decoding motivation

DECODING MOTIVATION

Global insight into motivational drivers of corporate training

3motivation.ef.com

Contents

About Decoding Motivation 4

Executive Summary 6

1. Introduction: The challenges of motivation 8

2. Motivation to begin training 12

3. Motivation during training 16

4. Understanding the benefits 24

5. Whose responsibility is motivation? 28

6. Conclusions and recommendations 32

http://motivation.ef.com

4

About Decoding Motivation

In July 2014 EF Education First conducted a

survey of over 1,000 directors and managers

with responsibility for training and development,

working in companies employing over 1,000

people. There were 100 or more respondents

from each of ten countries: Brazil, China, France,

Germany, Mexico, Russia, Spain, Sweden, UK

and US. Drawing on the survey findings and

additional in-depth interviews with experts,

this report aims to shed light on effective

motivational techniques and strategies.

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6

Executive Summary

There are different factors at play in persuading employees to start training and ensuring that they complete the course. At the initial stage, clearly explaining the benefits of the training for the individual is vital. Once training has started, more emotional factors connected with the supporting environment kick in. Companies need to dynamically adapt motivational strategies along the training cycle to provide effective motivation at each stage. Rewards are seen as the best motivational tool across the board, but should be used alongside other techniques (see fig 9 on page 23). As a secondary tool, competition is more effective in some countries, while direct motivation is better in others. But companies should not shy away from penalties as these can also be very effective. Employers tend to stress the responsibility of the employee in ensuring a successful training outcome, but this is a mistake—there is a key role for the

employer in ensuring the right conditions for learning, supporting the employee through the course, and making sure that they can expect to be able to practice their new skills afterwards. There are significant differences too between local authorities/public sector on the one hand, and the majority of industry sectors on the other. For example, employees of local authorities/public sector are relatively less motivated to attend training sessions. There are large differences between countries in effective motivational factors. Each culture is unique, and companies need to make sure both that they understand the local variations and that their motivational strategies are tailored accordingly – a ‘one size fits all’ blanket approach will not be effective.

Companies think they understand motivation,

but actually face a complex range of

considerations that they often fail to grasp—

leading to wasted training opportunities.

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—1—

Dynamically

adapt motivational

strategies along the

training cycle.

—6—

Tailor motivation

to different

markets.

—2—

Continue to take

an active interest

in employees’

training.

—5—

Create a culture

that enables training

benefits to be

realized.

—3—

Make sure the

employee can fit the

training into their

schedule.

—4—

Provide a

good learning

environment.

KEY

RECOMMENDATIONS

FOR MOTIVATING

LEARNERS


8

Introduction: The challenges of motivation1

Companies planning training need to give careful

thought to how to motivate employees. Although

the vast majority of employees proclaim

themselves willing to learn, 53% of enterprises

in our survey say that they often or always have

issues in persuading staff to begin and complete

courses. This leads us to question how well

companies truly understand motivation.

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A DYNAMIC APPROACH

There are different factors at play for motivating people to start learning and to complete the training course. Therefore, businesses must dynamically adapt the learning environment to suit this cycle. In addition, there are considerable variations between countries—companies need to tailor their motivational approaches to distinct cultures (FIG 1).

GLOBAL DIFFERENCES IN

MOTIVATION

Large differences between countries can be seen even with respect to willingness to undertake training. Some 62% of respondents in Brazil and 60% in China say employees are very willing to undertake training. By contrast willingness is lowest in more mature European economies: Germany (32%), Spain (34%), Sweden, UK and France (all 38%) (FIG 2). Employees in mature economies are also generally harder to motivate: just 3% of respondents in Germany and 9% in the UK never or rarely have problems motivating employees to undertake training.

What might lie behind these differences in enthusiasm? Countries where motivation is higher are often undergoing major social and economic change, which creates potentially high rewards for the extra edge given by training. Certain cultures, for example China, have historically placed a high premium on acquisition of knowledge. Charles Elvin, CEO of the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM), points to another possible reason. “Emerging countries often have a view that there’s lots of knowledge out there in the West that, if only they had access to, life would be brilliant. So there’s an element of competition, in that they feel they have to catch up, and that’s informing their personal need to undertake training and to invest in training.” Businesses with employees in countries where motivation is weaker will need to work harder on espousing the benefits of training and creating positive energy around it. Companies based in countries where motivation is naturally stronger should make sure they are harnessing this effectively.

