Unlocking Loyalty, Engagement, and High Performance in Your Business

Targets. Deadlines.

These are what dominate business conversations unfortunately, while the more important human aspect often gets overshadowed. Yet, at the heart of any successful organisation are its people. They are the driving force behind innovation, productivity, and ultimately, the company’s success. But what really motivates employees to go above and beyond? Why do some teams thrive, while others struggle with disengagement and high turnover? The answer lies in understanding and addressing the fundamental and core needs of your staff.

Speaking from experience, I can confidently share that this one simple, yet little-known secret that can turn your business around and drop you directly onto the path of growth and success.

A Framework for Business Leadership

One framework that I take inspiration from to help my clients understand the core emotional and psychological needs of its staff is the 6 Human Needs created by Tony Robbins which is loosely based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. At its core it suggests that humans are motivated by a series of hierarchical needs, starting with basic physiological requirements and moving up to self-actualisation.

The six human needs include Significance, Love & Connection, Variety, Certainty, Growth, and Contribution. Understanding these needs and aligning your employee engagement initiatives with them can unlock their full potential, transforming not only their experience at work but also the success of your organisation.

Let’s walk through this hierarchy of needs to help you understand how to recognise the extent of this need in each of your employees, and how to leverage this knowledge to empower your team:

1. Significance

At the core of human motivation is the need to feel significant. Employees want to know that their work matters and that they are valued members of the organisation. This need for significance is especially pronounced during the early stages of a career, when employees are eager to prove themselves and establish their place within the company.

As a business leader, recognising this need means more than just providing a paycheck. It’s about creating an environment where staff feel that their contributions are noticed and appreciated. This could be as simple as regular recognition of achievements, both big and small (may be a public acknowledgement on the floor and a pat on the back!), or as structured as developing a formal employee recognition program. When employees feel significant, their engagement and loyalty naturally increase, leading to higher productivity and a stronger connection to the company’s mission. This need can also be met via career progression and promotions. Typically people with a strong need for significance tend to be leaders, politicians rock stars and entrepreneurs.

2. Love & Connection: Building Strong Relationships

Humans are social creatures, and the workplace is no exception. The need for love and connection manifests in the relationships employees build with their colleagues, managers and the broader organisation. This need is crucial at all stages of an employee’s career, but it becomes particularly important during times of transition, such as when joining a new team or when the organisation is facing challenges.

To meet this need, managers should focus on fostering a supportive and inclusive workplace culture. Encourage team collaboration, create opportunities for social interaction, and ensure that all employees feel a sense of belonging. Regular team-building activities, open lines of communication, and mentorship programs can help fulfil this need, leading to a more cohesive and motivated workforce.

When it comes to occupations, someone with a strong need for connection will typically be teachers, nurses and the like.

3. Variety: The Need for New Challenges

While routine can provide comfort, it can also lead to stagnation. Employees need variety in their work to stay engaged and motivated. This need for variety is particularly important for those who have mastered their current roles and are seeking new challenges or for people who generally get bored easily with repetitive and mundane tasks.

Some organisations, like Singapore Airlines, have recognised this need and implemented job rotation programs. At Singapore Airlines, employees are encouraged to rotate between departments and job functions, provided they possess the required skills. This approach not only keeps the work dynamic and engaging for the staff but also builds a versatile workforce capable of understanding and contributing to various aspects of the business.

Another example can be seen in companies like Google, where employees are given the freedom to spend 20% of their work time on projects that interest them, even if these projects are outside their primary job function. This policy has led to the development of innovative products like Gmail and Google News, all while keeping employees motivated and engaged by allowing them to explore their interests.

By offering opportunities for variety, whether through job rotation or special projects, companies can prevent burnout, foster innovation, and maintain high levels of employee engagement. This, in turn, leads to a more adaptable and resilient organization, ready to tackle new challenges and opportunities.

Occupations with a strong need for variety include writers, performing artists and others involved in the creative arts that offer variety.

4. Certainty: The Need for Safety & Security

Amid the desire for variety, there remains a fundamental need for certainty. Employees need to feel that they have a stable foundation on which to build their careers. This need is especially important during times of change, such as organisational restructuring, economic downturns, or personal life changes.

To address this need, managers and business leaders should provide clear communication and transparency about company goals, expectations and any changes that may impact employees. Offer consistent feedback and support and ensure that employees know where they stand in terms of their performance and career progression.

When employees feel certain about their future within the company, they are more likely to remain loyal and committed, even during challenging times.

The need for certainty is also a strong desire to be right and precise. Occupations that have a strong need for Certainty include engineers, architects, statisticians, economists, etc.

5. Growth: The Need for Personal and Professional Development

One of the most powerful motivators for employees is the opportunity for growth. This need is particularly strong among employees who are ambitious and driven to advance in their careers.

Business leaders can support this need by offering continuous learning opportunities, career advancement programs and regular performance reviews that focus on growth rather than just evaluation. Encourage employees to set personal development goals and provide the resources they need to achieve them. When employees see that their company is invested in their growth, they are more likely to invest their efforts back into the company.

This is a universal need and transcends occupations, however you do have individuals that are obsessed with learning and education and invest a lot of time collecting degrees and qualifications.

6. Contribution: The Need to Make a Difference

Employees want to feel that they are making a difference, not just within the company, but in the world at large. This need is often strongest among seasoned employees who have achieved career success and are looking for ways to leave a lasting legacy, and among the younger generation of Gen Zs who have an inherent need for contribution to a larger picture.

To fulfil this need, business leaders must create opportunities for employees to contribute to meaningful projects that align with their values. This could include corporate social responsibility initiatives, community service projects, or even roles that allow employees to mentor or train others, including Reverse Mentoring strategies to help bridge the generation gap within the corporate environment. When employees feel that their work has a positive impact beyond just the bottom line, their sense of purpose and satisfaction increases, leading to greater engagement and loyalty.

In an occupational sense social workers and those that work for charitable organisations or cause related occupations typically have a strong need for contribution.

Key Learning

If any activity meets three or more needs it becomes a positive addiction and you want to experience mor of it.  Here is an example of a being the member of a sporting club.

1. If someone is a member of their sporting club, it meets the following human needs:
   1. The need for connection – you are part of a tribe and you are connected to other supporters
   2. The need for variety – your team can win or lose, and this is exciting.
   3. The need for significance – You feel special because you are a member
   4. The need for contribution – as you are helping you team via the membership fee

How does this manifest in a work environment?

Significance – Rewards & Recognition, a promotion, added responsibility, ability to make meaningful decisions, etc.

Connection – meaningful relationships, teaming, ‘someone cares about me at work’

Variety – Job rotation, inclusion in various projects, enjoyable workplace, opportunity to be creative

Certainty – physical and psychological safety, job security, ability to speak openly, etc.

Growth – training, performance management, feedback, etc.

Contribution – purposeful and meaningful work, link to purpose, ideas are appreciated, etc.

How do you measure and manage the six human needs? At Engaged Strategy we have developed and crafted specific questions that track exactly how well you meet your team’s core human needs and insights that deliver a prioritised set of recommendations to take your organisation to the next level. An organisation where staff are loyal, go above and beyond and where teams are constantly looking for better ways to deliver great customers experiences, improve internal efficiencies and drive innovation.

So now that you know the little-known secret to truly drive employee engagement, how do you intend to action it?