Pink’s Motivational Theories: A Return to Work After Burnout

Applying Pink’s Motivational Theories

Daniel Pink published his book Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us in 2009, explaining that there are three elements of true motivation: autonomy, mastery and purpose.

• Autonomy = allowing employees some freedom regarding how, when and where they get their work done.
• Mastery = upskilling employees so they get a sense of growth and achievement.
• Purpose = ensuring what they do has meaning and that the company’s values align with theirs.

How do we apply these three elements to motivating employees returning to work after burnout?

Glad you asked…

We’ve already mentioned that understanding and eliminating the cause must be a priority before employees return to work after burnout. We appreciate there may be times when elimination may be moderation, but the review element is non-negotiable as it’s vital to understand if there are wider issues and for prevention.

Autonomy

Consider why an employee got burnt out… Were internal processes hindering progress or creating additional or unnecessary work? Was it juggling life and work - an imbalance where work infringed on an employee’s personal time too much? These can all cause an employee stress and can lead to burnout.

Workplace autonomy - a true motivator will not only help reduce the risk of burnout but will ensure returning employees see that you’re making necessary changes to help prevent burnout from reoccurring.

Here are practical ways you can apply autonomy to boost employee motivation:

• Revamp internal processes = remove unnecessary practices that hinder progress, allowing employees to determine the best way to get a job done.
• Embrace flexible ways of working = allows for hybrid and remote working, and employees are given some say (where possible) in their working hours to fit in with their other obligations.
• Trust = when employees are working on a project, rein in the urge to micromanage. Trust that employees will get the job done, giving them the necessary tools and setting up processes that keep people on track without making them feel like you're checking on them.

These are just three ways you can build autonomy into your return-to-work plan, but you can tailor them to specific employee needs. The three examples we’ve given answer the burnout causes we suggested, showing employees you’ve listened, acted and valued them enough to make the necessary changes = boosting employee motivation and engagement.

Mastery

Following the same process, let’s consider other reasons for employee burnout. Was an employee given the right tools to do the job you were asking of them? Did an employee have the right skills - for example, if they were covering a more senior role due to absence or an unfilled vacancy, did you ensure they were adequately trained to do so?

Mastery - the desire to develop and learn new skills. A true motivator that feeds into other theories presented by Maslow and Herzberg where we feel the need to progress. If progression isn’t the driver, then at the very least, ensure employees have the tools and skills they need to do their job.

Here are a few ways you can use mastery to support and motivate an employee returning to work after burnout:

• Mentorships = a fantastic way to use the talent and knowledge you have within your business to upskill and cross-train employees. For an employee returning to work after burnout, a mentor will feel like an ally, a buddy, someone giving a colleague time out of their working day to better themselves.
• On-the-job training = running workshops on specific platforms to ensure the employee knows how to get the most from it, or workshops hosted by internal subject matter experts.
• Skills-based courses = bringing in a professional or offering online training courses that employees can fit into their day, earning them a qualification in their field. Don’t skip recognising and rewarding achievements for maximum impact. Our eVouchers are a fast and effective way to do just that.

Investing in learning and development delivers a return for your business because it motivates employees seeking to better themselves and progress. In the case of an employee returning from burnout for the reason we suggested above, it once again shows that you’ve assessed the situation and acted.

Consider also the mindset of any employee returning to work after an extended absence. They could feel insecure in their role since you’ve ‘coped’ in their absence. Showing you’re committed to their future by prioritising mastery is an impactful motivator and morale-booster.

Purpose

Pink’s example of purpose is where an employee may feel that a business prioritises profit over employee or customer satisfaction.

How does this link to burnout?

It's a case of the workplace culture and a poor employee experience becoming the cause of stress and, eventually, burnout. It now becomes a question of values, and a business must decide what steps to take. Any company that doesn’t consider its customers will eventually feel the pain.

It would be beneficial to refer to our blog, ‘Transform Your Workplace Culture: A Practical Guide to Change’, which you should visit once you’ve finished here.

Changing a culture isn’t a tick-box exercise; larger businesses may operate locally but answer to a global entity. In other words, there may be some things that aren’t within your control to change.

Here are a few ways you can ensure employees returning to work feel like they have a sense of purpose, where it isn’t possible to change wider business ambitions at a local level.

• Volunteering opportunities = employees want to give back. That’s why here at Pluxee UK, we give our employees three paid volunteering days every year. Build volunteering into your employee motivation strategy to help employees fuel their sense of purpose.
• Fundraising = supporting local charities and creating opportunities to participate in fundraising activities will help them see the good that your business does - that it gives back.
• Sustainability = having a CSR and ESG policy has become commonplace and will even help attract fresh talent. Communicating your NET Zero and sustainability goals and achievements to your employees helps them understand your organisation's global impact, feeding their sense of purpose and fuelling their motivation when they return to work for you.

Values matter, and poor company culture can have longer-term implications. High employee turnover can disrupt productivity, sickness absence costs employers billions each year, and a poor reputation can have negative consequences with partners and clients. The steps you take to create a positive culture and employee experience will motivate those returning to work and alleviate the risk of longer-term issues.