Employee Motivation as a Core Organizational Strategy

Introduction: Motivation and Organizational Performance

The literature abounds with evidence supporting the efficacy of employee motivation as a means of stimulating innovation, productivity, and organizational performance. For example, a survey of over 300 employees in one major organization found that employee empowerment in their respective roles was positively correlated with organizational agility, with empowerment being defined in terms of knowledge access, trust, motivation, and communication (Farhani & Salimi, 2015). Research on the relationship between employee motivation and organizational outcomes therefore begins with operationalization of the definitions of motivation and empowerment, as well as defining the terms of organizational success. Empowerment and motivation will manifest differently for different people, just as different organizations will define their success or outcome objectives differently depending on overall mission and vision.

Communication as a Component in Employee Motivation

If motivation is defined in terms of empowerment via access to pathways of knowledge and information, then employee motivation starts with the formal establishment of communication channels. Open flow of information between parties in the organization promotes empowerment because it implies trust. Being trusted formally — as a matter of company policy and practice rather than the selective dissemination of trust based on potentially biased managerial decisions — is a cornerstone of employee empowerment. For example, Dasgupta, Suar, and Singh (2014) found that a "collaborative approach, respect and recognition, flexible working arrangements, trust, clear direction, autonomous and challenging tasks are important indicators to make employees happy and drive them towards superior performance" (p. 287).

Corporate culture needs to promote the flow of information, knowledge, and communications within its own cultural context, establishing the role model for a company culture based on trust and employee empowerment. Management practices must follow the principles of trust and communication in order to establish the precedent and normative environment in which employees can thrive and reach their highest potential. Research substantiates claims that culture is the key to inspiring trust, employee engagement, and empowerment — with the ultimate goal being organizational success.

Accountability, Trust, and Corporate Culture

Simoneaux and Stroud (n.d.) claim that management "should encourage employee involvement and accountability at all levels and exhibit consistency in applying company policies" (p. 51). From the hiring process to the rituals and ceremonies that solidify company culture, managers have the opportunity to empower, inspire, and motivate employees. Yet motivation extends beyond the creation of a strong company culture. Establishing a strong company mission — grounded in values of corporate social responsibility, ethical principles, and a policy of accountability — is also a crucial component of any strategy designed to stimulate motivation.

Employees need not only to be and feel trusted through open lines of communication, but also to trust that their superiors in senior management hold themselves accountable, and that power is real, not arbitrary, and never abused (Simoneaux & Stroud, n.d.). Additional research supports the importance of accountability being built into company practice and policy (Gilley, Gilley, Jackson, et al., 2015). Vardiman, Shepherd, and Jinkerson (2014) likewise found that managers who do not follow the principles or policies they put into place undermine their own credibility and lose the trust of their employees. Managers — not just employees — need to be held accountable and ideally embrace personal responsibility if they expect employees to remain engaged and motivated.