Businesses with employees in countries where

motivation is weaker will need to work harder on

espousing the benefits of training and creating

positive energy around it.


20%0% 40% 60% 80% 100%

12% 19% 22% 30% 14% 2%

1. Introduction: The challenges of motivation

10

FIGuRE 1 Difficulties in motivating employees

Q: To what extent do you have issues keeping employees motivated to complete

and study for training courses?

All the time Often Rarely NeverVery often Sometimes

USA

Brazil

Germany

UK

Mexico

China

Russia

Spain

France

Sweden

Average

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

motivation.ef.com 11

Quite willing

FIGuRE 2 Differences between cultures in ease of motivation

Q: How willing are employees at your workplace to learn new skills

in the form of training courses?

Unwilling

China

Brazil

Russia

USA

Mexico

France

Sweden

UK

Spain

Germany

Very willing They don’t mind


12

Motivation to begin training2

It is primarily a rational analysis of benefits that

is key in motivating employees to start training.

Some 81% of respondents in our survey see

rational thought as having a role in motivation,

most notably considerations of career and wage

prospects. Companies therefore need to make

sure that training has an expected tangible benefit,

and that this is made clear to the employee (FIG 3).

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However, as Shlomo Ben-Hur, Professor of Leadership, Talent Management and Corporate Learning at IMD Business School explains, “often people are sent to training, but they don’t see a link between what is being taught and what they do in their job, or what they would get to do in the next job. They are looking to really have a benefit, to be able to say ‘I am in this training because at the end of it I will be able to progress my career, do a better job, increase safety, or things like that. Often, even if there is a tangible benefit for the organization, it’s not very clear what it is to the individual. Sometimes it’s just about explaining.” That being said, emotions should not be ignored. Some 57% of respondents see emotions having a role in motivation to begin training, most notably curiosity, enthusiasm and excitement. The employer can try to stimulate these emotions by communicating the interesting features of the proposed course. Nevertheless, it is clear that to motivate an employee to start a training course, the most important thing is to play to an employee’s rational calculation by demonstrating the tangible benefits. Setting goals and requirements, even at this initial stage, can help with this.

COuNTRY DIFFERENCES

Managers from all countries agree, on balance, that rational analysis of benefits is more important than emotions in motivating an employee to start training. However, there are wide differences in emphasis around the world (FIG 4). In France and Russia, rational thinking is strongly predominant. Rational thinking also dominates in Spain, Sweden, Brazil and Germany, but less strongly as emotions start to play a stronger role. In Mexico, the US and to a lesser extent the UK, the stress is on a more equal balance, and in China there is a relatively strong role for emotions—in these countries companies will need to take a much more nuanced approach to motivation that stresses both emotional and rational benefits.

To motivate an employee to start a training

course, the most important thing is to play to an

employee’s rational calculation by demonstrating

the tangible benefits.


Rational thinking 43%

Emotions 19%

Both 38%

2. Motivation to begin training

14

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

France

Russia

Spain

Sweden

Brazil

Germany

UK

China

Mexico

USA

FIGuRE 3 Motivation to begin training

Q: Which is more likely to motivate an employee to start training?

FIGuRE 4 Rational thinking or emotions—country comparison

Q: Which is more likely to motivate an employee to start training?

Rational thinking Both Emotions


INDuSTRY DIFFERENCES

There are significant differences between the public sector on the one hand, and the majority of industry sectors on the other, in motivation for training. For example, public-sector employees are relatively less motivated to attend training sessions. Only 32% of respondents from the public sector say staff are very willing, compared with 45% or above for most industries. In terms of effectiveness of different motivational techniques, the public sector shows much stronger results for direct motivation, considerably weaker results for competition and slightly weaker results for rewards. There is also a greater role for recognition. This partly reflects cultural differences, and factors such as a higher level of job security in the public sector. The effectiveness of training is also arguably harder to demonstrate in the public sector. Charles Elvin at ILM says that “the private sector sees a return on investment for training, they see how it makes them better. It’s a much more competitive environment, so they’re seeking out some edge or advantage.”


16

Motivation during training3

The company’s role in motivation does not end

once the employee has started the course—

although many companies behave as though it

does. Companies need to understand what they

can do to motivate the employee and manage

progress during training.

