Motivation plays a huge role in any organization and directly affects its success. Managers should understand motivation theories and apply effective behavior modification to encourage higher motivation in employees. A motivated workforce is more productive, innovative, and makes the company more competitive. Managers must evaluate each employee individually to understand their needs and where they are lacking motivation to find ways to improve it. Motivation can be increased by applying theories like Maslow's hierarchy of needs to create incentives that fulfill different individual needs. Understanding individual behaviors and needs allows managers to enact plans using positive and negative reinforcement to change negative behaviors and increase motivation.

1. Motivationinthe Workplace
Motivationplaysahuge role in anyorganizationorcompany.The level of motivationcandirectlyaffect
not onlythe qualityof life butcanstrengthenorweakenthe bottomline.Everymanagerandorleader
shouldknowandworkto make sure theykeeptheiremployeesmotivatednomatterwhatplace those
employee'sare intheircareers.Managerscan keeptheiremployeesmotivatedbyidentifyingindividual
factors thatinfluence behavior,understandingandapplyingmotivationtheoriesandenactingeffective
behaviormodificationthatencouragesahigherlevel of motivationforthe individual employee.A
motivatedworkforce canmake anycompanyor organizationacompetitive force.Employeeswhoare
motivatedusuallyproduceata higherlevel,create abetterproductor service andcan be fertile ground
for innovativeideas.
The goal formanagersof all levelsistounderstandindividual behaviorsandevaluate where
improvementsare needed.Afterunderstandingwhatareasneedimprovementthe applicationof
motivational factorcanbe appliedusingmotivationtheory.Once the employeeisbeingmotivatedata
higherlevel the manager'staskistotake that motivationanduse the appropriate behaviormodification
planto helpemployeesremainmotivatedandpositively affectthe atmosphereandcharacterof the
organization.Motivationcandomore than justmake a companyrun more successfullyorproductively.
The lack of motivationcantoa cancer thatcan create apathy,pessimism,cynicism, andcanstifle energy
stuntinga company'sgrowthand justlike cancerif not treatedcandestroythe organization.Managers
have the reasonabilitytoexamine eachindividualandthe areastheyneedimprovement,apply
motivational theoriesintheirbehaviormodificationplan.
Individualsreactanddifferentlytodifferentsituations.Thatiswhyitessential whenaddressing
motivationinthe workplace thatamanagerevaluate theiremployeesonanindividual basisto
understandwhere theyare personallyandorganizationally.Managers mustknow whatisneededforan
individualbeforetheycanfindwaystoimprove the motivationof thatperson.There are five major
stagesor levelsassociatedwithwork-relatedbehaviors.The firstworkrelatedbehaviorisjoiningthe
organizationinwhichanewemployeeisgettingassociatedwiththe group,itspractices,andculture and
findingtheirplace inthatgroup.The secondisremainingwiththe organizationinwhichthe employee
has foundtheirplace.The thirdworkrelatedbehaviorismaintainingworkattendance thismeansnot
onlyshowingtoworkat the righttime butbeingthere whenneeded.The fourthbehaviorisperforming
requiredtasksthismeansbecomingproficientinthe jobandcontributingmore tothe groupor
company.
The final behaviorisorganizationalcitizenshipinwhichthe employee now contributesatahigherlevel
and takeson taskwhere neededandevenoutside of theirduties.Understandingwhatbehaviorsare not
beingobtainedcantell amanagerif motivationislackinginan individualandwhere amanagercan work
to motivate anemployee.Forinstance if anemployee hasreachedthe thirdlevel maintainingwork
attendance buthas notbeenconsistentlythere whenneededitisnottime toenact a motivational plan
that givesthe individual more task.Givingthisemployeemore tasksmayactuallyhave anegative effect
Link:https://uii.io/PF62m9

