Identification of specific motivational factors for different categories of staff and its importance

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to point out differences in motivation of different categories of staff (according to gender, age, education etc.). Detailed knowledge about motivation will allow managers to lead their staff more efficiently to positive attitude to work and willingness to continue developing their skills. This will enable companies to achieve higher efficiency in the future. A person's effectiveness is determined by their skills and competences, but also their willingness to work. If they are poorly motivated, their performance will be poor. Therefore one of the manager's key tasks is to influence motivation of their subordinates. Motivation to work is ideal if the employee's needs and interests correspond with the needs and interests of the company. From the point of view of the company's long-term economic prosperity, it is objectively essential in running the organization to systematically influence willingness to work, and to direct people's motivation. The use of psychological research findings about motivation and stimulation is still insufficient. There is therefore a need for further analysis in this area, and its results need to be passed on to managers. The author has been dealing with this topic for several years. Her research is based on specialist literature in Psychology and Personal Management. Primary data was received by means of a questionnaire survey among staff in companies of various specialization and size. The survey was carried out in 2011. The author is going to continue researching motivation and stimulation in the workplace. Her aim is to find out about motivational factors among present-day employees in various categories (according to gender, age, qualification etc.), and use this understanding to suggest the most effective ways to stimulate them. Well-stimulated staff will be more efficient, which will increase companies' overall efficiency. The research is based on a working hypothesis that a large number of staff in companies are not sufficiently and properly motivated. This is due to inadequate knowledge of factors which motivate them. The result is insufficient willingness of employees to work and develop their skills, leading to companies achieving lower efficiency than their potential would allow them. The paper informs about research into motivational factors of different categories of staff. It deals with differences in motivation according to gender, age, education etc. Better knowledge about motivation will allow more effective stimulation of staff to positive attitude to work and willingness to continue developing their skills.