Over the years motivation has shown to be one of the fundamental aspects in explaining and understanding the behaviour and attitude of people at workplace as well as how it affects organizational performance. Motivation is a stimulating factor that has a great influence on the performance, behaviours, attitude and a determining factor to the level of workers commitment, strength, dedication, passion and concentration on organizational objectives and goals. These stimulating factors can be promotion, pay or even work it. Therefore, organization must realize that its success and achievement of organizational goal is dependent upon employees being motivated to use and direct their full talents, skills and abilities towards the success of the organization. However, several undergraduate projects had revealed that organizational goals becomes unrealistic and almost impossible without making sure that employees are duly satisfied and motivated with their job. Organizational management must know that motivation strengthens and reshapes the actual performance of employees towards the attainment and accomplishment of a specific or general organizational purpose.
One of the functions managers perform is motivating of employees which are obviously the most complex this is because what motivates employees changes with time. Aside managers looking for ways to motivate their employees, they should as well try to understand why they exhibit certain behavioral pattern at work.
Why retention of employees is very important is to prevent the loss of competent and well committed employees from leaving the organisation as this could have adverse effect on productivity and profitability of the organization. However, retention practices have become a daunting and highly challenging task for organizational managers and Human Resources (HR) practitioners.
The retention of employees in an organization is very significant to the development and the accomplishment of the organization‘s goals and objectives making the retention of employees a vital source of competitive advantage for any organization.

MOTIVATION

Motivation is the willingness and ability of employees to perform a certain activity or task in relations to the attainment and achievement of organizational goals and objectives.
Motivation can be a way of encouraging workers to perform efficiently and effectively towards organizational success. However, the motivation should always be directed towards an organizational purpose.
Therefore, since motivation becomes invisible, it should not always been seen as the only way to explaining the behavioural pattern of workers in the workplace but also a means of adapting and integrating to the existing structures and processes within the organizational environment.
When employees are highly motivated, they willingly devote time and develop strong passion and loyalty to work by creating better ways to get task done with all sense of enthusiasm and commitments and love.

ORGANISATIONAL PERFORMANCE

Organizational performance comprises the actual output or results of an organization as measured against its intended outputs. Organizational performance encompasses three specific areas of firm outcomes: financial performance; product market performance; and shareholder return. The performance of any organization is dependent on its employees.

HOW MOTIVATION RETAINS AND IMPROVES ORGANISATIONAL PERFORMANCE

Motivation greatly influences organisational performance. The ay and manner organizational management treat their workers will determine the effort and determination they put towards achievement of organizational objectives.
However, retention affects the entire performance of the organization. The ability to retain good and dedicated employees is a critical competitive weapon to the success and performance of the organization.
Organizations today are now realizing that their employees are, by far, their most important asset, and this simply means when workers are satisfied with their work and their working conditions and environment they will be willing to stay longer in their organization to help achieve the organizational goals.
One of the traditional ways of managing employee retention and turnover is through organisational motivation system. This motivation could come in form of salary, promotion, bonuses and other incentives. When the reward system is effectively managed, it helps in achieving organization’s corporate objectives, maintains and retains a productive and loyal workforce. If employees perceived they are inadequately rewarded, it is often likely that they will leave; and replacement can be costly and in most cases not readily available.
It has been observed that employees who stay longer in an organization are mostly familiar with the organizations policies, guidelines, rules and regulations and therefore contribute more effectively to the organization than workers who would not stay long. Employees who stay longer are also more loyal to the management and the organization at large.
Therefore, it is pertinent for organizations to retain productive employees with potentials that can move the organization to the next level of success. This is so because no organization can survive and achieve its goals if all the top and skilled employees quit; it is essential for the organization to retain those employees who really work hard and are indispensable for the system.
Employees’ retention also attains benefits such as customers’ satisfaction, better service and lower costs. Employee retention clearly explains that satisfied employees who are happy with their jobs are more devoted to doing a good job and are vigorous to improve their organizational customers’ satisfaction. Employees who are satisfied have higher intentions of persisting with their organization, which results in decreased turnover rate

CONCLUSION

Retention strategies strengthen the ability of businesses to attract and retain their workforce; a strategic approach to employee retention may include adopting effective methods of engagement, safe and healthy workplaces and creating flexible work arrangements. Retention practices also help to create an inclusive and diverse workforce where barriers are reduced and individuals can carry out their duties in an acceptable manner.
The extent in which employees are motivated in their work depends on how well those employees are able to produce in their job. Motivation is expected to have a positive effect on quality performance; employees who are characterized by a high level of motivation show a higher work and life satisfaction.
Having a high level of motivation is therefore in itself valuable for employees and a decrease in motivation might affect employee’s performance and productivity. The motivation leads to high level of initiative and creativity from the employee and where monitoring is difficult, motivation is therefore extremely important for ensuring high quality performance.