ON MOTIVATING EMPLOYEES: ARE YOU MOTIVATED ENOUGH?

For many people, a lack of reward? Why do something for nothing? People want something in return and think they deserve something for whatever they do. This is just some of the motivational issues that most of the employees are experiencing in the company where they are currently working.

Motivation is considered as the core of management. Managers play a big role in motivating its subordinates to achieve the goals of the organization. Every person has a different motivating factor. Hence, it should be studied thoroughly on how to motivate the employees before they run away. Motivators do not include only financial compensation but all the factors, implicit and explicit, which affect an employee to care about.

Motivation is needed to awaken the employees’ enthusiasm, commitment and passion. A manager should empower them to perform above expectations.  A good leader will enable its subordinates to perform discretionary effort. Discretionary effort is the extra effort an employee is willing to give above the minimum effort to complete a job.

When the discretionary effort is unlocked in an employee, it would be easy to achieve the goals of an organization or a business. One can find the employees doing their respective jobs joyfully and willingly.  With these, the output will be A+ performance.

What makes me motivated to work?

I am motivated to work because first, I am compensated with my job. Furthermore, I have the benefits that all employees have. Second, I like sharing what I have learned to my students, I know its not an easy job and I actually hate teaching before, but seeing that your students have learned something from you, it is a good motivation for me and somehow, I feel inspired to do my best and work hard for it.

Whenever I see my students that they are applying what they have learned and are doing their best to study, I just can’t help myself to be happy and realized that I am a good teacher at all (hehehe ). Third, I have a good relationship with my co-employees. I became close to them and somehow our friendship is bonded.

Though the organization is facing some problems and it motivates me to quit, there is something inside me that would make me feel sad whenever I think of leaving them (my co-employees) because we are like brothers and sisters and we help each other just to achieve the goal for the student’s sake. Lastly, we have a good working environment.

What makes me dissatisfied with my work?

If there are reasons that motivate me to work, these are the factor that makes me dissatisfied with my job: First, there is a lack of support from the Board of Trustees (BOT) regarding our proposals to improve the facilities inside the school. We also lack support for the faculty’s professional growth and development.

In addition, we also lack financial support whenever there is an inter-school activity for the students’ development. Second, although we are compensated with our job, there are times that our salaries were delayed for a day and that alone make me discouraged.

Admit it or not, our first objective why we work is for us to earn money and we earn money so we can buy our needs and wants. Who would be motivated to work if salaries or wages are delayed for quite a while? Third, we are not recognized for the achievements done for the school even for just simple congratulations and there is a lack of communication between us (the employees) and the BOT’s.

As an employee, being motivated is an important factor for me to work hard in order to achieve the organization’s goals. If you are an expert in your field, you simply cannot give your best if you are not motivated enough. As employees, we are motivated in different ways.

 I myself could not give my best in teaching my students if I am not motivated. I have experienced that and I felt tired and unhappy. During those times, I just give my students short discussions and giving them research just to have an excuse.

Eventually, I realized that it does not bring any good to me and to the students. To avoid all these factors, I find better ways to motivate myself by being positive and by remembering the things that really motivated me before. I do have plans of quitting my job, but thanks to my co-employees, they also motivated me by giving advises and helped me open my mind to all the possibilities.

At this moment, I could not afford to quit because of them and I asked a question to myself, “What will happen to my students if I leave them?” They also motivated me to give my best in teaching and the reason why I am still a teacher.