Workplace motivation plays a fundamental role in promoting employee performance and productivity. Whenever employees feel content and satisfied in their working environment, they project their satisfaction through being full engaged and dedicated towards meeting organizational goals. However, more often than not, companies prioritize the pursuit of profit over the wellbeing of employees, which increases the risk of high turnover rates, slowed performance and productivity, diminishing returns, depreciation in competitive position in the market, alongside other negative outcomes. Understandably, when the management demonstrates recognition of employee needs, such as offering the opportunity for career growth and development, the outcome is a workforce characteristic of self-belief and drive. From a deeper perspective, self-esteem in workers acts as a determinant of how engaged or involved an employee is, the quality of his or her output, dedication towards company objectives, among other things. Therefore, the importance of a positive or high self-esteem in workers can neither be overlooked or understated.
Undoubtedly, individuals with a high self-esteem exhibit different behaviors compared to those with low self-esteem. In this case, self-esteem should be perceived as an individual’s awareness of oneself, but from an emotional perspective. It entails belief in oneself whereby an individual feel that his or her output is of value to the company even when there are no rewards. Thus, irrespective of the presence or lack thereof of reinforcement, an individual should still embody a high self-esteem. Having understood what this particular concept means, the various characteristics of individuals with high self-esteem can be explored. For instance, such individuals are always motivated, and willing to take on extra tasks at the workplace just to ensure a project’s deadline is met. Moreover, there is a sense of enthusiasm when faced with new and challenging tasks. A worker with a high self-esteem is always willing to learn and accepts that he or she has limitations that might undermine the value and quality of one’s work. Thus, self-esteem allows one to not fall victim to the pressure of one’s limitations in terms of ability at the workplace.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Compared to individuals with high self-esteem, those with a low self-esteem have a dominant characteristic; they demonstrate a lack of belief in themselves. That being the case, they demonstrate weakness and lack of certainty when handling cases. Even when they have the capacity to undertake certain tasks, they are not able to explore their strengths and accomplish them. Thus, low self-esteem undermines one’s potential to realize his or her worth, and consequently one’s strengths and weaknesses. To some degree, these individuals are aware of their ability to achieve set goals, but they doubt whether they can achieve. They have fear that something might go wrong even when there are no factors impeding their execution of a task. Such individuals are mostly judgmental of others as well as of self. They exhibit self-pity whereby they console themselves that when something goes wrong, it is because they do not have the skills or knowledge to accomplish a task. In short, they embody pessimism, which blocks them from manipulating their strengths and seeking growth.
In an organization, self-esteem can be established through understanding the various needs of employees. The human resource department should be at the forefront seeking information from workers about the issues they face that undermine their work. Moreover, employees could also express their expectations in terms of what changes they would like made in the working environment. With such information, the management could exploit various key areas and establish an environment where employees have access to numerous opportunities. For instance, they could be exposed to routine career development seminars, which can make them understand their role and expectations in the company. With clarity of what they are expected to do, employees are likely to perform in a manner consistent with company standards and goals. In the event of positive outcomes, the management should reward the workers through holding a party or other means. With such kind of treatment, the employees will appreciate themselves and develop the mentality that they can do better than before. This would demonstrate that they have a sense of self-worth. Thus, the management’s behavior towards workers is critical towards promotion of high self-esteem in workers.
While the management has a major role to play to play in promoting a high self-esteem in workers, the employees themselves are also responsible for their self-esteem. The manner in which they respond to the management’s attempt to make their experiences at the company better should push them towards developing a sense of self-worth. This shows that a company’s management might incentivize workers through giving them rewards for their hard work, but some employees might not develop a high self-esteem. In such a case, the management should consider revisiting its structure and assessing whether, for instance, employees are accurately matched with their expertise, or whether there are other issues they are facing. Patently, such an approach is likely to ensure that all workers, and not some, feel appreciated, hence motivating all workers to appreciate their input in the company. Remaining positive and focused towards growth and development on the part of both employees and the management can help boost the levels of self-esteem in workers. When employees meet set targets and objectives, they are likely to feel that they have achieved, hence inducing in them a sense of self-worth. Therefore, the management should place realistic goals, which are achievable whether in the short or long-term.
Tus far, a strong relationship has been identified between employee self-esteem and organizational performance and productivity. Self-esteem affects a worker’s ability to function optimally thereby jeopardizing the company’s goals and objectives. The worker is unlikely to have that innate drive, which pushes him or her to demonstrate competence in his or her work. A simple mistake by an employee could actually cost an organization its resources, undermine its competitive position in the market, force a restructuring of the company’s culture, which might be expensive, alongside other outcomes. Therefore, the management of any organization cannot ignore the importance of having workforce that exhibits a high level of self-esteem. With a high self-esteem, employees demonstrate willingness to pursue company goals, desire to help the organization remain competitive in the market, sensitivity towards laid out expectations, inter alia. In this regard, not only does the company benefit immensely from a workforce with high self-esteem, it also enjoys some level of safety when it comes to maintaining its standards. The management should support workers through catering for their needs, giving them rewards as incentives and recognition for the value they add to the company.
Conclusion
Self-esteem in workers is of vital importance to any company. Employees ought to have a sense of self-worth, which dictates their behavior in terms of work productivity and performance. A highly motivated and engaged workforce embodies a high self-esteem. Self-appreciation demonstrates employees’ recognition of their input. They show that they acknowledge the success that they have achieved. However, in cases where employees have a low self-esteem, tasks are likely to pile up with workers showing lack of belief to complete them and maintaining the expected standard. However, the management can intervene and expose such workers to seminars that encourage self-belief and exploration of one’s strengths and weaknesses. This can help promote self-esteem in workers, hence pushing closer towards organizational goals.
