How to interpret the Motivation analysis

The motivation analysis serves as a foundation for open dialogue and should not be interpreted as definitive

When preparing for a conversation, it is important to approach the analysis with curiosity and avoid drawing conclusions. It is essential to remember that only the employee truly knows their own motivations and desires.

 

Explained in this article: 

• Top line - Importance (previously called desired level)
• Bottom line - Perceived level and gap
• Additional Questions

Top line - Importance

The top line shows the employees:

• Expectations and desires
• The importance of motivating factors (high score = important) 

The numbers that appear on the top line are the total score each factor has received in part 1 of the survey with statement pairs. Each factor is set up against each other, which means that each factor is mentioned 7 times during the survey.

Each statement pair has 5 points to be allocated (5-0, 1-4, or 2-3). The highest score that can be achieved for a factor is 35, and the lowest is 0.

The scores have no significance alone, but if you compare them they show which area the employee emphasizes most and least for their motivation. This means that the higher the score is, the more important it is for the employee that this area is taken care of. Below is a table of the factors:

 

FOCUS AREAS	HOW IMPORTANT IS IT…
1. Work content	that the work content is meaningful and interesting?
2. Responsibility and autonomy	to have responsibility and freedom to make decisions?
3. Feedback	to get open and honest feedback?
4. Relation to leader	to have a good relation and the opportunity for support from a leader?
5. Professional development / Competence development	to develop new competence?
6. Colleague support	to get support and feel included by   colleagues?
7. Collaboration	that collaboration within the organization works well?
8. Master/succeed	to succeed and master the work situation?

 

It is important to remember that these factors are influenced by the specific work situation and not the employees' personalities. Understanding what motivates your employees can help you set clear expectations and take appropriate actions as a leader.

 

Motivation indicator

The motivation indicator is calculated by averaging the employee's perceived level. This indicator is useful for evaluating individual and overall results. It can also be used to prioritize meetings, giving more frequent follow-ups to employees with a low motivation indicator over a certain period of time.

 

What do the factors mean?

Work content

A high score shows a person who values ​​interesting work tasks and wants a great deal of influence on their workday. The person is not so concerned with title and status, but more with the challenges of the work tasks and own well-being. Is usually a good team member, especially in combination with a high score on cooperation. Is not afraid to fail and appreciates both professional and personal challenges.

 

Responsibility and autonomy

A high score shows an independent person who demands a great deal of influence on his work tasks and everyday life. The person appreciates challenges and demanding work tasks. High scores on autonomy can also occur for an employee who wants a greater degree of decision-making. This requires the trust of both the manager and team member. This factor is often high for leader roles. 

 

 Feedback

A high score shows the importance of getting praise and feedback. High scores may indicate a person who feel insecure, or has a strong need to be recognized for the job being done.

In combination with a high score on master/suceed, this will be strengthened. Work to secure employees and build self-confidence.

 

Relation to leader

A person with a high score on this may indicate a situation where employees need support from their manager. The employee is perhaps dependent on frequent communication and on the manager to be able to complete tasks and deliveries.

If the score is very high, the employee might need to be pushed a little more out of the comfort zone, and gain a greater degree of autonomy. It is nevertheless important that the manager supports the employee along the way, so it does not affect security and mastering the tasks.

 

Professional development/Competence development

A high score indicates a person who is concerned with professional development and opportunities for climbing the corporate ladder. May want to get better at a subject in order to get new assignments in the future. In a situation where there is a lot of routine work, and little time for other things, this factor might be even more important. The additional questions will come in handy here.

In combination with a high score on master/succeed, this will be a person who may be at risk of burning out.

 

Colleague support

High score on colleague support shows an employee who appreciates being able to ask for help and seek advice from others. Likes to discuss with colleagues to come up with solutions. Relationships and fellowship are important, which may also indicate that this person wants to be liked and is therefore a good contributor to the work environment.

Colleague support can compensate for relationship with the leader. The need for peer support can be weighted as more important than the relationship with the leader, when the leader, in example, shows little support. This would give a result of a low score in relation to leader, and a gap in feedback.

 

Collaboration 

High score on collaboration indicates an employee who is motivated by a good flow of information, where there is a culture of openness and sharing knowledge. It is a person who is a team player, and who is motivated by working with others to achieve goals. Is more concerned with team execution than individual execution.

 

Master/Succeed

A high score shows a person who is very concerned about success. Indicates great progress and willingness to work. With good support and security, this will be positive, but you have to be careful so the employee do not burn out. It can also indicate a person with performance anxiety, who is afraid of making mistakes. The manager must then ensure that it is allowed to make mistakes, so the employee feels safe to step outside the comfort zone.

 

Do the employee's priorities match the role and the company's needs?

 

The top line can be used to assess whether the priorities fit with the role and the company's needs.

