Successfully motivating your
employees can result in improved morale, reduced turnover, and an
increase in production and profits. The problem is that motivation does
not come in a “one size fits all” package. Different people are
motivated by different things. In other words, what motivates you will
not necessarily motivate your employees. So, in order to be a
successful motivator, you need to know your employees. Learn what their
interests are and what is important to them. Show a genuine interest in
their lives – not only will you learn more about what motivates them as
individuals, you will be building a relationship with them and they will
appreciate your efforts.
Here are a few more general tips for motivating employees:
·
Set a good example. Get excited about your job! Promote a positive
work environment. A good mood is infectious – wouldn’t you rather be
around someone who is pleasant and smiling than someone who scowls and
stomps around?
·
Establish clear expectations and goals. Meet with your employees on a
regular basis to discuss their progress and provide feedback.
·
Empower your employees. Give them a say in how they do their job.
Involve them in decisions that affect them when you can. Ask for their
opinion and listen to what they tell you.
·
Provide opportunities for personal development. Encourage your employees to
attend seminars and trainings that interest them. Provide ongoing
training. If you are not able to sponsor the training, perhaps you can
help offset the expense of the classes, or give them an afternoon off to
attend a conference.
·
Offer praise for a job well done. Be specific and timely – “I appreciate
you staying late last Friday to complete the testing on our new
component” is better than a general, “Good Job, Joe”.
·
Be flexible.
Consider a flex-time, telecommuting or job sharing opportunity for your
employees. Give your employees some flexibility in working hours and
location and chances are they will be more productive (and happier!)
·
Shake things up once in awhile. Doing the same thing day after day can be
mundane. Interject a little variety into the daily grind from time to
time by assigning different tasks to different people (not recommended
for those employees who prefer routine!)
·
Host occasional social gatherings. Provide a breakfast break with
bagels, fruit, juice & coffee. Sponsor lunch-n-learn sessions with
guest speakers or trainers. Plan a Saturday afternoon cookout, or an
after-hours social. Consider having management serve the refreshments
or grill the burgers. Employees will get a kick out of seeing
management in roles outside their norm.
·
Offer incentives.
The incentives do not have to be elaborate or expensive – decide on a
few tangible goals and award those who reach them with gift certificates
to local businesses, tickets to the movies or sports events, treats, or
themed gift baskets. Or, you can choose to do random drawings as a way
to show your appreciation.
·
Establish a bonus structure or profit-sharing plan. One of the best ways to
motivate individuals is to give them an opportunity to affect their
future – by establishing a bonus structure; employees can work directly
toward a pre-determined goal and be financially rewarded. Likewise, you
can share the company’s success with the individuals
