I appreciate at this time of year we often want to keep it light, however employers have been given a warning by a series of new reports on the need to take action to motivate and retain staff. As no company is exempt we would be wise to take note of the general research which indicates that at the start of 2005 as many as one in four workers intended to quit their current position.
Most companies have a very small budget for motivation or worse still none at all. They usually lack advanced systems able to track and measure data and they rarely have a named member of staff held responsible for organising motivational events. Many are put off running any sort of motivation programme as it’s assumed to be complicated, expensive and time consuming.
However there is lot’s of good news. Small and medium size firms are often in a much better position that the big boys. They are often more intimate and can often communicate particular targets more easily. Perhaps even more importantly they can make the targets and the rewards more personal. Employees in a typical company usually feel that they can make a more immediate difference to the business as a whole – which in itself is a powerful motivational tool. Colleagues become more like family members and therefore there is often a greater willingness to cover for an absent member of the team.
It has been said that real motivation can be achieved simply by creating the right sort of working environment, one where everyone is respected and communication is clear. The great thing is that none of this need take up much time, resource or finance. Where budgets are tight, then one should place more emphasis on recognition rather than reward. The recognition of one’s peers or a respected manager is invariably a highly powerful tool.
Even where there is a nominal investment required to prime or kick off a motivational programme, one has to accept that a well structured and effective programme will generate additional profits. Going forward the whole thing becomes self-funding.
The basic tools for successful motivation don’t change, every programme must include communication, education, measurement and reward. To put it another way, staff must understand what is required, then be taught or shown what to do to succeed. Then there must be fair and recognised standards by which to judge themselves and the rest of the team and lastly everyone needs to find the rewards offered attractive and desirable.
So what sort of things can we do to motivate all of the workforce? You won’t go far wrong if you listen a little more and are prepared to accept some criticism. Consider any suggestions for improvement seriously. You should also certainly focus on removing the causes for de-motivation rather than just trying to create increased motivation.
Directors, senior managers and managers should always thank hard-working employees, preferably personally and close to the time that the praise was earned. Thanks can be put in writing if applicable and the rest of the company can be copied in if relevant.
Employee of the month type schemes can work well. Certainly the opportunity to recognise the contribution of staff other than sales is often welcomed. Consider recognising all nominees and runners up. Perhaps the recipients name and photograph should be displayed in the reception area. One thing is for sure just because you set up an employee of the month scheme it doesn’t mean you should continue to run it for ever as soon as you find someone suggesting that “ol so and so” should win it because they haven’t won it yet then it’s time to stop the scheme all together. Equally never be afraid to let the same person win several times in a row if they are the most deserving.
Suggestion schemes with successful ideas plus who suggested them gaining both reward and recognition can work brilliantly. You really have nothing to lose and everything to gain. One huge bonus is you may get a better idea of what motivates particular individuals and this is can be extremely helpful as it’s hard for most of us to accept and accommodate differences within the team.
Leading from the front is all important – personal enthusiasm is infectious. In fact the only thing more infectious than enthusiasm is the lack of it. One thing that I often find myself reminding others is for the need for everyone to keep their promises. One trick to help ensure promises are kept is to put them in writing. This serves both as an aide memoir and as a mechanism to make sure there are no misunderstandings.
Change is inevitable in business but rarely welcomed and we must make sure we always emphasise the benefits. Providing we do just that then often we’ll be pleasantly surprised how many members of staff will rise to the challenge. Taking advantage of our often natural competitive spirit can also pay dividends, and I don’t just mean having employees compete against each other. The army in peace time will often motivate the troops by having them race against the clock on what would otherwise be quite menial tasks. Like everything else these ideas will only work if put into action, so let you’re next task be to plan a motivational programme for your team.
Lastly never lose sight of the motivational power of good effective training, staff appreciate their company investing in them and you end up with what’s often referred to as a “Win, Win.”
Top tips.
- Praise, recognise and reward
- Run employee of month scheme
- Ask for staff suggestions
- Lead from the front
- Keep your promises
- Emphasise benefits of change
- Use competition
- Provide effective training
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MCT Lifeskills, under Ken Trim's leadership, is rapidly gaining a reputation for providing the UK's most effective "Sales" and "Management" training. Ken's "Make it happen" philosophy has helped thousands of front line sales guys to regularly smash their targets. If you like to learn more about MCT Lifeskills or contact Ken, e mail him at ktrim@mctlifeskills.com
"Developing the team to excel benefits them, the business and the bottom line. Delaying that development can cost more than you might wish to know."
MCT Life Skills Ltd. Sales and Management training and development for today's marketplace.
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