I’VE often been asked by organisations how to keep their staff motivated, interested and engaged in their work. Many have shared how quickly enthusiasm seems to wane nowadays; how new, young enthusiastic workers become disillusioned, bored ex-employees.
Solutions are numerous, of course. Money, status, praise, recognition, empowerment, a fair reward system, a social support system at work; these are all important elements of work motivation. Put all of them together and chances are you will get a highly motivated work force.
But there is one more important element that, in my humble opinion, creates the drive and momentum that keeps us going – meaning.
There are some organisational psychologists who believe that human beings seek meaning and significance in their work. They argue that we need to feel that we do make a difference. Research has also indicated that workers who have this sense of meaning in their work tend to produce better results and to be more committed to their organisations.
It’s true that most working people say that they work for the money, and no doubt, if their companies stopped paying them, they would stop turning up. But I suspect that for most of us, we want it to be about more than just the money.
When I think of the successful people in the present and the past, what strikes me is how their energy levels were driven by a mission, something greater than themselves.
Last year, I had a chance to have dinner with a CEO of a government-linked company and when the topic of what keeps him in the game came up, he shared at length about how he felt responsible for the livelihoods of every single family of his employees. He talked about how as his organisation grew, it was creating jobs and opportunities for young men and women to build lives and have the opportunity to pursue their dreams.
When people ask me why I do what I do, I tell them that I love my job not just because I enjoy it but because I see its long-term significance. Playing a role in training, encouraging and mentoring a new generation of young leaders, sharing ideas with my class in the lecture theatres, debating ideas with my thesis students in the office, organising projects with the student leaders, consulting and training with organisations all over Malaysia; there is nowhere else I would rather be. This is what keeps me where I am. When the organisation provides the opportunity for us to do something significant, we stay.
The challenge for management is how do we encourage this sense of meaning in our workplaces among our staff, regardless of what level they are at in the organisation.
Some organisations are good at communicating this “sense of meaning” to their staff. Hermann Ditzig, a friend and consultant-coach in Singapore shared with me the example of Summa Health Systems that had each hospital employee carry the following wallet-sized card with them with the following written on it:
“You are Summa. You are what people see when they arrive. Yours are the eyes they look into when they’re frightened and lonely. Yours are the voices people hear when they ride the elevators and when they try to sleep and when they try to forget their problems. You are what they hear. Yours are the comments people hear when you think they can’t. Yours is the intelligence and caring people hope they find here. If you’re rude, so is the hospital. And if you are wonderful, so is the hospital.”
Good leaders remind us constantly of our significance. They help us see the link between our roles and the larger vision and mission. They never let us forget our importance to the team.
I end with another story that Hermann shared with me.
Three medieval stone cutters working on a cathedral in Europe were asked in turn, “What are you doing?”
“As you can see, I am cutting stone,” replied one.
“I am earning a living for myself and family,” replied another.
“I am building a great cathedral,” replied the third, “It will be the most beautiful building in all of Europe and will last through the ages.”
I wonder, which of the three would produce the best quality of work?
● Dr Goh Chee Leong is vice-president of HELP University College and a psychologist.