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MOTIVATIONAL TRIGGERS

Significantly, the survey suggests that factors connected to the supporting environment come to the fore once training has started. Employers need to recognise this and focus on providing the necessary supportive conditions for training—rather than simply continuing to reiterate the rational benefits as a means of motivation. To successfully motivate employees during training, motivational approaches should focus on emphasizing the following benefits (FIG 5):

1. Recognition (cited by 46% of respondents). The most important factor is to make the employee feel their performance is recognised by their employer and colleagues. “It’s motivational if you do something well and you get praise from your colleagues, your customers or your boss” says Charles Elvin at ILM.

2. Self-improvement (40%). If the training is relevant to the employee, learning something new should provide a sense of self-improvement. The employer can also help to reinforce this by celebrating employees who are learning new skills, for example in an internal newsletter.

3. Co-operation (39%). Being on training courses with colleagues can in itself motivate employees, particularly if there is an aspect of working as a team to achieve a joint goal, or if colleagues provide mutual encouragement. Use of social networks can help connect staff to discuss training, while one company suggests “buddying” trainees

with colleagues who have already completed the training, for advice and inspiration. Another recommends getting the better performers to work with those in difficulty.

4. Financial (37%). Knowing that there is likely to be a financial payoff from the training course will also motivate employees to complete it. This doesn’t mean that the financial payoff has to be immediate. “Very few companies say ‘do this training course and I’ll give you a pay rise’,” says Charles Elvin at ILM. “Some of them say ‘get better at your job, take on more responsibility’… the ‘get paid more’ comes afterwards. The connection isn’t immediate.”

CARROTS OR STICKS?

Having discussed the factors that companies need to consider in order to motivate employees during their learning process, what specific techniques can companies employ to invoke this motivation? This largely comes down to the age-old question of carrot (rewards) versus sticks (penalties). Some 47% of respondents believe that rewards work best at motivating employees to complete training courses (FIG 7). A further 29% believe that competition is best, while 22% believe in direct motivation. Just 2% think penalties are the best method. “I think carrots are an awful lot more effective than sticks, particularly where you need that psychological engagement in training,” says Charles Elvin at ILM. Nevertheless, these responses suggest that companies may be leaning too much


3. Motivation during training

18

towards the ‘carrot’; there is also a role for the ‘stick’, even if it should be used conservatively. Companies should use a balance of all four methods, with an emphasis towards rewards but significant roles also for direct motivation, competition and penalties (FIG 8):

1. Rewards. Among reward-based techniques, two thirds of respondents think salary rises or bonuses are the most effective. There is also potentially a prominent role for prizes for high test scores/participation (cited by 56% of respondents), funding for training courses (54%) and offers of other training courses for good performance (47%). Rewards cited by individual survey respondents ranged from the predictable-but-effective (days off and iPads) to the imaginative (the chance to meet two UK athletics stars). Bonus and salary-based incentives are considered especially effective in Russia and the US (83% and 77% respectively), while prizes work very well in China and Brazil (79% and 76% respectively). “Rewards are definitely important,” says Professor Ben Hur of IMD, although he

cautions “we work with organizations to position the learning opportunity itself as a reward and not make it so that they see that they need to go to training in order to get another reward. So freeing up time for the learning and having somebody to back you up in the office is part of the reward.” It is dangerous to get into a situation where you are, in effect, having to pay people to go to training.

2. Direct motivation. A range of direct motivation techniques are seen as effective. There is a small preference for regular progress meetings (53%), however, sizeable minorities of respondents also cite weekly/monthly targets (46%), working on employees’ self-confidence (45%), creating a social community (44%), regular progress updates via email (40%), and reminder emails (38%). “Showing an interest in staff progress and recognizing their achievements” is very effective, according to one survey respondent. “Sit down, talk to the person and see how you can help them,” suggests one US manager. In Mexico and Russia targets are a particularly effective method (66% and 59% respectively), while

The responses suggest that companies may

be leaning too much towards the ‘carrot’; there

is also a role for the ‘stick’, even if it should be

used conservatively.


