The key to LASTING motivation WHITEPAPER MOTIVATION FACTOR / WHITEPAPER
WHITEPAPER THE BUSINESS CASE FOR ENGAGEMENT More productive, more innovative Gallup research has shown that engaged employees are more productive, profitable, safe, create stronger customer relationships, and stay longer with their company than less engaged employees. This latest research indicates that workplace engagement is also a powerful factor in catalyzing outside-the-box thinking to improve management and business processes as well as customer service. The consulting firm, Blessing White, defines engagement as an alignment of satisfaction and contribution. They go further to say that Engaged employees are not just committed. They are not just passionate and proud. They have a line-of-sight on their own future and on the organization s mission and goals. They are enthused and in gear, using their talents and discretionary effort to make a difference in their employer s quest for sustainable business success. The high cost of disengagement More and more research makes the connection between employee engagement and business results. For instance, Hewitt Associates has reported that high engagement firms had a total shareholder return that was 19% higher than average in 2009. In low engagement organizations, total shareholder return was 44% below average. Similarly, Gallup found that organizations with comparatively high proportions of engaged employees were much less likely than the rest to see a decline in EPS in 2008 and Wharton s analysis of the Best Companies to Work for in America indicated that high levels of employee satisfaction generate superior long-horizon returns. Unfortunately, a recent national poll by the Conference Board found that job satisfaction is the lowest since the poll began in 1987 with only 45 percent of employees satisfied with their jobs. Moreover, disengaged managers are three times more likely to have disengaged employees (2009 Sirota Survey Intelligence Study). Studies over the past few years have consistently shown that 60 percent of workers plan to look for new jobs as soon as the economy The cost of disengagement GMJs 2006 02 survey found that, of all U.S. workers 18 or older, about 20.6 million- or roughly 15% - are actively disengaged. Gallup estimates that the lower productivity of actively disengaged workers costs the U.S. economy about $ 328 billion. $400 billion 350 300 250 cost range of lost productivity: $287 to $370 billion % of activily disengaged employees 200 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Note: Data reported quarterly through Q3 2002, then every other quarter thereafter. Source: Gallup 25% 20 15 10 5 2 MOTIVATION FACTOR / WHITEPAPER
Motivation Factor develops personal ability, responsibility and accountability for engagement and aims, in any context, to raise self-awareness and promote lasting motivation provides opportunities. This data becomes more relevant to the average manager when paired with the fact that replacing a departing employee can cost as much as 1.5 to 3.5 times their annual salary, posing a threat to the success of any organization in a fragile recovery (Salaries Looking Up, John Dooney, HR Magazine, October, 2009). Julie Lynch, Principal of the training and facilitation firm Uncommon Consulting, provides this visual to depict the gap often found in organizations when it comes to top-tobottom responsibility for engagement: Who s job is it? Blessing White offers these key implications and recommendations from their research: To reap the rewards that a more engaged organization promises, your entire workforce needs to be accountable for their piece of the engagement equation every day. The 2011 Employee Engagement Report clarifies those roles and responsibilities: Executives: Trust, communication and culture. Executives have to demonstrate consistency in words and actions, communicate, and align all business practices and behaviors throughout the organization to drive results and engagement. Organization Management Practice and Culture Individual Lots of thought leadership, programming executive coaching exists here. Little exists to inspire and sustain personal motivation and engagement toward organizational goals Managers: Coaching, relationships and dialogue. Managers must understand each individual s talents, interests and needs and then match those with the organization s objectives while at the same time creating personal, trusting relationships. Individuals: Ownership, clarity and action. Individuals need to know what they want and what the organization needs and then take action to achieve both. But while executives, managers and individuals may be willing, these responsibilities are often not ones the average professional has been trained to carry out. MOTIVATION FACTOR / WHITEPAPER 3