2. increasingthe attendance problem.Knowingthatthe employeeisatthisthirdlevel amanagercan enact
a motivationplanthatencouragesthisemployeetoobtainbetterattendance andleadthemintothe
nextlevel of performingrequiredtasks.
Since individualsare motivatedbydifferentfactorssuchas needsandwhatstage the employee isatitis
importantformanagersto identifythe individualsinhisorhergroup before enactingandevaluating
motivational theoriestothe groupor individual.Motivationcanplayan importantrole inthe successof
any organizationbutthe motivationof the groupiscomprisedof manyindividualsmotivatedbymany
differentfactors.Because amanagercan not activate policiesforeachindividualthe managermust
decidedknowingeachindividualwhere theirgroupisandwhere motivationisneeded.
While employeesare motivatedbydifferingfactorsthatcorrespondwhere theyare atpersonallyaswell
as professionallythose factorsare brokendownbymotivational theories.Motivationtheoriesare
essential increatingincentivesthatwillhelpemployeesatall levelsbe more motivated.Itisessential
that managersknowandunderstandmotivationtheorybefore creatingmotivationalincentives.In
Maslow'sneedstheoryhierarchythese individual factorsare groupedintofive maincategories.The
bottomlevelsare physiological needsinwhichbasicneedsare motivationalfactorssuchas food
clothing.The secondlevelisthe needforsafetythisincludesaworkenvironmentfree fromhazardsetc.
The third level isbelongingnessandthisisthe personal needtofeelapart of the group.The nextlevel is
esteeminwhichthe individualisconcernedaboutgettingrecognitionandbeingappreciatedfortheir
contributionstothe group.The highestlevelof Maslow'shierarchyisself-actualizationinwhichthe
individualhasfoundthere meaninginlife andfulfillstheirrole tothe fullestability.Whilethe individual
can be at varyinglevelswitheachgroupof thishierarchytheyare motivatedbyfactorsthat fulfillthat
category.Perhapsandindividualfeelstheyare afullyacceptedmemberof the groupor company.This
individualmaybe showingsignsof lowmotivation.The incorrectactionwouldbe totell thatindividual
that newsecuritycameraswhere beinginstalledtoprotectthem.The correctactionwouldbe to assign
thema task inwhichtheywouldbe recognizedandrewardedfortheirefforts.Because motivationplays
such a majorrole in everyorganizationthe needtogroupindividual behaviorandneedsare needed.
Maslow'shierarchyprovidesmanagersguidelinestotake the individual needsof theiremployeesand
create plansto increase motivationbyidentifyingtypesof plansthatwouldbe effective forthe
individuals.
Link:https://uii.io/1H7m

3. Behavior is a byproduct of motivationor the lackof motivation. Whenmotivationis highin anemployee behavior usuallyfalls
in line withthe group's culture. Whena negative behavior is displayedbya motivatedemployee little actionis needed. On the
other handwhenemployee motivationis low negative behaviors are bondto appear. A manager must nowapplywhat they
have learnedabout the individuals and usemotivationtheoryto enact the proper actionthat will motivate the employee who
is not being motivated. The contingenciesof reinforcements give managers guidelines to choose the right actionto motivate
and change behavior.
There are two main reinforcements that motivate employees to change their behavior, positive andnegative reinforcements.
An employee canbe enticedto correct a negative behavior bygivinganincentive that rewards their goodbehavior. For
example if anemployee is consistentlylate a rewardcanbe givenat the end ofthe month for the employee who works the
most hours. If a negative reinforcement is usedpunishment is usedto correct the behavior. For example the employee can be
warnedthat their continuedcourse of actionwillresults in disciplinaryaction. The keyfor anybehavior modificationis to
understandthe individualandtheir needs. If a person is being motivated byesteem thana planthat reinforces their
contribution and how that will be acknowledgedis a muchmore effective reward than a lunch certificate. Managers have a
difficult job inensuringthat there employees have highmotivationbut because of the effects that motivationhas ona group or
companyis so important this is a taskthat deserves all the time andattention that canbe allottedto thistask. To change a
behavior an employee must be motivatedto doso. Byfindingout the individuals needs and applypositive andnegative
reinforcements to the group motivation canand will increase and the success of that taskwill have long lastingeffects onthe
success ofthe group.
Travis Eck is currentlya Senior Business Process Analyst andSix Sigma Black Belt for the SnellingServices Inc. Inhiscurrent role
he is instrumental in the development of both executive andsenior leadershipas well as creatinga culture of continual
improvement. In his previous role as a Six Sigma Black Belt for Providence HealthandServiceshe lead process improvement
projects focused oncustomer needs andcost reductions. Pervious to his Six Sigma role he workedat Capital One AutoFinance
were he and led a high performance test teaminthe Loss Mitigation/Funding Divisions where he championed initiatives in
QualityAssurance, Policies andProcedures andBusiness ContingencyPlanning.
link:https://uii.io/iy7mAm