FIGuRE 5 Main benefits that motivate during training

Q: Which factors do you think help motivate an employee during training? (Multiple choice)

Recognition 46%

Co-operation 39%

Self-improvement 40%

Financial 37%

Q: Which factors do you think help motivate an employee during training? (Top three ranking)

Recognition

Self improvement

Co-operation

Recognition

Self improvement

Co-operation

Recognition

Co-operation

Self improvement

Recognition

Co-operation

Self improvement

FIGuRE 6 Priority of benefits that motivate – country differences

Brazil France Germany Spain

Mexico UK Sweden USA

Russia China

Recognition

Financial

Self improvement

Financial

Competition

Recognition

Self improvement

Recognition

Co-operation

Competition

Rewards

Co-operation

Financial

Co-operation

Self improvement

Co-operation

Self improvement

Recognition



20

Q: In your experience, which tools do you think are the best ways to motivate employees at

work with regard to training? (Multiple choice)

Prizes for participation 56%

Class participation contests 42%

Weekly/monthly targets 46%

Meetings with manager if missed targets 46%

Salary rise/bonus 68%

Prizes for high scores 68%

Progress meetings 53%

Setting minimum participation level 49%

Funding for training 54%

Results league table 28%

Working on employee’s self-confidence 45%

Removing funding for training 34%

REWARDS

COMPETITION

DIRECT MOTIVATION

PENALTIES

Q: Which technique do you think works best as a way to motivate employees to complete and study

for training courses? (Select one)

Rewards 47%(e.g. give benefits to employees

who work hard or succeed in

training courses)

Competition 29%(e.g. encourage competition

between employees as well

as setting targets)

Direct motivation 22%(e.g. regular progress meetings)

Penalties 2%(e.g. remove benefits if employees fail to

work hard or succeed in training courses)

FIGuRE 7 Carrot or stick?

FIGuRE 8 Motivating techniques


in China social communities and email progress updates work well (65% and 64% respectively).

3. Competition. Among competition-based techniques, prizes for the best scores are considered to be by far the best method, cited by over two-thirds of respondents. This compares to 42% for class participation contests and 28% for league tables of results. “Sometimes we have a ranking of people within the company, so then they can see, okay, this person studying more than me is ranked first, I’m tenth—these type of things do have an impact,” says Peggy Wegler, VP of Academics at EF. Public results tables work especially well in France (45%), Russia (41%) and China (40%).

4. Penalties. Among penalty-based approaches, the most effective techniques are viewed as setting a minimum number of classes to attend (49%) and meetings with managers if targets are not attained (46%). Just over one-third also see removing funding for training as an effective penalty, but only 18% see a useful role for making employees work extra hours to catch up with training they have missed. “We have some clients that require that students pay back part of the course fee if they study on company time and they fail the course—that can be effective in some cultures,” says Wegler. This would work particularly well in China and Russia (64% and 52% respectively). A number of companies suggested that firing employees who consistently failed to meet targets should not be ruled out.

Overall, successful motivational strategies will play to multiple touch-points. For example, Wegler says that “in terms of best practices, I worked with one company—and this is in China where they are very motivated anyway—where the company really sees the value of training. They have awards ceremonies where the top five or ten learners receive iPads and are invited to speak to the HR board to shape the future training. Then they’re asked to give a speech in English about how this has impacted their work and their lives. They’re really recognized for their achievement - and it works!”

COuNTRY DIFFERENCES

Benefits that motivate

There are wide differences between countries in the priorities companies should attach to the various benefits to stress when motivating employees to complete training (FIG 6). Brazil corresponds broadly to the overall typology in terms of the order of benefits that motivate during training, but with particularly strong roles for recognition (cited by 57%) and self-improvement (45%). “[In Brazil] training is extremely connected to social mobility,” says Professor Ben-Hur at IMD. Spain and the UK also follow the average fairly closely. The pattern is similar in France, but with an unusually low popularity of competition (just 12%), and in the US and Mexico, but with a greater stress on financial rewards (43% and 45% respectively). In Sweden the stress is on



22

co-operation (52%). In Germany, although recognition, co-operation and self-improvement lead, there is also an unusually high role for happiness (34%). China and Russia both have unusual profiles. In China competition (56%) and rewards (42%) are the leading benefits. “In a country such as China which is enormous and deeply competitive internally, making themselves stand out from the crowd can have significant value to the individual,” says Charles Elvin at ILM. In Russia expectation of financial benefit (62%) and competition (45%) are the key factors.

Motivational techniques

In terms of specific motivational techniques, most countries view rewards as the best method, but there are large variations (FIG 9). The preference for rewards is strongest in Brazil, Mexico, China and the US, and weakest in France. Differences are especially pronounced in terms of secondary methods. In Brazil, Mexico, China, Spain and Russia, competition is seen as more effective than direct motivation—indeed in Russia competition is marginally even more effective than rewards. Companies in these markets should look especially closely at methods such as prizes and league tables.