Introduction to Motivation Factor The Motivation Factor Method develops individual ability, responsibility and accountability for workplace engagement and personal motivation while delivering the straightforward, practical tools managers need to foster that engagement. This groundbreaking Method is based on positive and cognitive psychology, well-established motivation theories, and recent discoveries in brain research. Based on this research and inspired by these theories, founder Helle Bundgaard has synthesized this information into a straightforward method for inspiring immediate and long lasting motivation toward personal and professional goals. MOTIVATION, LEANING AND CHANGE PURPOSE TALENTS NEEDS ENERGY GROWTH MOTIVATION FACTORS AWARENESS HIERARCHY OF MOTIVATION The Model The model serving as the basis for the Motivation Factor Method is the Hierarchy of Motivation which illustrates how our ability to become self-motivated, integrate new learning and handle change is dependent on our ability to manage each level of the pyramid. The Method The Motivation Factor method bridges theory and practice with a customizable framework that is applicable across culture, geography, and gender. It is simple and it is deeply effective at all levels: individual, team and organizational. The method provides a simple and effective framework for clarifying objectives; developing emotional and social intelligence; identifying individual resources, talents and passions; and understanding how these contribute to the achievement of personal, team or organizational goals. The Index The Motivation Factor Index is the first of its kind to actually measure capacity for and provide insight into an individual s, team s or organization s ability to get and stay motivated. Building on the success of the Motivation Factor Method, the index draws from the same powerful research and proven methods that drive our programs from building resilience and emotional intelligence for better problem solving and interpersonal relationships to identifying and applying inherent talents and passions for lasting commitment. Simplicity The Motivation Factor method has been developed with a desire to pass on a set of simple tools to facilitate deep and long lasting personal development. Our motto is keep it simple. The framework and program components are straightforward and concise while maintaining the integrity and transformative value of complex concepts. 4 MOTIVATION FACTOR / WHITEPAPER
Prefrontal cortex Amygdala Hippocampus Neuropsychology indicates that awareness of and insight into our own needs and how we bring our talents into play are crucial for our ability to stay motivated and positive in the face of changes. On the most basic level, our brains react to threatened needs as they would to a physical danger. Theories of emotional intelligence tell us how to teach our brain to know the difference and react expediently, when our needs are threatened, and our brain is put on high alert. A condition of high alert reduces our ability to think rationally and see possibilities and solutions. As our work and private lives constantly bring about challenges threatening our personal needs, our ability to recognize and to meet threats against these needs will be crucial for our ability to handle pressure and changes. We can easily focus and act quickly, even if we are driven by fear or anger. But our learning and readiness for changes will be impeded. And likewise we will have difficulties utilizing our talents, since all our mental power is going to protecting our needs. And it is important to use our talents their use makes the activity in our left frontal lobe, which governs emotions like enthusiasm, curiosity, joy and happiness, increase. And we can use our talents as a shortcut to learn new things much faster than if we take as a starting point things that we are not good at. Do you want to know more? To incorporate the Motivation Factor methodology into your next corporatewide employee survey initiative, please contact IDG Research Services to learn more about their employee engagement survey options featuring the Motivation Factor Index. Jean B. Desmarais, Client Services Manager. Phone: 508-766-5617 or cell: 603-401-4566. You may also contact Motivation Factor Institute by phone +45 70 25 16 46 or info@motivationfactor.com. MOTIVATION FACTOR / WHITEPAPER 5
The MOTIVATION FACTOR INSTITUTE has been established by Helle Bundgaard in connection with the launching of the Motivation Factor Methodology and the Hierarchy of Motivation. Her interest in insight, motivation and behavior springs from 20 years of international experience with sales and business development and is the driver behind the continued development of efficient tools for development and change processes. Our objective is to translate the latest discoveries from neuropsychology into operational tools that create motivation, results and commitment. Our motto is: Keep it simple and we pursue this by focusing on simplicity in all we develop. Our vision is to help people across cultures, religion, gender, education and abilities to flourish by finding the key to lasting motivation and commitment WHITEPAPER T : +45 70 25 16 46 E : info@motivationfactor.com I : www.motivationfactor.com Jean B. Desmarais, Client Services Manager Phone: 508-766-5617 or cell: 603-401-4566 6 MOTIVATION FACTOR / WHITEPAPER