How to use intrinsic motivation for your employees

Motivation can be divided into intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. While extrinsic motivation is controlled by rewards and punishments, intrinsic motivation is driven by one's own inner drive. A system of rewards and punishments, e.g. via salary increases or stages in the career ladder, can be controlled quite easily. But how can you as a leader influence the intrinsic motivation of your team members?

Why intrinsic motivation is so important for your company

Rewards are an interchangeable instrument in management. You will never retain qualified employees in the long term with a higher salary. If the figure on the paycheck is the only reason why the offices fill up in the morning, then the motivation to change jobs is also high. As soon as a headhunter entices you with a higher sum, the office chairs will remain empty in the morning. This makes it all the more important for your employees to develop a motivation that is driven by an inner drive. Carrots and sticks work in the short term, but if you want to build a solid, motivated and committed team in the long term, you should activate the intrinsic motivation of your employees.

How does intrinsic motivation work for employees?

Why should employees perform at their best regardless of any rewards? Because everyone has an inner desire for social inclusion, self-determination, competence and security. This is why people perform activities of their own accord that they believe will fulfill their basic needs. Intrinsic motivation is based on this principle. Your employees set themselves goals and strive to achieve them. They want to develop and be part of a community. You create the best conditions for this if you provide them with a safe and appreciative working environment.

What you can do as a leader to strengthen your employees' inner drive

As a leader, you also have an influence on the inner attitude of your employees. Below you will find some food for thought to help you strengthen your team's intrinsic motivation.

• Interesting tasks
  Intrinsic motivation increases when employees are allowed to do what they enjoy. Of course, a project is not a children's birthday party with balloons, music and cake. But by knowing the talents of your team members and recognizing their strengths, you can better assign them the tasks that suit them.
  
• Constructive feedback
  Your employees want to be noticed and know where they stand. How do they rate their work performance? Where is there room for improvement? Feedback meetings bring far more than any pay rise.
  
• Concrete goals
  Employees should know their task in the big picture. How does their performance contribute to achieving a specific project goal and why is this project goal important for the progress of the entire company? As a leader, you have the important task of identifying these goals precisely and communicating them transparently.

How is the intrinsic motivation in your company?

One indication of how motivated your employees are is the sickness rate. In a healthy working environment with the best conditions for intrinsic motivation, the number of mental and physical illnesses decreases. Conversely, employees resign even if they are paid less elsewhere.

We will be happy to give you further tips and suggestions on the subject of employee motivation as part of personal coaching sessions and seminars.