In the US, Sweden, the UK, Germany and France, direct motivation is viewed as more effective than competition—indeed in France direct motivation is considered the best method of motivation. Companies in these countries should think carefully about how to directly engage and encourage employees through the training cycle.

In terms of specific motivational techniques,

most countries view rewards as the best method,

but there are large variations.

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%


Q: Which of the following do you think works best as a way to motivate employees to complete and

study for training courses?

FIGuRE 9 Country differences in motivational techniques

Competition Penalties

Mexico

Brazil

China

USA

Spain

UK

Russia

Sweden

Germany

France

Rewards Direct motivation


24

understanding the benefits4

Training improves the skills of employees

and hence their effectiveness and value to

the business. But this direct impact is not the

only benefit. Training also helps employees

psychologically—it can make them more

confident, and improve the atmosphere and

morale in the company.


THE HIERARCHY OF NEEDS

Abraham Maslow argued in 1943 that each employee has a set of “needs” (FIG 10). Respondents believed that all training has a significant beneficial impact on all aspects of Maslow’s ‘hierarchy of needs’, especially esteem and self-actualisation. Charles Elvin at ILM pulls some of these themes together. “I think a lot of employees like the idea that the employer is investing in them.” Training also makes you better at your job and more employable, reducing the risk of redundancy, he argues. “And in modern organizations there are lots of people who are genuinely motivated and interested by the topics and the subjects they work in and they want to learn and find out more, to master their subject.”

COuNTRY DIFFERENCES

Again, there are important differences between various cultures (FIG 11).

• In Brazil, Spain, Mexico and the US, training is seen as having the greatest impact on safety. This may reflect the fact that job-security in these countries is much lower.

• Aside from Spain (where the economic crisis may temporarily have pushed safety up the list), other European countries (UK, France, Germany, Sweden) and Russia have similar attitudes towards which needs are impacted by training. ‘Self-esteem’ and self-actualisation top the list, reflecting the view in these countries of education as enabling self-fulfilment.

• For China, ‘belonging’ is relatively more important than in other countries, reflecting a more collective society.

This provides important pointers for companies seeking to explain the benefits of training to employees.

“I think a lot of employees like

the idea that the employer is

investing in them.” – Charles Elvin, ILM


SELF-ACTUALIZATION

SELF-ESTEEM

LOVE/BELONGING

SAFETY

PHYSIOLOGICAL

E.g. security of body, employment,

resources, family, health

Friendship, family, intimacy

E.g. self-

esteem, con�dence,

achievement, respect

E.g.morality, creativity,

problem-solving

E.g. breathing, food, water, sex, sleep

4. understanding the benefits

26

FIGuRE 10 Maslow’s ‘Hierarchy of Needs’


Q: To what extent do you find training has an impact, i.e. helps individuals, in the following areas?

FIGuRE 11 Country differences in needs fulfilled by training

Ranking

1 2 3

France Self-esteem Self-actualization Belonging

Russia Self-esteem Self-actualization Belonging

UK Self-esteem Self-actualization Belonging

Germany Self-esteem Self-actualization Safety

Sweden Self-esteem Self-actualization Safety

Mexico Safety Self-esteem Self-actualization

Spain Safety Self-esteem Self-actualization

Brazil Safety Self-esteem Self-actualization

USA Safety Self-esteem Belonging

China Self-actualization Belonging Self-esteem


28

Whose responsibility is motivation?5

Companies seem to think that responsibility

for motivation to undertake training is mainly the

employee’s. Some 41% of respondents think that

motivation should be driven mainly by

the individual, and another 13% think solely

by the individual (FIG 12).

29motivation.ef.com

To an extent, this is true—as we have argued, the individual clearly needs to be engaged. “Frankly there are still paternalistic organizations that are sending people for training without really discussing it with them, which is quite counterproductive,” says Professor Ben-Hur of IMD. However, companies risk overlooking the critical role of the employer, first in identifying the need for training and secondly in supporting the employee through the course. “The employer that believes the employee will be completely self-directed and have a sufficient level of insight into their own strengths and weaknesses is being naïve. You need to give people that feedback, to help them and direct them,” argues Charles Elvin at ILM. Similarly, Peggy Wegler, VP of Academics at EF, suggests that “companies think that they can put all the responsibility on the employee, but that’s not right. Even if somebody is keen on bettering themselves through training, we have to identify what it is that motivates them so we can make sure they’re able to complete their course.” This is where many companies are going wrong.

