When it comes to motivating employees, sure there are "quick fix"
methods to jump start morale around the office. But how do you keep
that motivation alive day after day? How do you ensure that each and
every person is reaching his or her maximum productive capacity all
the time? Before delving into these motivation factors, let's first examine what
may be keeping your employees from performing their best. In his book
SuperMotivation: A Blueprint for Energizing Your Organization From Top
to Bottom, Dean R. Spitzer identifies factors in the workplace that
can slow productivity. He calls them "demotivators." Communication is a critical component in the employee motivation equation.
Employees must clearly understand expectations. They should also recognize
how they fit into the big picture. Informed employees tend to be the
most motivated employees. Define goals. Goals must be well-defined. No one should question
what's expected of them. Make goals and responsibilities constantly
visible and chart progress so people can see where they're headed and
how far they need to go. Publish goals and expectations in the company
newsletter; display posters on cork boards in break rooms; exhibit your
mission statement at every workstation; and talk to your people. Never
stop sending clear and concise signals. Listen intently. At the same time, be a receptive listener.
Make time to interact with other departments. Open your mind to suggestions
and, more importantly, encourage input from all areas. In addition to
advertising your goals and expectations, bolster confidence with a positive
"can do" attitude. Broadcast your conviction that company
goals can be achieved and your people are capable of extraordinary feats.
Enthusiasm is infectious! Create a sense of purpose. Help employees understand the purpose
of their jobs and why their positions are important to the company.
Explain the significance of other jobs and how the entire organizational
structure works toward accomplishing the company's mission. Creating
a sense of purpose promotes team work and instills a sense of pride. Communicate at all levels. Communicate openly, freely, frequently,
positively, and honestly. Keep people informed. It seems simple enough,
but how well is it actually exercised in your workplace? People have a need to be treated as valuable individuals. So it's time
to loosen the reigns, trust your employees judgment, and hold
them accountable. Promote ownership. Assign employees ownership of a task and
attach all of the responsibilities that go with getting the job done.
If you want to build a better machine, look to the people who operate
it. Let them figure out how to improve it. Show them where you keep
the toolbox and stand back.Don't stifle momentum by making people jump
through hoops for your approval at each juncture. Cut out the regulations
and red tape and let them use their best judgment to reach a goal. You're
the coach. You're there to guide, support and encourage...keep 'em on
the right track. Try self-monitoring. Let teams or departments make their own
rules and track their own productivity. Self-monitoring works on the
principle that the system is in place to help, not hinder, employees.
It stimulates self-motivation. Empower your employees. Authorizing employees to take action
will impart a sense of pride and ownership in the organization. Autonomy
inspires self-motivation and reinforces self-worth. So vest your employees
with a degree of power. You'll see innovation taking shape before your
eyes. Try this idea to illustrate the power of motivation. When a problem
is plaguing your company, send it out by e-mail or on index cards to
all employees asking for suggestions. You might be surprised at where
your best solutions come from. At the very least, you'll give everyone
in the organization a feeling that they are part of the team and that
you value their opinions. Better still, let the person or department
that comes up with the best solution enact it, giving them the freedom
and resources needed to get the job done. Allowing employees the opportunity
to follow through on their ideas may give them a strong sense of accomplishment.
Then just watch employee satisfaction skyrocket! In turn, this may motivate
employees to share other ideas which will help them and the company
be even more successful. Recognition makes people flourish. Tap into the human desire
for praise and achievement, and your employees will feel appreciated.
They are then much more likely to give it their all. Look beyond money. Its important to build opportunities
for achievement and recognition into the job. But, be aware that traditional
rewards such as structured monetary incentives and new titles won't
always do the trick. They're not effective long-term strategies for
getting the most out of your people. They may only encourage employees
to squeak by to achieve the laid out objectives. Believe it or not, personalized heart-felt gestures of appreciation
can often mean more to employees than money or promotions. When used
frequently to reinforce productive behavior, these acknowledgments can
result in outstanding performance every day. Integrate spontaneous rewards. Reward a hard-working team with
an impromptu pizza party or indulge a notable performer and her husband
in a romantic dinner for two during a project that keeps her working
late at the office. You can easily create customized inexpensive rewards
that will keep your employees working at their best, even during times
of extreme pressure. Reward effort as well as outcome. Recognize those who are trying
and making progress even if the goal is not met. Recognition of effort
encourages people to keep trying. And a good learning experience can
be as productive in the long-run as achieving the goal. Recognition
doesn't have to be expensive! It can be as simple as a handwritten thank
you note or as elaborate as an awards banquet. It only takes a small
amount of consistent reinforcement to maintain a behavior. Once the
ball starts rolling, the productive behavior will become a productive
work habit. Implementing a successful motivational program involves diminishing
any and all demotivators while incorporating communication, empowerment,
and recognition into your workplace. Integrating employee motivation
into your company culture requires a long-term commitment and involves
the entire organization. The task merits close and constant examination
of every department. Strategies should touch every employee from the
top down. With everything else on your plate, creating a motivating work environment
may seem like a huge commitment. But when you consider the benefits,
it's a small price to pay. Employee motivation is a proven method of
building company loyalty while dramatically increasing productivity. Give people the right objectives, the right tools, and the right feedback
and you'll create a focused, innovative, and outstanding workforce at
every level, everyday. Creating a healthy and stimulating environment
will be fun for both you and your employees.
Employee
Motivation
There are hundreds of theories and probably as many books on the subject
by psychologists, business gurus, and athletic coaches, but most seem
to incorporate one if not all of these three factors:
Communication - clear and concise outlines of the
organization's goals and expectations;
Empowerment - autonomy that lets departments, teams, and individuals
solve problems; and
Recognition - positive feedback accompanied by timely and frequent
rewards.
Demolish "Demotivators"
Demotivators include office politics, stringent rules and regulations,
hypocrisy, and internal competition. They often cancel out every well-planned
effort to motivate employees, and sour them to the point of no return.
Demotivators may be the reason your past employee motivation efforts
have not taken off.
Prior to tackling any motivational plan, first attack the demotivators
by breaking down your entire company and driving demotivators out of
every facet. If you need help in this area, Spitzer offers blueprints
in SuperMotivation to guide you step-by-step through each department.
Get rid of demotivators, and you'll be ready to start on the fun stuff!
Factor 1: Communication
Factor 2: Empowerment
Factor 3: Recognition
Consider recognizing super performers with special assignments or give
them a role in training. Ask them to make presentations at board meetings
or have them write a feature article for your company newsletter.
Summary
Research Sources:
2 Minute Motivation: How to Inspire Superior Performance by Robert
W. Wendover
10 Minute Guide to Motivating People by Marshall J. Cook
1001 Ways to Reward Employees by Bob Nelson
How to Get People to Do Things by Robert Conklin
How to Grow People into Self-Starters by Dr. Thomas K. Connellan
Human Behavior: Improving Performance at Work by Gary Dessler
The Simple Art of Greatness by James X. Mullen
SuperMotivation: A Blueprint for Energizing Your Organization From
Top to Bottom by Dean R. Spitzer