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What motivates the British workforce?

Just 20 per cent of the British workforce are motivated by financial reward when in the workplace, according to research released by recruitment company Manpower.

Four in ten of the 1,500 British adults surveyed are motivated by gaining a sense of responsibility and a further 30 per cent are motivated by career advancement.

Charles Ashworth, Manpower Chief Operating Officer, says: "This Manpower research has important implications for British businesses, demonstrating that motivating people to work is much more complex than just paying them well. People like to feel valued in their work and having some responsibility has been shown to be a key motivator."

Nearly a third of people state their key motivation for having a job is ambition. Interestingly, less than one in ten people are motivated to work to socialise with other people.

Charles continues: "The fact that so many people are motivated to work by ambition suggests that employers should look at attracting employees by other methods than just financial reward.

"Communication is key to keep people motivated, employees like to feel they are listened to and that managers recognise the hard work they do. Regular appraisals can also help motivation, by setting key objectives and outlining career progression plans. Recruitment and retention in companies could be improved by highlighting training schemes and possibilities for career progression."

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