COuNTRY DIFFERENCES

In all countries, respondents are more inclined to see the individual as responsible for motivation (FIG 13). However, whereas managers in France and the US are much more likely to place responsibility on the individual (70% and 68% respectively), in Russia, Brazil Mexico and Germany they are relatively more likely to think the responsibility should be shared. In China, meanwhile, views are sharply split, with only a small proportion of managers seeing the responsibility as something to be shared. Wegler says “I think this goes back to cultural dimensions—countries tend to either have a collective type of environment or an individualistic one—we really see this in practice.” A motivational strategy that seeks to place the responsibility on the employee in a culture that is more inclined to see responsibility as shared is likely to fail.


13%

34%

42%

9% 1%

5. Whose responsibility is motivation?

30

Q: Do you think motivation for training should be driven by the

individual in training or by the employer?

MOTIVATION SHOULD BE DRIVEN...

FIGuRE 12 Whose responsibility is motivation?

...solely by the

employer.

...solely by the

individual

...by both

equally

...mainly by the

employer with some

help from the individual

...mainly by the individual with

some help from the employer


Q: Do you think motivation for training should be driven by the

individual in training or the employer?

FIGuRE 13 Responsibility for motivation by country

France

USA

Sweden

China

UK

Spain

Mexico

Brazil

Russia

Germany

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

The individual Both The employer


32

Conclusions and recommendations

This research shows that companies face a

complex set of considerations with regards to

motivating employees to start and complete

training programmes—more so than many realise.

6

Companies need to take an active role in motivation—putting all the responsibility on the employee will not work. They need to make sure that they fully understand what motivates staff, bearing in mind that the factors will evolve as training progresses and are also likely to differ markedly between countries. And they need to create and implement effective strategies that take account of these motivational factors and incorporate a range of techniques—this report has hopefully provided many useful ideas. Only with effective motivation will the benefits of training be fully realised.

WHAT DO COMPANIES NEED TO

DO IN ORDER FOR MOTIVATION TO

BE EFFECTIVE?

1. Dynamically adapt motivational strategies

along the training cycle.

There are different factors at play for motivating people to start learning and motivating them to continue to learn. At the start, companies need to make sure that there is a clear explanation of the benefits of the training to the individual. Once training is under way, more emotional factors come to the fore, and companies should make sure that they are providing the right supporting environment, which should include recognition and a sense of self-improvement and co-operation. Motivational techniques should balance rewards, direct motivation, competition and penalties—alongside the ‘carrot’ there is also a role for the ‘stick’.

2. Continue to take an active interest. The majority of businesses are making a big mistake by believing motivation to be mainly

33motivation.ef.com

the responsibility of the learner and not the organization. This is a sure-fire way to waste money on training solutions. The responsibility of the company does not end when it purchases the training solution. It must continue to take an active interest in the employees’ training for the training to be successful. This includes ensuring that the employee can fit in the training, creating good conditions for the training, and fostering an environment where the employee can expect to have the opportunity to effectively utilise the training in the workplace afterwards. An active motivational approach is key. “When people know that HR and their boss, or even just their boss is invested in their learning, they are much more driven to do it,” says Professor Ben-Hur at IMD.

3. Make sure the employee can fit the

training into their schedule. “Make it possible for them to do it without it having adverse impact on their working lives and their personal lives. That involves quite a lot of thought and planning, particularly if you’re undertaking lengthy training activities rather than shorter ones,” argues Charles Elvin from ILM.

4. Provide a good learning environment. For example, for online courses, an open-plan office environment might hinder many learners. “We have classes and training meetings in different places—coffee shops, libraries and restaurants,” says a Mexican company. “So that way the environment associated with training is always different to the work environment.

It sounds a little childish, but it’s not, it encourages people to feel like they are ‘not inside the office’ and gives them a different attitude towards learning.”

5. Create a culture that enables the

benefits of the training to be realized. Professor Ben-Hur at IMD explains that “what determines more than anything the motivation of people is the kind of environment that they go back to after learning... is the culture going to be a supportive one for the learners to experiment with their new skills? Is the culture one of psychological safety?” This last point is key to any successful training programme. After all, it is the application of the training that is key for the company. “People think the training changes performance—it doesn’t, the use of training in the workplace changes performance,” argues Charles Elvin. “So you have to have a structure and approach that allows the individual who has taken the training to use it and enhance it.”

