Stimulating and motivating the staff in the organization is an important part of building a stable and sustainable business.
There are different opinions about the essence of the concept of “stimulus” and the meaning of stimuli in human activity. Translated from Latin stimulus means “motivation”. Motivation related to behavior directs it in a certain direction with a certain force, which means that the stimulus is closely related to the motive for the activity. Reference: “Motivation of employees in management“, https://www.kievpress.info/motivation-of-employees-in-management/
There are different views on the relationship between stimulus and motive: Most authors believe that this is the relationship between external and internal. Eg Nesterov says that “one of the differences between stimuli and motives is that the relatively individual consciousness of stimuli forms the sphere of external causes that motivate the individual to act in the desired direction for society. Motives in the sphere of internal, unique formations are the personal side of the incentives “.
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The difference between stimulating and motivating staff
Scherbak argues that the difference between incentives and motives is relative. At certain points in the stimulus, it coincides with the motive. Incentives differ from purely external influences because they are motivating causes … they act by transforming the external into the internal. Thus, external and internal factors are considered as moments of stimulus. Ie there is no incentive without a motive. Reference: “Motivating the behavior of the manager“, https://agileprojectmanagement.home.blog/2021/07/10/motivating-the-behavior-of-the-manager/
The activity cannot be connected only with external or only with internal factors – it expresses their unity as a systemic reason for the activity.
The essential thing about the incentive is that it must be a socially significant value. To fulfill his role, he must become a motive. Otherwise, the stimulus exists objectively but does not fulfill its purpose (remains external). To fulfill its task, it must be related to people’s needs (because needs are the basis of motivation).
Usually, the stimulation system of a society is a set of incentives that affect the motivational sphere, satisfying certain needs and thus contributing to the performance of work with a certain intensity in a certain direction.
The stimulus is influenced not only because of its nature but also according to the attitude of the individual to perceive it according to his ability to meet certain needs.
Building the stimulation system
Two points are very important when building a simulation system:
1) It must include socially significant incentives and direct the activity in a valuable, important for society direction.
2) Incentives should be related to the motivation of the individual (more deeply and more accurately meet the needs and interests of employees).
A wide range of incentives is needed to meet diverse human needs and interests. The strength of the impact of a stimulus depends on what personal need it is aimed at, what place the need occupies in the hierarchy of personality needs.
The main stimulus in our society is the SALARY (salary).
Types of incentives
In general, incentives are divided into:
1. Material.
2. Spiritual (praise, order, positive evaluation of the results of work, etc. – they should not be neglected).
Incentives meet the different needs of the individual and must be skillfully combined. Material stimuli can also have a spiritual charge, which is used for the development of the personality.
Premiums are also a matter of the incentive system. Premiums should not be given when the results of the work are within the norm, but only higher than the standard ones. Reference: “Theories of the motivational process in organizations and employees“, https://www.vbprojects.org/theories-of-the-motivational-process-in-organizations-and-employees/
Incentive requirements
Here are the requirements for incentives. Some of them are:
1. Stimulation has a negative effect when applied incorrectly (to people with lower results than others).
2. The whole working group should be involved in the discussion of the incentive (based on the results). Not suitable for teams without unanimity and with bad relationships.
3. Rewarding the same people is not allowed.
4. A stimulus that is known in advance and corresponds to the attitudes towards it has a strong effect.
5. The stimulus should be close in time to the result of the work.
6. People need to know the purpose, manner, and conditions of stimulation.
7. Only incentives related to personal contribution to the work help to increase motivation.
8. The leveling principle is deadly for creating motivation (the beginning of its elimination leads to conflicts, but then it reflects well on the work). Habits need to be created so that people are different and give different results that are evaluated.
All this is related to the requirements for the subjective evaluation of the result – above all, it must be motivated.
Negative incentives (sanctions) are also used as a last resort. But strong negative stimulation leads to a deterioration of relations and even to the departure of the sanctioned.