When doing the job and going home won't cut it.

           Microsoft's website has resources for businesses. In the section for management questions, someone asked how to motivate their employees to expand their ideas? His personal company has employees that work hard while at work, but go home and don't do anything related. He wants his employees to benefit and contribute to the expansion, but they don't seem to care. Microsoft has advice for this problem.
           Microsoft's response was that he should offer training, "go fish" create recognition, create policies, and listen and act. Offering training to a business is a mutually beneficial way to motivate employees. It shows them that you care and that you are willing to develop resources for them, and it also gets you ahead by expanding your employees horizons. When they mentioned "go fish", they meant letting employees explore their talents and express their happiness/emotions. This can benefit the company's culture a lot and definitely seems like it would help employees desire their work more. "Positive recognition is one of the mightiest of motivating factors at work", states the article (link below). Just by a manager giving you recognition for the good you do at work, you can increase motivation among employees substantially. Flex time and commuting are ways to create policies that enhance motivation and listening and acting means to just appreciate the knowledge people share and act upon it. I know this motivates me in my own job when my manager hears my feedback and does something about it.
          The most important part of the article, in my opinion, is that creativity goes a long way. Money is not going to do everything when motivating employees, you have to dig deep and find out what your employees really want.
          I believe goal commitment, the degree to which a person is dedicated to or committed to a goal, as defined in the text book, is the individual asking the question's problem. He needs to work on people being committed to their work, instead of only wanting to work the bare minimum. Microsoft had some great advice for him, and I believe if they use it, they will have better luck motivating their employees.


http://www.microsoft.com/business/en-us/resources/management/employee-relations/How-can-I-better-motivate-employees.aspx?fbid=BO0KPoaegcb#HowcanIbettermotivateemployees
        


-Team 4
Kelsey Van Gieson