8.How To Measure Employee Motivation at the organization.

 

Why does measuring employee motivation matter?

It's crucial to remember that an organization's excellence is directly tied to its workforce. Evidence indicates that the most prosperous companies typically boast highly driven employees. Contented workers not only exhibit higher productivity but also tend to remain with the company longer, thereby cutting down on turnover expenses for businesses. Essentially, gauging employee performance and motivation serves as a way to assess the overall health of your organization(Kim Koivula)

The simple reasoning behind measuring employee motivation

Happy employees = Higher Employee Engagement.

Higher Employee Engagement = Lower Employee Turnover.

Now, what should HR professionals be looking at to measure employee motivation? Here are 7 HR metrics we think you should focus on.(Kim Koivula)

7 Crucial employee motivation metrics to track

We singled out seven key employee motivation indicators to help you take the pulse of your organization.

1. Monitor sudden changes in days working from home

Don’t get me wrong; there’s nothing wrong with employees working from home! Besides, data shows that it makes employees happy and more productive.

"However, it's essential to watch out for sudden shifts: Has there been a notable and unexplained increase in the frequency of a particular employee working from home within a short period?

Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruption, leading to remote work becoming a widespread practice for many workers globally. Nevertheless, as we gradually move towards a hybrid work model, it's crucial to pay attention to how employees choose to structure their time.

For instance, if an employee who previously spent a few days in the office suddenly opts for more days working from home, it could signify issues within team dynamics, potential tensions among colleagues, or, in more serious cases, early signs of burnout."(Kim Koivula)

Adopted from BlueArcEvents

2.Monitor unexplained absences

Another indicator of a deteriorating atmosphere within the organization is a rise in the absenteeism rate. Discounting the well-known flu season and COVID-19-related leaves for now, an upsurge in absences ought to alert HR teams. Granted, individual instances might include unexpected family commitments, sudden dental appointments, or home emergencies. However, it could also signify deeper issues such as workplace conflicts, stressful projects, or a lack of engagement in the role. Regardless of the underlying cause, HR teams should pinpoint these patterns and allocate time to converse with affected employees, aiming to resolve the situation before it escalates."(Kim Koivula)

3. Keep an eye on short(er) days

"Are employees consistently clocking in fewer hours than specified in their employment contracts? If so, it's possible they excel at time management, efficiently finishing tasks ahead of schedule.

However, if increased brevity in workdays isn't justified by productivity, it might raise concerns about their overall motivation, particularly if three other metrics also begin signaling a decline."(Kim Koivula)

4. Evaluate outputs and beware of carelessness

"Highly content and dedicated employees typically delve into every detail, delivering their best work. Conversely, the opposite scenario holds true as well. An employee who's less engaged and motivated is more prone to defaulting to carelessness in their tasks, resulting in an increased likelihood of errors. This trend is a concerning path that HR teams must take seriously, particularly in roles where mistakes could lead to risky situations.

Ideally, early detection of potential carelessness through data would enable proactive resolution. Collaborating with the employee and their direct manager can address the issue before it escalates."(Kim Koivula)

5. Look for antisocial behavior

While we – humans – are social animals and fuel off of interactions with others, interacting with peers does require a certain level of commitment.

For this reason, we know that people who lack motivation are likely to put less energy into interacting with colleagues and might even develop antisocial behaviours in some cases.

Now, toxic behaviour from one individual can have a dramatic, more-than-proportionate impact on the atmosphere at work and it can literally drain other employees’ motivation. In other words, it should be strictly monitored through team leaders and peer reviews.(Kim Koivula)

“Take the time to analyse all situations and consider all options. Many factors can explain antisocial attitudes and, for instance, an employee who might negatively impact the atmosphere at one location might change their attitude at a different department or location.”
— Anna Aarnisalo, VP, People and Culture at Sympa.

6. Unwillingness to take responsibility or accept new projects

"Employees driven by high motivation eagerly embrace new tasks, striving to excel, meet deadlines, and surpass customer expectations. Conversely, those lacking motivation may hesitate when it comes to fulfilling their duties.

Yet, it's important to note that this isn't a simple dichotomy, as several factors could contribute—such as insufficient experience or training in specific skills. However, evading responsibilities or displaying reluctance towards assuming a new role might signal that an employee is already contemplating departure." (Kim Koivula)

7. Survey staff for their feedback

"While observing changes in attitude and behavior can signal employee discontent, conducting direct surveys among your staff offers numerous advantages. Such surveys can encompass a wide range of factors, including working conditions, relationships with peers and management, compensation, job satisfaction, recognition, and role fulfillment. These areas covered in an employee motivation survey can reveal underlying issues impacting motivation levels within your organization.

To gather the most valuable feedback, opting for an anonymous survey is crucial. This approach ensures that employees feel secure to express their thoughts openly without fearing any potential consequences."(Philip Cleave)

Example : Employee Satisfaction Survey temple 

Adopted from AIHR

Adopted from QuestionPro

"By keeping an eye on these seven essential HR metrics, you'll establish a baseline and gain insight into the well-being of both your employees and your organization.

The initial three metrics (remote work, unexplained absences, and reduced work hours) can be conveniently monitored using a straightforward HR tool integrated with an effective time tracking system. However, the latter three (lack of attention to detail, detrimental conduct, and reluctance to embrace new duties) necessitate a robust HR system capable of consolidating feedback from team leaders and colleagues."

“No matter the size of your organisation, if you wish to draw a clear and unbiased picture of your people, you should use a reliable HR system to collect, measure and aggregate accurate HR data (both current and historical) so that you can base your decisions on facts, instead of your own opinion or sentiment.”

— Kim Koivula, Head of Marketing, Nordics at Sympa.

References

Couture.K, How to Measure and Improve the Motivation Level of Employees, [online], Available at https://www.inputkit.io/en/blog/how-to-measure-motivation-level-employees/ [Accessed on 20^th November 2023]

Cleave.P, (December 5, 2022) How to Measure and Improve the Motivation Level of Employees, [online], Available at https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/blog/how-to-measure-employee-motivation [Accessed on 20^th November 2023]

Moltke.N, surveys employee motivation measuring template free download, [online], Available at https://www.aihr.com/blog/employee-satisfaction-survey-template/#questions [Accessed on 20^th November 2023]

Bhat.A, survey questions, [online], Available at https://www.questionpro.com/blog/employee-satisfaction-survey questions/#what_is_an_employee_satisfaction_Survey/ [Accessed on 20^th November 2023]

Koivula.K, How to Measure and Improve the Motivation Level of Employees [online], Available at https://www.sympa.com/insights/blog/6-basic-hr-metrics-for-measuring-employee-motivation [Accessed on 20^th November 2023]