a motivating environment that will also help retain talent? What is it? How does it work?
Write your initial response in 300–500 words.
Explanation / Answer
Difference between a good organisation and an excellent one is its employee. An organisation can have the best of equipments, best technology and best infrastructure; but if its employees are not motivated, it will never be a sustainably successful company.
I will try to explain the importance of motivation and leaders role in it through Maslow's hierarchy of needs. According to Maslow, there are 5 levels of basic human needs :
1. Physiological Needs (Food, water, clothes and other survival things) : Most organisations fullfil this need by paying salary. If the salary provided by the company is not enough for the emplyee to fulfil their physiological needs, they will leave the organisation irrespective of how motivated they are. This is the most basic need for survival.
2. Safety (Need to feel safe and secure) : Safety at work is also very important. In addition to physical safety, job security and a belief in the employee that they will not lose the job for no reason is very important.
3. Love (Need to feel Loved) : This particular need is fulfilled by family, friends and close colleagues.
4. Self Esteem (Feel respected) : This is where leaders and organisations can make a huge difference. By respecting the diginity of every individual and managing conflicts effectively, leaders can create a workforce of high motivation. This does not mean to overlook the mistakes and errors of employees but to tackle such situations in a way that the message is put across the employee without hurting his self respect.
5. Self Actualization (Feel that one is doing the best one can) : Good leaders have this amazing ability to see the potential in the employee which even the employee could not see in themselves. These leaders empower their employees to take up new assignments and back them when they commit mistakes and help them when they are stuck. By doing all this, they are able to unlock tremendous skill and ability in the employee. This gives the employee high degree of motivation to contonue in the organisation.
If the leaders are able to accomplish 4th and 5th level of motivation, then the employee can stay motivated for a long time, possibly till the end of their working career. This way it is sustainable and becomes a culture of the organisation.