Motivation Can Affect Your Job (or Your Loss of It)

Commentary

When Work Suffers Because of the Worker’s Desire

The days are long, the rewards are few, and the job feels like it's never done: those are some of the things commonly felt by employees who have lost motivation for their jobs. Motivation is often an underrated gauge for job satisfaction and productivity. If employees are motivated, they can accomplish almost anything and are willing to put in the effort. If they lack it, they will become a liability.

Jobs don’t have to be torturous. They can be fun and rewarding, and most of all something employees can look forward to doing. Still, poor motivation is a game-changer and can sap one’s physical and mental strength. Suddenly, what became an exciting endeavor to earn money and to have a career will become a struggle for survival.

Burnout is a serious destroyer of motivation.

There are several factors that can hinder motivation at a worksite. Some of it may have to do with the employees, while another part of it can be the result of a hostile working environment, bad leadership, or mismanagement. Whatever the case may be, employees must look long and hard at their motivation and decide if a job is worth the time and effort.

Burnout

Burnout is a serious destroyer of motivation. It is a personal affliction that can affect any employee. The causes of it are many. However, the likelihood is that the employees are bored with their menial tasks, or they feel they are ineffective or not challenged.

Ineffectiveness may be the result of the type of job, work environment or negative bosses who fail to recognize good work.

For employees with this condition, their remedies are numerous. In some cases, a new focus or “time-out” (sick leave or vacation) is needed. In the most severe cases, a change of occupation is needed.

Sometimes, people outgrow their jobs. They’ve been at it for years, and have grown tired or bored of its repetition. If this is the case, they should seek employment elsewhere. Or better yet, begin the preparation for this move. This preparation may involve further training or schooling in another field.

Work Environment

Motivation can be affected by the environment employees work in. Possibly, the conditions such as working long hours and doing multi-tasks can be taxing. Also, the environment may include other employees that are not cordial or easy to work with.

Sometimes, the boss can be a good manager, but lacks people-skill and is prone to yell

Even the place of employment can be a problem. There are numerous accounts of a building or worksite causing some type of sickness or injury. Questions of safety and health can easily sap one’s motivation.

Bad Leadership and Mismanagement

Incompetence at the leadership level can bring down a company. Usually, bad leadership and mismanagement goes together. If the leader is horrible, he or she is most likely a terrible manager. There are dire effects placed on the employees who work under these types of bosses.

Sometimes, the boss can be a good manager, but lacks people-skill and is prone to yell. These types of bosses rarely win the hearts and minds of their employees. The same can be said for those who are indecisive and weak.

Employees, like any other member of society, will follow those who have strong leadership skills. They will not follow those they cannot respect, and they will not care for those who don’t lead by example.

The casualty in this situation is the enthusiasm of the employees. Those who work under bad leadership will often go home angry, dispirited, and possibly losing a lot of self-esteem. As a result, the job feels more like a prison.

No Advancement

Something else that can affect motivation is opportunity (or lack of) to advance. Can you rise from the bottom and get into a leadership position or a higher paying one within a company’s structure? Can you be rewarded with promotions, or are employees stuck in their position?

Another choice – if this opportunity exists – is to rise up in the ranks of the company.

Promotion helps to motivate employees. It helps them to do a better job when they know they can be moved into a higher position than what they are at. If that opportunity is not there, the motivation to do a particular job will eventually falter.

What’s to be done?

In a great economy, the solution is to quit. However, bad economic times don’t always allow for this luxury. However, there are options. Going back to school is one remedy. The unmotivated employees can learn new skills and enter a different job market.

Possibly, a new start may involve an old dream. Maybe it's time for that writer to explorer their childhood dreams and start heading in that direction.

There's no doubt that many people have a profound dream of becoming something that may or may not reflect their current employment status. Motivation is often about reaching a particular goal in life. It only makes sense that a disgruntled worker takes a hard look at the path they took in life and what they avoided to do to reach their goals.

Another choice – if this opportunity exists – is to rise up in the ranks of the company. Maybe, this will spark motivation within the disgruntled employees. Or, possibly, the need to become the boss will lead to a greater push or determination to put more effort on the job.

Or if possible, merely switching to a new company doing the same job may help. Possibly, the new company will offer the perks necessary to reignite one’s motivation.

Losing motivation can lead to problems at work. Whether the solution is to quit or to change ranks within the business, this situation needs to be addressed for the sake of the employees who want something more than just a place to work.