All managers responsible for motivating their employees need to understand how people differ by demographics. But, as human resource managers, you also have to pick the best person to fit a particular job and within the organization.
That requires that you use the best information available to make good hiring and managing decisions.
You’ve probably studied psychology, body language and other topics to improve your ability to read people. Today I want to tell you about a quick and easy way to learn loads about potential and present employees by just knowing their demographics.
Demographic research provides distinctions between people by age, gender, race, education level, and type of occupation. Looking at any one of these demographics alone amounts to stereotyping. But when you look at all of them together, noting characteristics that are shared across demographic variables, you can get lots of insights into a person.
These insights can help you better interpret information acquired though resumes, interviews and references. So it can improve your hiring decisions.
It can also enable you to advice other managers responsible for motivating their employees. People with different demographics are motivated by different criteria. For instance, some people are motivated only by money, but most get motivation from other needs like the need for accomplishment or the need to belong to a group.
Demographic research can enable you to recognize what motivates different people. Then you can manage employees and make recommendations to help other managers responsible for motivating their employees.
Now you’re probably asking “How can knowing a few demographics give you so mush information? The answer is by determining psychographic and other behavioral characteristics from the demographics.
For example, age reveals both the generation and the lift stage of a person. Each generation has different characteristics acquired by the major historical events and defining moments its members experienced during their formative years. And life stage reveals important personal, social, and career tasks that people must work through during different life stages.
Education level and type of occupation together reveal social class and lifestyles. People differ in attitudes, opinions, cognitive processes, and behavior by both social class and lifestyles.
And not only do men and women differ, but single women with no children differ considerably from married women with dependent children. And men differ by their jobs and interests.
The problem in using this information has been gathering it all together so that it’s easy and quick to use. But you don’t have to because I’ve done it for you. I’ve spent a decade researching characteristics that can be predicted through demographics.
I did it originally to help my public relations students better understand and influence target publics. Then I put it into an e-book to help small business owners better appeal to their target markets. But the information is just as relevant and helpful to human resource managers and other managers responsible for motivating their employees.
You can start today learning loads about potential and present employees from just their demographics. Just click on the words “Hire and Manage Better” in the left sidebar for additional information on hiring and managing employees and helping other organizational managers responsible for motivating their employees.
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That requires that you use the best information available to make good hiring and managing decisions.
You’ve probably studied psychology, body language and other topics to improve your ability to read people. Today I want to tell you about a quick and easy way to learn loads about potential and present employees by just knowing their demographics.
Demographics Can Help Managers Responsible For Motivating Their Employees
Demographic research provides distinctions between people by age, gender, race, education level, and type of occupation. Looking at any one of these demographics alone amounts to stereotyping. But when you look at all of them together, noting characteristics that are shared across demographic variables, you can get lots of insights into a person.
These insights can help you better interpret information acquired though resumes, interviews and references. So it can improve your hiring decisions.
It can also enable you to advice other managers responsible for motivating their employees. People with different demographics are motivated by different criteria. For instance, some people are motivated only by money, but most get motivation from other needs like the need for accomplishment or the need to belong to a group.
Demographic research can enable you to recognize what motivates different people. Then you can manage employees and make recommendations to help other managers responsible for motivating their employees.
Managers Responsible For Motivating Their Employees Need Psychographic and Behavioral Characteristics
Now you’re probably asking “How can knowing a few demographics give you so mush information? The answer is by determining psychographic and other behavioral characteristics from the demographics.
For example, age reveals both the generation and the lift stage of a person. Each generation has different characteristics acquired by the major historical events and defining moments its members experienced during their formative years. And life stage reveals important personal, social, and career tasks that people must work through during different life stages.
Education level and type of occupation together reveal social class and lifestyles. People differ in attitudes, opinions, cognitive processes, and behavior by both social class and lifestyles.
And not only do men and women differ, but single women with no children differ considerably from married women with dependent children. And men differ by their jobs and interests.
Managers Responsible For Motivating Their Employees Need Easy To Use Information
The problem in using this information has been gathering it all together so that it’s easy and quick to use. But you don’t have to because I’ve done it for you. I’ve spent a decade researching characteristics that can be predicted through demographics.
I did it originally to help my public relations students better understand and influence target publics. Then I put it into an e-book to help small business owners better appeal to their target markets. But the information is just as relevant and helpful to human resource managers and other managers responsible for motivating their employees.
You can start today learning loads about potential and present employees from just their demographics. Just click on the words “Hire and Manage Better” in the left sidebar for additional information on hiring and managing employees and helping other organizational managers responsible for motivating their employees.
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This is a guest post by Linda Hamilton of STRATEGIC MARKET SEGMENTATION. Linda holds a Doctorate in Education (Ed.D.) and is accredited in Public Relations (APR). She has practiced marketing and public relations and other communication skills for over 30 years. Her interest in designing for target publics led to the creation of her Matrix Market Segmentation process. To know more about her and her expertise, please visit her blog.
2 Responses to “Managers Responsible for Motivating their Employees”
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Your post is excellent. It does bring up an interesting conundrum, however. Making assumptions about what motivates an employee based on demographic, psychographic or other data is risky.
When I was twenty one and a single Mom, I applied for a promotion and was asked by a well-meaning boss if I wouldn't be happier (and make more money) if I got married again. This was years ago, and I was too young to come back with a stinging reply about marriage as a suitable profession (!) but the point is that one should not make assumptions about how an employee is best served based on the facts and figures.
Another tactic might be to ask them. Run a survey on the intranet about which would be a more motivating reward for reaching a key milestone - a day off with pay or the equivalent amount of money? A reserved parking space or a gym membership for a month? (As long as the options offered are real possibilities and in the same cost range for the organization.)
Just a thought.
Namaste!
Thank you!
However, the post was written by Linda of Strategic Market Segmentation.
You made a good points there, and I completely agree with you. But it must be noted here that the metrics highlighted here is not not absolutely on its own but works in complementary with other data and methodologies.
Again, many thanks for your visit Paula! ^^