In the program Vecteur H, dedicated to human resources and of which Isarta Infos is a partner, the eminent professor Jacques Forest speaks about one of his favorite themes: the motivation of employees.
Jacques Forest has a CV as long as the arm: full professor at the Department of organization and human resources at the ESG UQAM and exceptional popularizer, the author of the recent Libérez la motivation (Éditions Édito) is a specialist of the theory of self-determination. In short, this theory seeks to understand “why we do what we do”.
In other words, what are the reasons that push us to act. An important part of this theory focuses on the evolution of Maslow’s pyramid, that is to say, the needs that humans need to satisfy in order to be emancipated,” says Jacques Forrest.
The 3 universal needs
The human being has several innate psychological needs. But 3 in particular stand out from the others:
- Autonomy: the fact of feeling free to make choices within certain rules
The professor insists on this last notion: “It is neither independence nor laissez-faire. It’s about the perception of choice within a framework of limits.
- Competence: the need for challenge, purpose and impact
In other words: what makes me able to do my job!
- Social belonging or affiliation: the feeling of being part of a group and having social ties
The more these needs are satisfied, the better it is for us and the people around us, according to a study conducted in 164 countries, summarizes Jacques Forest. When our three needs are frustrated, when we feel prevented from doing things, when we work on weaknesses or when we are left out, things will naturally go less well.
Logical conclusion: the manager’s job is to give vitamins to the employees’ brain and avoid the frustration of these 3 needs! But how to do this and where to start?
Be “human gardeners”
Motivating a person directly is indeed impossible. You have to see yourself as gardeners as managers: you can’t pull on a plant or yell at it to make it grow faster,” he says.
According to him, it is necessary to put in place the circumstances that will allow employees to motivate themselves. Let’s go back to the 3 needs mentioned above and see how this is concretely materialized.
For autonomy, you have to explain the structure and the reasons behind the limits and regulations. For example, why the company applies specific schedules or why protective clothing is mandatory.
For competency, you need to provide tools to help employees focus on their strengths rather than their weaknesses. This can be done through training or knowledge of what an employee needs to be able to do their job well.
Finally, for affiliation, you need to create the conditions for employees to feel connected and part of the “family”.
These 3 needs are at the same level of importance for everyone and all the time, like a stool that rests on 3 legs. However, the need for autonomy is the most difficult to understand, adds Jacques Forrest. It is difficult to find the right balance between the two extremes: leaving the person alone in nature or being in constant control. Between the two, there is structure.
The 4 motivations
The professor then discusses the 4 levers that can be invoked at work and that explain the motivations of each and everyone to do what they do.
1) Pleasure (intrinsic motivation). The best predictor of well-being.
2) Meaning (identified motivation). The best predictor of performance. When we know what we are doing for, we are more likely to invest in it over time, even the most boring but necessary tasks.
3) Ego (or reputation or pride). The fact of being proud of oneself.
4) Rewards (extrinsic motivation). They can be social (“I want my boss to like me or my colleagues not to criticize me”) or material (salary, bonus, company car, etc.).
A clarification: the first two motivations are the most important. If they are frustrated, there will be a compensation on motivations such as money or ego and the person will always be a little dissatisfied.
These motivations are undeniably linked to happiness at work because they create more positive than negative emotions and generate general satisfaction. Knowing that there are differences between countries. Some cultures make it easier to be happy. For example, cultures with a high degree of hierarchical distance have more difficulty meeting the need for social affiliation.
In conclusion, Professor Forrest recommends that managers provide a “balanced diet of vitamins to each person. By asking the question: how can I meet your personal needs?
Just like driving a car, you have to take off the handbrake and step on the gas at the same time. In other words, you have to reduce the irritants, which cut the wings of the employees, and increase what is going well.
