Motivating Employees

Employee Motivation

Lee Iacocca once said, “When I must criticize somebody, I do it orally; when I praise somebody, I put it in writing.”

That's one method to motivate employees, but different needs motivate different people. Some employees crave power, others want money. Some employees desire constant praise, others want to be left alone. It's crucial for managers to figure out what motivates each employee.

Motivation is defined as a psychological force that determines the following:

• The direction of a person's behavior: This refers to the many possible behaviors in which an employee could engage. For example, an employee who knows what to do to satisfy a customer's needs should not have to ask for his or her manager's permission to act. ...