Find out what truly motivates your employees.
We’ll show you how

External vs. internal employee motivation

Both types of motivation are important, but only when you combine them can they propel your team forward in the long term. External motivation tools such as financial rewards, benefits, flexible working hours, sports allowances, or paid mental health care are great rewards for work.

But rewards alone won’t keep people with you long-term. Did you know that, according to a LinkedIn survey, 63% of people consider work-life balance a key factor when choosing a job?

Internal motivation is much stronger

It is based on the personal vision of each of us – how we want to live or who we want to become. However, the internal motivation can be intertwined with the external one. For example, if a manager wants to maintain a work-life balance so he or she has more time for family, paid mental health care and flexible working hours can be both external and internal motivators. As it helps him or her follow the vision.

But internal motivation can be various:

• career development
• self-development
• status and prestige
• the opportunity to use creativity
• personal values such as sustainability

The key is to find out what truly motivates your team

Not the team as a whole, but each member individually. Knowing their individual motivations and allowing them to work in line with their vision. Then you can tailor your benefits program accordingly.

But how can you find out your employees’ individual motivators and make the best use of them?

• Listen actively: Spend time having meaningful conversations with each team member. Ask about their career goals, interests, and aspirations. 
• Recognize unique strengths: and then try to tailor tasks and projects so the people can use them. When they work in areas where they excel, and see results and awards behind them, it propels them forward.
• Offer real opportunities for growth: the vast majority of us are motivated by progress and development. Give opportunities for continuous learning, upskilling, and career progression. But let them choose what they want to improve in.
• Offer autonomy and flexibility: set goals, but allow flexibility in meeting them. Give people more freedom but also accountability for results.
• Show appreciation: regularly recognize and celebrate big and small achievements. Notice the effort and care people give to projects. If you sincerely appreciate it, they will continue doing a great job.

But most importantly, be flexible and adapt. Motivations can change over time. So keep your eyes open, observe the circumstances, and adjust your motivational strategies accordingly.

Motivate your team with the right communication

It is crucial in a team, but many companies don’t give it the importance it deserves. When we talk about communication in connection with motivation, you should think about:

• Transparency and feedback – not only will you help people improve, but you will also provide relief from uncomfortable uncertainty and self-doubt.
• Purpose of work – when people understand how their work contributes to the company’s goals, they see the real purpose of it. And that is a great internal motivator. So give context to tasks and projects. Communicate with your team about why they do what they do, and show them that their work is important.
• Awareness about what’s going on in the company – share company successes and challenges and let the team know what’s happening. This will build trust in management and break down that imaginary barrier that stands between management and the rest of the team.

If you know your people are motivated by personal development or would appreciate psychological support, explore our mental health program for companies Hedepy.