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Motivating Workers to Remain Committed

Books and workshops abound on the subject of motivating workers. One aspect of worker motivation, however, is rarely mentioned. Yet, in my experience, this one consideration is often the decisive factor in determining whether someone chooses to become part of your team or organization in the first place and whether they remain with the group long-term

This decisive factor is what I call a motivational connection. It's what motivates a worker in any type of organization to remain engaged and committed. Motivational connections are intrinsic rewards which the worker receives from participating in the life of the organization.

These motivational connections can be classified under seven headings, all of which I label with words which begin with "A.":

• the Aims of the organization
• Achievement (either individual or collective) which the organization makes possible
• Affiliation with certain people or social circles
• Activites which are possible within the organization
• Access to people, information, technology, or privileges made possible within the organization
• the Atmosphere which prevails in the organization
• Assurance that the organization will provide job security, a regular paycheck, or personal safety

For every worker, one or two of these considerations will serve as the primary motivational connection which results in the worker's commitment to the organization. When changes result in a loss of the intrinsic benefit which undergirds the primary motivational connection, commitment dissipates and the worker is at high risk of leaving the organization.

This episode explores the seven motivational connetions individually and provides several case studies of how they impact motivation, morale, and engagement within an organization.

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Motivation: The Power of Second Paychecks