Motivation vs Morale: Is it the same?

Understanding the difference between motivation vs morale and how they are related is key to building a positive and productive workplace focused on driving your business toward success.

In workplaces where staff turnover is high and productivity is low, it is likely issues with employee motivation or morale could be to blame. But, which is it? Motivation or morale? Or are they one and the same?

MOTIVATION IN THE WORKPLACE

When employees are motivated, your business is powered toward success. Productivity and quality of work is high and staff are proactive and inspired. Motivated staff are goal-oriented and focused on success. They have identified what ignites their personal drive and are on target to smashing goals.

What drives one person to succeed and to be motivated, however, can be very different for another. Motivation is individual, relating to a person’s personal goals, beliefs and values. Motivation is something individual’s need to activate from within.

Smart business owners understand the value of a motivated workplace and invest time and money into helping employees identify what drives them to work toward goals.

EMPLOYEE MORALE

Morale differs from motivation in that it is associated more with emotion. When morale is high in a workplace, employees are passionate, enthusiastic and bubbling with ideas. They are keen to come to work and have a positive attitude toward work.

While motivation is something an individual must unlock within themselves, morale is group related. Just as low morale can be quick to infect a workplace, high morale is also contagious.

HOW ARE MOTIVATION AND MORALE RELATED?

It can be easy to think morale and motivation are one in the same as they often go hand in hand. Both motivation and morale are integral to building a positive and productive workplace.

When employee morale is high, employees are more inclined to work harder and produce a higher level of work. When morale is low, employees become unmotivated and trapped in simply going through the motions. They are disengaged and disinterested, and productivity and quality of work declines as a result.

There are, of course, exceptions to the rule. There can be highly motivated employees, who produce high levels of work, but have low morale. Negative factors drive these employees to work harder. They could be suffering from fear of losing their job, or be involved in unhealthy competition with another colleague. In these cases, while motivation is high, morale is low. There are also cases where morale is high, but motivation is low.

WHY UNDERSTANDING MOTIVATION VS MORALE IS IMPORTANT

When motivational mojo and staff morale are high, your business will be powered toward kicking goals and achieving success. Failing to accurately diagnose motivation vs morale issues with your employees can negatively impact your workplace and place you at risk of losing staff.

HOW TO MOTIVATE STAFF

Unfortunately, there’s no secret formula to motivating staff. Motivation is deeply personal and needs to be unlocked or unleashed from within. What drives one employee to perform may have little effect on another.

There are however a number of things you can do within your workplace to empower employees to be more motivated.

• Invest in education and training
• Open the channels of communication
• Recognise your staff
• Develop team building activities.

HOW TO BUILD MORALE

All smart business owners know how morale can impact their business. Creating a work environment where staff are positive and morale is high is on every business owner’s wish list.

Similar to motivation, there is no secret formula to improve morale, but the following can push your workplace in the right direction.

• Encourage social events with staff
• Develop team building activities
• Allow flexible work arrangements
• Recognise your staff
• Ensure open and multiple channels of communication.

Social events and team building play an important role in promoting a positive workplace culture. When employees hold a sense of belonging and know their value, morale will improve.

IMPROVE MOTIVATION AND MORALE WITH A MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER

Due to the intimate nature of motivation and morale, workplaces can sometimes struggle to pinpoint how to improve these factors for their employees. When this happens, it’s time to call in the big guns.

Motivational speakers are a valuable investment in growing a motivated workplace and improving employee morale.

NAT COOK TOP MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER

Investing in a top motivational speaker can have an incredible impact on your workplace. Former five-time Olympian and renowned motivational speaker Nat Cook inspires workplaces across Australia and the world as she helps staff rediscover their motivational mojo. She encourages staff to unlock their true potential and provides them with useful strategies to stay focused on their journey toward success.

Nat is skilled at breaking down barriers and challenging people to dig deep to uncover what propels them forward to achieving their goals. Nat can raise your staff up and empower them to uncover their own brand of awesomeness. Nat knows that everyone wants, and is deserving of, their own gold medal moment.

Nat’s powerful stories are relatable for people from all walks of life, while her inspirational words and superhero antics are the perfect recipe for winning over your staff, boosting morale and motivating them to achieve success.

Nat takes a close look at employee morale and encourages staff to refocus pent up negativity and transform it into something much more powerful.

STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE MOTIVATION

Nat offers effective strategies to help people take aim to achieve their goals. Nat knows all too well that people can hit roadblocks on their journey to success and offers valuable advice on how to work past these blocks.

Nat can successfully help you reignite your staff’s passion and purpose. Her powerful and inspirational presentations can help your staff realise how to access their own personal drive, stay focused, unlock their true potential and rediscover their motivational mojo.

Nat can work with you to cater her presentation to meet your business needs. From corporate conferences, to team building and leadership workshops, Nat can advise which platform is best for helping you to meet your workplace objectives.

If you’re having trouble understanding the motivation vs morale relationship and how it affects your business, get Nat on board to help drive your workplace toward success.

Invite Nat Cook into your workplace today to learn about motivation vs morale and how it impacts your employees and workplace.