• For instance, if an employee has a low score in professional development and the company needs it, explore the reasons behind the lack of interest and find ways to motivate a change in attitude. This could be due to unawareness of available opportunities or a lack of time to focus on professional development. Use the additional questions to gather information and address the situation effectively.
• For instance, if a leader has a low score in responsibility/autonomy, it is important to understand the reasons behind it. This could be due to a lack of authority or time to take on necessary responsibilities. By exploring the reasons together, you can find a solution that effectively addresses the issue.

Bottom line – Perceived level 

The bottom line provides an insight into how employees perceive their situation. They are asked to rate their experience with each of the 8 factors on a scale from 1 to 10. These ratings are then converted into a percentage of importance (prev. desired level), and the size of the gap is visually represented based on the top line.

 

1.	I am satisfied with the support I get from my colleagues.
2.	I am satisfied with the quality of the feedback I receive.
3.	I am satisfied with the responsibility i have and the level of freedom to choose.
4.	I am satisfied with the relation to my immediate manager.
5.	I am satisfied with my competence and professional development.
6.	I think I succeed well in my work situation.
7.	I am satisfied with my work content.
8.	I am satisfied with the cooperation in the organization.

The gap - room for improvement

An area/factor with 70% or less on the bottom line, is considered a significant gap, which should be discussed.

The gap between the top and bottom line is meant to be a visual guide. The more important a motivating factor is, the larger the gap will be. Sometimes it can be useful to be curious about the smaller gaps that was not there the previous year, even if the gap is not as large as 30%. You may also want to check if the employee experiences something as a larger gap than what it appears visually.

 

• Large gap in many areas, may indicate that the employee is at risk of sick leave, applying for a new job, creating dissatisfaction and conflicts in the environment, etc.
• A large gap in professional development and work content can indicate a person who does not have enough knowledge to accomplish work tasks. This impression is reinforced if there is also a gap in the factor for master/succeed.
• A large gap in work content may indicate that the employee is in a wrong role, or wants a renewal of work tasks. This especially applies if there is little or no gap for the factor master/succeed.
• A large gap in feedback can indicate that the person in question does not receive enough praise and recognition for the job or work that is done. This is reinforced if there is a gap in the relationship with you as a leader. This employee probably needs a greater degree of follow-up and support, and respect for the job. 
• If there is a large gap in relationship with you as a leader, we recommend that you address it early in the conversation, because it can be uncomfortable for both of you. You can gain a lot of trust by taking a humble stand, and for example opening with “I see that there is a gap in the relationship with me as a leader. What can I do to better guide/support you? ” Then you show respect for the fact that it is the employee who has the lead.

 

 

 

Keep an extra eye on the factor to master/succeed

Lack of faith in succeeding is the main reason for lack of flexibility. We also know that the lack of experience of succeeding is an important cause for stress and burnout. This means that you must be careful not to push someone too far out of their comfort zone, and they must seek support to find their way back to the belief in succeeding.

Occasionally, you will see that master/succeed is prioritized very high. Even without any significant gap, it is necessary to discover why it is so. The reason can often be fear of making mistakes, which can go beyond well-being, flexibility and productivity. The assumption of uncertainty can be reinforced if the score for responsibility is low.

 

It is important to see the 8 factors in context, not independent, or measured with other elements that are not included in the analysis. Often, one thing is the cause, and another the consequence. You can also look for explanations for the gaps in the second form in the survey called "Additional Questions".

Additional questions

The purpose of the additional questions is to provide a better explanation and supplementary information to the motivation analysis. It is not always easy to identify the cause if you do not know what to ask. With the additional questions it will be easier to find causal connections and measures.

4 of the 24 additional questions that can provide valuable insights into the Motivation Analysis and overall well-being

These questions may reveal causal relationships and help us better understand employee motivation and satisfaction.

• " I have enough time to carry out my job responsibilities."
  This can affect the work situation and several factors in the Motivation Analysis. It is especially important to address it, if the employee scores low. It may come from poor organization, routines or too few resources.
• " I'm proud of my workplace."
  This question can indicate a high turnover intention if the employee scores low. It can also explain several possible gaps in the Motivation Analysis.
• "I feel respected, valued and fairly treated at work. / I experience that there is a good tone in the company."
  If an employee has scored low on these factors, it may be an indication that the employee feels bullied/harassed at the workplace. It is important to address this if the employee scores less than 10.
• «I find my salary level to be fair, and in proportion to my skills, experience, responsibilities and endeavor.».
  An important hygiene factor for well-being is salary, but the development conversation should not have a main focus on this. If an employe has scored low on some motivation factors, such as questions about recognition and feedback, the salary can be an indirect effect of this. Try to solve the areas of inner motivation first, and then talk about salary. It can also be a good idea to set aside time for a separate salary conversation, if necessary.