6. Tailor motivation to different markets.

There are wide differences by country in the factors that motivate employees. For example, in terms of motivational techniques, the preference for rewards is very strong in Brazil, but in France direct motivation works better. In Sweden, co-operation is an effective factor in motivation, whereas in China competition is key. So multinational companies cannot adopt a single company-wide motivation scheme, it needs to be adapted to each country.


Decoding Motivation

COUNTRY PROFILE

Brazil

THE TYPICAL BRAZILIAN LEARNER---

has high ambitions for self-

improvement and as a result

is very driven to learn. Values

recognition. Is self-motivated,

but appreciates co-operation,

and expects and benefits from

clear direction.

Decoding Motivation

COUNTRY PROFILE

Mexico

THE TYPICAL MEXICAN LEARNER---is reasonably motivated to learn, and

can be stimulated to do so by a range

of factors. Prospect of financial gain

plays an important role, but also values

recognition, appreciates the benefits of

training for personal performance, and

has a competitive edge. Will be self-

directing if the employer’s motivation

strategy touches key triggers.

Decoding Motivation

COUNTRY PROFILE

motivation.ef.com

United Kingdom

THE TYPICAL BRITISH LEARNER---

is interested in improving their

career and wage prospects, but

also motivated by making their

current job easier. Is individualistic

and wants training to assist

self-improvement and provide

recognition, but also values co-

operation. Can be self-motivating,

but requires clear, active direction.

Decoding Motivation

COUNTRY PROFILE

China

THE TYPICAL CHINESE LEARNER---

is very driven to improve their

career and wage prospects, but

is also intellectually curious

and keen to learn. Has a strong

competitive streak, and values

prizes for boosting self-esteem.

Is self-motivated, but expects

and benefits from clear direction.

Decoding Motivation

COUNTRY PROFILE

Russia

THE TYPICAL RUSSIAN LEARNER---

is keen to learn, motivated

primarily by the prospect of

financial gain and improved

career prospects. In this context,

appreciates recognition and is

strongly competitive. Is fairly

self-motivated, but expects clear

direction in learning.

Decoding Motivation

COUNTRY PROFILE

USA

THE TYPICAL AMERICAN LEARNER---

is very driven to improve their career

and wage prospects, motivated by

the prospect of financial gain, but also

values self-improvement. Appreciates

recognition and co-operation. Is

generally self-motivated, but expects

and benefits from clear direction.

Decoding Motivation

COUNTRY PROFILE

motivation.ef.com

France

THE TYPICAL FRENCH LEARNER---

is more interested in improved job

security and career prospects than in

the prospect of immediate financial

gain. In this context, appreciates

recognition and improving skills. Is

not strongly motivated to undertake

training, and requires clear direction

and encouragement.

Decoding Motivation

COUNTRY PROFILE

motivation.ef.com

Spain

THE TYPICAL SPANISH LEARNER---is not strongly motivated to learn,

but can be driven to do so by various

factors. Values financial benefits, but

also appreciates recognition, and is

interested in self-improvement and the

practical benefits of training for job-

performance. May be self-motivated

under certain conditions, but requires

clear, active direction.

Decoding Motivation

COUNTRY PROFILE

motivation.ef.com

Germany

THE TYPICAL GERMAN LEARNER---

is curious, but not strongly driven

to learn. Is driven less by prospect

of financial gain, and more by how

training can improve general well-

being, including ease of doing their

job. Values recognition. Tends to

see training as a collaborative effort

between the employer and

the employee.

Decoding Motivation

COUNTRY PROFILE

motivation.ef.com

Sweden

THE TYPICAL SWEDISH LEARNER---

appreciates self-improvement and

recognition, but does not have the

confidence to push strongly for this

through training. Values co-operation

more highly than the prospect of

financial benefit. Has a sense of

individual responsibility, but needs

encouragement and direction.

34

To download the country profiles based on the data in this

report please visit motivation.ef.com


This report was compiled by EF Corporate Solutions in collaboration with

Longitude Research and Redshift Research.

To find out more about strategic language training and best practice please visit

www.ef.com/corporate

decoding motivation

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