The most common mistake when building more motivated teams is to aim for the top of the game without considering the reality of their work.
If a department's job is to sort newspapers for distribution to local tobacconists, achieving a level of mobilization approaching that of social commitment is likely to be rather complicated. Consequently, considering loyalty as a motivational lever is unlikely to be very effective.
If, on the other hand, a department's mission is creativity and innovation, building a strategy around hardware and productivity bonuses will fall as quickly as an undercooked soufflé.
The level of mobilization is directly linked to the type of activity of the teams. The same company can therefore aim for different levels of mobilization depending on the department or the temporary mission of a group.
As we discovered in the chapter on mobilization, each level is linked to a type of activity and responds primarily to a category of motivation:
- Level 1: satisfaction. This level responds to the material and relational needs provided by work. It is therefore directly linked to the contract between the employee and his employer, and mobilization is limited to this strict framework. The work here is routine and repetitive, with few surprises and very little creativity.
- Level 2: involvement. At this level, employees are motivated by their work because they find it a source of personal progress and development. They find professional motivation and a desire to progress. We are dealing here with creative and often collaborative or cooperative work, which requires an adaptation of behaviors and skills.
- Level 3: Commitment. This third level touches on the shared values between the worker and the company. Work responds to a desire for social utility. To serve beyond one's own personal interests. Work demands a high degree of adaptability and resilience. The requester is more important than the performer.
The choice of the level of mobilization targeted may also be linked to other ambitions or constraints not directly associated with the company's type of activity.
For example, a company in an expansion phase and looking to merge with other companies of the same type will need to boost its sales temporarily. In such circumstances, the focus is on productivity and a mechanistic approach to work to enable better anticipation of balance sheet figures.
If, on the other hand, a company wishes to attract new talent, it must play the work card as a source of personal development and recognition. It needs to create a dynamic that positions current employees as ambassadors. They will then be able to attract new talent and display a corporate culture, sometimes short-lived, that will inspire future applicants.
Finally, it's important to consider that each level of mobilization needs to be "fed" if it is to be sustained.
In fact, and this is often the point least anticipated by companies, once a team has reached a certain level of mobilization, we need to be able to offer them activities that meet this category of expectations.
For example, if you're looking for motivated employees who are willing to invest their talent in your company, the promise of their self-fulfillment needs to be followed through in practice. You need to be sure that you can provide them with enriching, creative, and rewarding activities.
If you only have basic activities that look more like problem management than innovative collaboration, you can expect a backlash against your ambitions.
Similarly, if you guarantee your new recruit a cushy job, and the reality is that the work is performed in an unstable, complex, and complicated environment, there's a good chance that your company's turnover will be higher than expected.
The first step in defining a motivational strategy is to know why it's useful. The next question is why it's essential.
Inadequate preparation of these two subjects is the basis of many lost investments by companies and a great source of wealth for training centers!