One-quarter of employees say employers don't know how to motivate them
The motivators that employers use nowadays are “oddly out of place,” according to PsychTests.com, based on research of more than 1,000 people who took its Career Motivation Test.
When asked “Do you feel that your employer knows how to motivate you?” only 18 per cent agreed their employer was on the right track while 40 per cent said “somewhat,” 16 per cent said “slightly” and 25 per cent said “not at all.”
In assessing 23 different tangible and intangible incentives, there aren’t one or two motivators that are the Holy Grail of motivation and inspiration, said Ilona Jerabek, president of PsychTests.
“There are the keys that will unlock your team’s potential. And this is the concept that many managers fail to grasp. Motivation is not a one-size-fits-all solution. What our study results revealed was a cluster of motivators that, when combined, created five very diverse and multifaceted worker profiles — workers who, if given the right incentives, could achieve amazing things.”
The five clusters of motivators are:
Trailblazers (45 per cent) — who want to make an impact on people and leave their mark on the world in general. Their top motivators are altruism, customer orientation, inspiration, achievement, social contact, identity and purpose, learning, creativity, contribution/legacy and fun and enjoyment.
Workhorses (23 per cent) — who are dedicated to getting the job done and getting it done well. Their top motivators are achievement, stability, financial reward, structure and order, recognition and appreciation, power and status.
Heavyweights (12 per cent) — who can be an unstoppable force when given the right incentive and pushed in the right direction. Their motivators are achievement, responsibility, active/high-pressure work environment, power, status, and contribution/legacy.
Gen-Yers (11 per cent) — who want to do what they love and love what they do. Their motivators are inspiration, social contact, financial reward, recognition and appreciation, creativity, power, status, mobility, contribution/legacy and fun and enjoyment.
Explorers (nine per cent) — they want to experience everything th job world has to offer. Their motivators are learning, change and variety, job-hopping, creativity, independence, power, mobility and contribution/legacy.
