(gentle music) Productivity can be defined by ratio of output and input. This ratio can be visualized as productivity equals a unit of output divided by a unit of input. The less input it takes to produce work, the higher the rate of productivity will be. There are two kinds of productivity. Workforce productivity is the amount of goods or services employees can produce in a given period of time. Individual productivity is the amount of work an individual can accomplish within a given period of time. For most organizations, higher productivity means lower operational costs, more efficient and effective delivery, lower prices, higher market share, and more profits. The following traits and tools can drive productivity in business. Investing in people, organizational culture, streamlined work processes, networking, collaboration, leadership competency, innovation, technology, employee engagement, strategies and goal setting, feedback and recognition. The following elements can decrease productivity, multitasking, noisy distracting workplaces, stressful situations, frequent meetings, micromanagement, lack of training, unclear expectations, high turnover, resource scarcity. Achieving high productivity is the result of many interacting forces. Motivation is the internal desire to accomplish something important to us. Managers and leaders should understand motivation theories and their related strategies. In order to promote success in performance, it's important to understand employees, including their social, physiological and psychological concerns. There are many formal theories of motivation. Let's discuss three of the most well-known motivation theories and their application in the workplace. Let's begin with Maslow's theory of the hierarchy of needs. Maslow's hierarchy of needs is based on American psychologist, Abraham Maslow's idea that an individual's most basic needs must be met before they can be motivated to achieve at a higher level. There are five levels within the hierarchy. Physiological needs must be met for survival, such as food, water, shelter, and rest. Safety needs are about protection, such as financial security, health care and job security. Belongingness involves building positive relationships and having a support system. Esteem is met through accomplishment and recognition. And self-actualization is the desire to achieve the most you can. To get the most out of your team, support your employees in other aspects of their lives outside of work. For example, try to offer certain benefits or working hours that will better accommodate employees to enjoy their lives outside of work. Next is Herzberg's two-factor theory. This theory developed by Frederick Herzberg is also known as the motivation-hygiene theory. According to data collected by Herzberg, there are two drivers of employee satisfaction, motivating factors, such as personal growth, job satisfaction and recognition, and hygiene factors, which are maintenance factors that don't necessarily motivate, but the absence of any can lead to employee dissatisfaction. This can include benefits, salary or job security. Leaders should pay attention to both types of factors. You as a manager will need to identify which hygiene factors, if any, are lacking and contributing to job dissatisfaction. Open communication can help you gauge the strength of these hygiene factors. Make sure to foster supportive relationships with your team by focusing on working conditions and a fair wage, this will help you motivate employees to ensure that they feel appreciated and supported. It's also important to focus on recognizing individual and team accomplishments, upholding a comfortable, yet productive working environment and promoting opportunities for career growth. Finally, Vroom's expectancy theory. Victor H. Vroom, a business school professor at Yale School of Management proposed a theory that people are motivated to perform a certain act or behavior based on the expected outcome for that act or behavior. The idea is that behavior results from conscious decisions to maximize satisfaction and minimize loss or dissatisfaction. For example, employees will work harder if they expect a reward, such as a bonus or being considered for a promotion. There are three elements to this theory. Expectancy, which is the belief that your effort will achieve a desired performance. Instrumentality. The belief in a reward for achieving the desired performance. And valence. The extent a person values a given outcome or reward. Make sure to set challenging, but achievable goals and reward employees with the outcomes and benefits they actually want. The key is to not assume you know what's best for your employees or what they desire, instead, schedule regular meetings to get feedback from your employees about how to better meet their needs.
