My workplace motivators & performance drivers: Eleanor Mackenzie-Smith

Performance enablement isn’t just about tuning in to workplace drivers and motivators: it is about personal ones too. Understanding how the two have a direct influence on one another both inside and out of work is key to enabling performance.

At OpenBlend, we provide a people-centric approach to performance management that enables every individual to deliver their full potential. Our platform helps managers and employees to have the right conversations, at the right time, to identify each employee’s unique mix of personal and professional drivers that enable them to achieve.

We call it the Blend – and it holds the key to unlocking better performance. To find out more about Blend and how it can be used to understand employee motivation and enable performance, download our guide to employee motivation.

 In this series, we’re asking the OpenBlend team to share their top Blend motivator, why it’s important to them, and what difference it makes to their performance. In the second instalment, we speak to Eleanor Mackenzie-Smith, our Senior Customer Success Manager, about why making a difference at work is important both for personal and work fulfilment and how it impacts performance.

What is your top motivator?

My top motivator is “Making a difference at work”.

Why is it important to you?

It’s important to me because I want to make a positive contribution to my company, to my clients and to my community, and for the time I spend at work to be meaningful. I believe that it brings us closer together as a company if we all strive to make a difference, whether that’s through creating volunteering opportunities or actively contributing to the local community.

What impact does it have on performance?

It has an impact on my performance because I know that I will be more motivated to deliver my best work if I feel that I am also being true to my values and being the best version of myself.

How does work support you to achieve/prioritise it?

Being able to communicate with my manager is crucial. The business really supports me to understand what I care about and how to put it into action. Making a difference at work isn’t a performance KPI so it does require prioritisation, and I’ve always had the support and freedom to do this.

How do you manage the gap between your current and target scores?

I make it a priority to speak to my manager, and she helps me to address the gap. We discuss ideas together and work on an action plan to get things moving in the right direction, not only for this motivator but my other Blend drivers and motivators as well.

Is your top motivator the same as it was a year ago? What’s changed?

The idea of making a difference at work has always been important to me, but I think the pandemic has reinforced just how important it is to reflect on how fortunate I am and do my best to give back. My motivators, as a whole, have probably changed somewhat, with things like fun and time with friends really taking priority.

Understanding your employees’ Blend drivers and motivators is key to enabling better performance. Book a demo today to find out how the OpenBlend performance management platform makes it possible: providing a framework that turns every manager into a coach to help their teams reach their full potential.