The costs associated with employee turnover can be staggering. The answer is both simple and complex. You can't motivate employees. You can only create an environment where employees can remain or become motivated. The very word motivation means having a motive or reason.
Motivation is an inside job, but can be influenced greatly by outside factors.
Doing a good job and getting recognition for it is important to my self esteem. Not all employees are disciplined or desirous enough to be self-motivated. That is a decision that they must make. The decision that you, as a manager, must make will be whether their decision about self-motivation hinders or improves their performance and their ability to work with their peers. Here are some ideas to help inspire you.