Key Work MotivationsEmployees generally focus on five main work motivations:
Financial Gain Helping People Creative Work Exerting Control Increasing KnowledgeHow to Hire Motivated Employees Benchmarking with Personality Tests: Use pre-employment personality tests to establish motivation benchmarks. Have your top employees take these tests to set a standard. For instance, sales reps often score high in Financial Gain and Exerting Control. Look for similar scores in applicants.
Customer Service and Admin Roles: Research shows that top performers in these roles score high in Helping People and Increasing Knowledge. Prioritize candidates with these traits.
The Myth of Achievement Motivation Misconception: Many believe high Achievement Motivation equates to high performance. This is misleading. People are only motivated to achieve in areas they find personally important.
Example: A person with high Achievement Motivation might excel in video games but not in a sales role if they don't value financial gain or customer follow-up.
Additional Assessment Methods Intelligence Tests: Use these to find candidates who match the cognitive abilities of your top performers.
Behavioral Interviews: Ask candidates about their past achievements and request references to verify their claims. Pay attention to body language for honesty cues.
Realistic Job Observation (RJO): Allow candidates to observe a typical workday. This helps them understand the role and allows you to gauge their interest and fit.
ConclusionTo hire truly motivated and productive employees, rely on a combination of personality tests, intelligence assessments, and practical evaluations like RJOs. These methods provide a comprehensive view of a candidate's potential beyond their self-reported motivation.
Interesting Stats Personality Tests: According to the Society for Human Resource Management, 22% of organizations use personality tests in hiring (source: SHRM). Employee Motivation: A Gallup study found that only 36% of U.S. employees are engaged in their work, highlighting the importance of effective hiring practices (source: Gallup).By integrating these strategies, you can make informed hiring decisions that align with your company's goals and culture.
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