Running head: MOTIVATION

Motivation
August 31, 2013

Achieving goals, dealing with underperforming employees, hiring the right people, responding to emergencies, and continuing to improve an organization, are all challenges a manager faces in the workforce.(Harwell) Another significant challenge that managers face is motivating their employees. Motivating employees is a key element to a positive work environment and a successful business. Over the past 50 years many things have changed in the workforce, including the types of challenges managers face in motivating their workers. Generational differences, technology, and cultural differences are three challenges that managers face in motivating employees today.
Veterans, Baby Boomers, and Generations X and Y, are all working side-by-side in the workplace as opposed to 50 years ago. With four different generations in today’s workplace there are individuals with different ways of communicating, different ways of getting things accomplished, and different morals and values. In an online article its said that each generation had distinct attitudes, behaviors, expectations, habits and motivational buttons.(Hammill) These generational differences play a significant role in managers motivating their employees. The following is a workplace scenario in which a manager tries to use the motivational approach of monetary incentives and encounters a generational difference.
At annual appraisal time, a manager from the Veteran generation gives out a nice bonus for a well-developed project completed months ago. The employee from Generation X is unappreciative and says, “Why didn’t I get this six months ago when the project was done?” Generation X wants instant gratification, while an individual from the Veterans generation is grateful to get the money anytime. (Hammill)
Managers must explore different approaches to motivate employees with so many generational differences in the workplace. With an employee from Generation X a manager may motivate them with giving them options, opportunities to make choices, or allowing them room to grow with giving them clear statements of goals. Someone from Generation Y can be motivated by allowing them to multitask or work in teams. A manager may also want to motivate this generation with positive reinforcement, challenges, and even allowing them to use the latest technology in the workplace.(Javitch) Managers have to pay attention to generational difference when motivating employees in today’s workforce oppose to five decades ago if they want to bring out the best in their employees. Another major challenge a manager faces in motivating their employees today as opposed to 50 years ago is technology. Technology has advanced tremendously in the past 50 years and continues to progress. The development of the internet, cellular phones, email, and social networks, challenges managers to keep employees motivated and on task. With the constant growth of smart phones, tablets, and laptops individuals can have access to the internet, social networks and media, email and texting everywhere including the workplace. In certain areas of the workforce managers can motivate employees by allowing them to use the latest technologies. Technology also plays an important part of communication in the workplace. According to Forbes.com communication is vital to keeping employees motivated.(Durkin) In today’s workplace we communicate through email, text messages and video conferences. Managers can use these means of communication to express the goals of the company, provide guidelines to keep structure, positive reinforcement, and also to make it easier for employees to give feedback and feel like they are a dynamic part of the organization. All of these things will help managers keep employees motivated.
One more challenge that managers face in motivating employees today opposed to 50 years ago is cultural differences. America is full of different cultures, ethnicities, and religions. These differences in the workplace mean that managers have to take different approaches to motivate employees that have different beliefs and are used to different methods. For instance in 2005 Dell Inc. in Nashville, Tn. had several Muslim employees walk of the job because they were not allowed to pray. This issue was resolved and the employees were allowed to return and were allotted the time to have evening prayer during their shifts.(Spooner) Motivating employees from different cultures may be one of the most difficult challenges managers face.
Although many motivational techniques managers use are the same today as they were 50 years ago, the challenges that they face have changed. Managers must change their approach and outlook when trying to keep their employees motivated. Age difference, emails, text messaging, religion, morals and values, these are all things that must be looked at by leaders within an organization to motivate their staff and make the business a success.

References
Durkin, D. M. (2010, September 16). How To Keep Employees Motivated. In Forbes. Retrieved August 31, 2013, from http://www.forbes.com/2010/09/16/employees-motivation-business-forbes-woman-leadership-communication.html
Hammill, G. (2005). Mixing and Managing Four Generations of Employees. In FDU Magazine. Retrieved August 31, 2013, from http://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/magazine/05ws/generations.htm
Harwell, . (2009, November 11). The 7 Biggest Challenges of a Manager. In Making It Clear. Retrieved August 31, 2013, from http://blog.makingitclear.com/2009/11/11/managerchallenges/
Javitch, D. G. (2010, May 9). Motivating Gen X, Gen Y Workers. In Entrepreneur. Retrieved August 31, 2013, from http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/206502
Spooner, J. G. (2005, March 21). Dell: Dispute over Muslim prayers resolved. In CNET. Retrieved August 31, 2013, from http://news.cnet.com/Dell-Dispute-over-Muslim-prayers-resolved/2110-1047_3-5628889.html