The Benefits of a Motivating Environment

Many managers are hard driving and very practical. They will say, “Give me a business reason to do this motivation stuff.” The reality is that motivation is the absolute key to driving productivity and increasing profit. Just ask companies like Southwest Airlines.

Consider these facts as outlined in a survey of the nonmanagerial workforce in the United States, conducted in 1983 by the Public Agenda Forum:

•   Less than one in four U.S. workers is working at full potential.

•   Half of the workers surveyed said they did not put any effort into their job beyond what was required to hold it.

•   Seventy-five percent responded that they could be significantly more effective in their jobs than they are.

•   Sixty percent responded that they don’t work as hard as they used to.

There is every indication to believe that since 1983, things have not gotten better—they have gotten worse. The reasons are very simple: Corporate America has not given employees a reason to believe in their companies or in their leadership. Employees are promoted into management roles and don’t know how to lead. The blame must then be placed squarely on the shoulders of leadership. Employees are obviously not being provided a work environment that encourages them to want to work. In looking at the results of this survey, a smart manager could increase effectiveness 75 percent and get 60 percent of the workers to work harder. The results could be a staggering increase in productivity.

There is clear and compelling evidence that a motivating environment pays huge dividends. In a study on training investment and impact, conducted in September of 2000 by the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD), it was proven that investment in training had a significant impact on financial performance. Two thousand five hundred companies were surveyed, and the companies that invested the most in training had a total shareholder return that was 86 percent higher than those companies on the lower half of the training investment list, and a 45 percent better return than the market average.

There are hundreds of reports and statistics that prove a motivating environment is essential to the success of an organization. Promoting this kind of environment will have the following impacts:

•   Productivity will increase

•   Employee turnover will decrease

•   Absenteeism will decrease

•   Sales will increase

•   Customer service will be improved

•   Employee litigation claims will decrease

•   The quality of candidates will improve

•   Cash flow will improve

•   Efficiency will go up

•   Profits will be increased

I have interviewed hundreds of job candidates throughout my career, and I am always amazed at what interviewees say about their current managers. They tell me their manager has never had a conversation with them, they don’t get development, or they feel unneeded, undervalued, ignored. This is typical and common in the workplaces of America. How many negative comments do we hear from friends and family about their horrible bosses? It is a sad commentary on the state of management in today’s work world. However, there is good news: As managers, we have the ability to be an impetus for change.

Below and on the next two pages is an assessment you can complete to determine the aspects of motivation that currently exist on your team, and to what degree they are developed.