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Survey: Employers must make motivation their mantra

Employers hold the key to employee enthusiasm through the work they offer and the skills of their managers. That's the key finding in new research from Investors in People examining what makes employees give their best while at work.

The research - which supports growing awareness within Britain's businesses that the route to employee productivity does not come solely through the pay packet - found that 43% of employees cite job content or the challenge the job presented as the main motivator in the workplace. Only 14% noted pay as the key influence, followed closely by team spirit, with 13% seeing this as an important factor. The results show that enlightened employers who examine employee needs, and create an environment to stimulate them, reap business benefits through a more enthusiastic and productive workforce.

The NOP survey, which interviewed around 2000 employees in Britain, also highlights the dangers lurking for employers who don't take motivation seriously. Nearly one-third (32%) of employees in the survey saw lack of recognition from management for the work they do, or poor management communication, as the most demotivating factors in their work. This shows how easily a manager's actions and behaviour can undermine people's sense of involvement in an organisation. Notably, men see lack of recognition from management as more demotivating than women (22%/10%).

Ruth Spellman, Chief Executive of Investors in People, said, "Our research highlights that management hold the key to keeping employees fired up - but they must focus time and attention on them to make this happen. Maintaining productivity - and addressing the sections of the workforce who remain demotivated - present important challenges for managers; the need to keep the interest high and the challenge fresh are vital to any business, because motivated employees can mean the difference between success and failure."

"Employers should also take heed of the findings on employee demotivation and realise that poor management practices can have a major impact on the workforce. Improving communication and recognising employee contribution can make a real difference to employee motivation and, ultimately, an organisation's bottom-line. An organisation that leaves its employees to drift without direction is on the short road to ruin."

Other findings of the research include:

* Job security is high on the agenda, with nearly four out of 10 employees (39%) citing it as something they want from their employers. This is particularly prevalent amongst men, with 43% looking for job security compared to 33% of women.

* Over one-quarter (28%) of employees see work-life balance as something employers should deliver for them. This is more important to women (32%) than men (24%).

* Recognition for the contribution an employee makes to an organisation becomes more important as employees get older (16-23 year-olds - 11%/ 55-64 year olds - 24%).

* Employees working for large organisations see lack of recognition from management as the main reason for demotivation in the workplace (22%). In comparison, employees working for SMEs cite poor communication and lack of leadership as the main demotivating factors.

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