May 9, 2025

How to Improve Motivation in the Workplace with Real-World Examples

Improving motivation in the workplace is more than just a leadership skill - it's a business necessity. When your workforce feels energized, valued, and aligned with company goals, productivity soars and retention improves.

At Bentega, we specialize in helping companies create structured incentive and recognition systems that drive workplace motivation. In this article, we explore practical strategies and real-world examples to help you address lack of motivation at the workplace and build a culture that thrives. How to Improve Motivation in the Workplace

Why Motivation Matters at Work

Motivation and work go hand in hand. When employees are disengaged, it affects everything - from team morale to company revenue. Studies show that companies with highly engaged employees see 21% higher profitability (Gallup).

Addressing employment motivation can lead to:

Higher productivity and focus
Better collaboration and innovation
Lower absenteeism and turnover
Improved customer service

1. Recognize Achievements Publicly

Real-world example: Salesforce

Salesforce uses peer-to-peer shout-outs via internal platforms, allowing employees to give recognition instantly. This builds workplace encouragement and fosters a culture of appreciation.

Takeaway: Implement a digital recognition tool or Slack-integrated shout-out system to spotlight great work.

2. Align Work with Personal Goals

Real-world example: Google’s “20% Time”

Google famously allows employees to use 20% of their time on personal passion projects. This approach improves motivation within the workplace by aligning individual purpose with organizational innovation.

Takeaway: Allow employees to dedicate a portion of time to initiatives they care about.

3. Offer Transparent Growth Paths

Real-world example: HubSpot

HubSpot provides detailed career progression frameworks and mentorship programs, keeping teams engaged and clear on future opportunities - ideal for motivating the workforce long term.

Takeaway: Create a visible growth ladder and invest in career development discussions during check-ins.

4. Introduce Incentive-Based Programs

Real-world example: Adobe

Adobe’s “Spot Awards” program allows managers to reward outstanding performance on the spot, reinforcing good behavior and improving motivation and work outcomes.

Takeaway: Use spontaneous incentives and bonuses to acknowledge extra effort in real-time.

5. Address Burnout Proactively

Real-world example: Buffer

Buffer implemented a 4-day workweek to combat stress and improve mental health - boosting both work motivation and productivity.

Takeaway: Monitor workloads and encourage rest. Offer mental health days or flexible hours when needed.

6. Create Cross-Team Collaboration Opportunities

Real-world example: Atlassian

Atlassian’s “ShipIt Days” encourage employees across departments to collaborate on creative projects, sparking innovation and motivating staff in the workplace.

Takeaway: Host hackathons, innovation sprints, or cross-functional task forces to engage teams.

7. Set Meaningful KPIs and Celebrate Milestones

Real-world example: Spotify

Spotify links OKRs (Objectives & Key Results) directly to team vision, helping employees understand their impact on company success - critical for motivating employees in the workplace.

Takeaway: Create motivational goal-setting structures and celebrate each achievement publicly.

8. Cultivate a Feedback Culture

Real-world example: Netflix

Netflix prioritizes candid, constructive feedback. This encourages continuous improvement and keeps motivating workers in the workplace on a human level.

Takeaway: Foster open dialogue with regular 360-degree reviews and anonymous surveys.

9. Make Work Social

Real-world example: Zappos

Zappos integrates fun into their company culture with spontaneous games, costume days, and lunch hangouts - showing that motivating workers doesn’t always have to be about performance.

Takeaway: Add informal, team-building events to boost workplace motivation and camaraderie.

10. Give Employees a Voice

Real-world example: Shopify

Shopify created a workplace suggestion portal where employees can propose and vote on new policies or ideas - empowering motivation in the workplace through inclusion.

Takeaway: Run quarterly culture surveys and implement employee-led initiatives.

Conclusion: Make Motivation a Business Strategy

When companies ignore lack of motivation at the workplace, they lose more than productivity - they risk losing their people. By using real-world success stories, you can build your own system for motivating employees in the workplace in ways that are authentic, consistent, and measurable.

At Bentega, we help companies activate their workforce with data-driven rewards, incentives, and recognition programs tailored for every role and team.

Ready to unlock high-performance through better workplace motivation?

🚀 Talk to Bentega about building a sustainable motivation and rewards system for your workforce. Visit Bentega.io for more inspiration.