How to Motivate Your Employees - The Key to Commitment and Working Beyond Their Job Description

This article is part 1 of a series of articles that are based on the findings of a research study done in 2008. There are many factors that may motivate employees, however in this article I have focused on psychological empowerment as a mean to understand employee's intrinsic motivation. Psychological empowerment is based on individuals' perceptions and cognitions; Employees relate to empowerment as a) a sense of having control over their job content and context, b) having responsibilities and c) participating in decision making. It also reflects the extent to which employees feel a) they can perform the job proficiently, b) the job they perform has an impact on the organization and c) the job is meaningful to them.

Results of this research suggested that instituting programs that create individual's belief in empowerment would most likely increase employees' commitment and citizenship behaviors (working beyond their job description).

When supervisors trust and respect their employees, they are likely to allow their employees to make decisions on how to go about their job. They are also likely to consider employees' ideas and take action upon them which would increase employees' perception of empowerment. Empowerment implies taking new responsibilities, consequently employees should be provided with training in order to develop new skills and enhance their competence, which will allow them to take on more responsibilities and perform effectively.

In addition, the organizations should a) provide procedures and policies that support empowered employees and b) train managers to be facilitators and help employees to reach their potential rather than to direct and micromanage. The organization should also decide who should be empowered and how much. Furthermore, re-assessing employees' rewards is another task for managers to consider upon; empowered employees would work more and have greater responsibilities, thus managers should consider the extent to which it would be fair and feasible for empowered employees to receive more pay or additional benefits that reflect those changes.

Some employees may feel their job is threatened -as a result of organization's empowerment strategies leading to job re-design- hence the organization will also have to consider employment assurances. Simply put, the organization has to manage employees' fears by providing clear and honest feedback on what it is expected to happen and how it is going to be achieved. Unless organization's practices reflect clearly the organization's vision and goals, employees are unlikely to understand their mission and achieve the expected outcomes.

Summary of Recommendations for Organizations:

* To review set of managerial policies and practices to ensure rewards distribution and procedures are perceived to be fair by employees.

* To review training and development policies, identify staff training needs and design training and development opportunities accordingly.

* To review and adjust managerial practices in order to encourage employees' decision authority regarding job context and/or content.

* To review distribution and allocation of supervisory roles.

* To improve the quality of the communication between managers and supervisors and their immediate subordinate. For example, by implementing regular one on one or small group participative meetings, setting short term goals and a two way feedback system.

* To implement empowerment training for managers and supervisors in order to allow the transition from supervisor's directive role into supervisor's facilitator role.
* To reassess rewards for empowered employees.

* To encourage employees' sense of meaning and purpose by communicating the organization's mission, purpose and goals (short and long term) clearly and in a straight forward manner.

* To reassess prospect employees' profiles fit based on the organization's mission, vision and goals.

Next article will address Empowerment sub-dimensions which allows for a deeper understanding of how this powerful factor actually works.