| How motivated are your employees? Are they fully | | | | effort and results. Treating people with respect is at |
| engaged and passionate about their work? | | | | the heart of building business relationships. Respecting |
| In challenging economic times it is natural for most | | | | the right to differ is a concept motherhood and apple |
| people to lose some level of enthusiasm. When we | | | | pie. We all agree with it but do we truly foster it? Give |
| cut costs and people around us lose jobs and even | | | | people the freedom to be themselves and choose |
| their homes, our desire to take on the "biggest and | | | | how to achieve the agreed upon results. |
| baddest" challenge at work can falter. But in these | | | | 6. Provide employees with the opportunity to be |
| times, the last thing we need is lost productivity and | | | | creative. People will feel more motivated if they work |
| less passion. In fact, what we really need is to raise | | | | in an environment where they are challenged and still |
| the bar and get more productivity and creativity from | | | | have the opportunity to innovate. Give people freedom |
| our people. | | | | to make decisions. Encourage collaborative problem |
| Can you motivate your employees to do more? | | | | solving. Develop strong skills in delegation. Solicit their |
| There are many differing theories on the psychology | | | | opinion and feedback on the issues and challenges you |
| of motivation but the one area where there is | | | | cannot delegate entirely to them. |
| agreement, is that people do things for their own | | | | 7. Invest in developing employees. Demonstrate that |
| reasons, not yours. Motivation isn't something you can | | | | you care about your employees' success by providing |
| give someone -employees have to motivate | | | | opportunities for them to grow professionally. Take the |
| themselves. | | | | time to provide effective feedback on a continual |
| But you can make a difference. | | | | basis. Recommend books and articles that are useful |
| Here are the top 10 things you can do to create a | | | | resources. Provide an adequate training budget and |
| climate that will inspire your employees to be | | | | encourage its use. Recommend the support of a |
| motivated to do their best work and achieve the | | | | business coach or mentor. Allow employees to spend |
| results you desire. | | | | some time on projects that they care about...even if |
| 1. Know and care about the concerns of your | | | | they are outside their standard responsibilities. |
| employees. Do they feel appreciated and listened to? | | | | 8. Regularly recognize and reward effort and results. |
| Take the time to talk to them and discuss their | | | | Employees need recognition and praise. Give ample |
| priorities and desires. Frequent informal conversations | | | | feedback and recognition whenever possible. Look for |
| will help you know more about them as individuals and | | | | opportunities to acknowledge and celebrate |
| enable you to better understand what really motivates | | | | successes...even the small ones. Be specific in your |
| each of your employees. Remember people do things | | | | praise so that they know what behavior has |
| for their reasons not yours. If you can help employees | | | | contributed to the overall success of the organization. |
| get what they need to motivate themselves through | | | | 9. Ensure compensation and other rewards and |
| their work, they will bring a higher level of passion and | | | | benefits are fair. There are a number of extrinsic |
| energy to what they do. | | | | rewards that have a short-term impact on motivation. |
| 2. Develop and communicate a compelling | | | | Salary increases, company stock options, bonuses, |
| organizational vision. People become motivated if they | | | | vacation days or upgrades to the work environment |
| are excited about the purpose and goals of the | | | | will be appreciated by your employees. However all of |
| organization and how they can contribute towards | | | | these basic motivational tools can become |
| achieving them. If you communicate a clear vision with | | | | "de-motivators" if they are not used fairly. Employees |
| passion and enthusiasm and you will rally the troops. | | | | will compare their compensation packages with others, |
| Each employee needs to understand how their own | | | | and will become discouraged if they perceive inequities. |
| work contributes towards the company achieving its | | | | Employees need to know that they will receive |
| goals. To be motivated, they need to be confident that | | | | appropriate and fair rewards and recognition for their |
| their work makes a difference. | | | | achievements. |
| 3. Address ineffective teamwork. Working as part of | | | | 10. Ensure that the right person is doing the right task |
| an effective team can lead to impressive | | | | and fully understands their role. This is perhaps one of |
| improvements in morale and motivation. Unfortunately | | | | the most often overlooked areas of motivation |
| the converse is also true. Even the most | | | | because it requires us to step back from the day to |
| self-motivated individual cannot maintain enthusiasm if | | | | day and take a more holistic and strategic view of the |
| they are part of a dysfunctional team that is "not | | | | business. Getting the right people in the right role and |
| playing nice in the sand pit." | | | | then ensuring that their responsibilities and expectations |
| 4. Be a role model for your organization. The attitude | | | | are clear is a critical foundation for success. |
| and behavior of the leader sets the tone for the whole | | | | And finally as a bonus... |
| organization. Your employees are constantly watching | | | | Help your employees find work/life balance. Many |
| you and will take your lead if you are enthusiastic. | | | | employees today are struggling to balance the heavy |
| Engage the troops with your enthusiasm, be realistic | | | | demands of life and work. By providing benefits that |
| about what is happening around you and remind them | | | | make it easier for employees to take care of |
| about where the organization is going. Talk about what | | | | themselves, you will ensure that they are better able to |
| is possible. At times this may mean that you need to | | | | perform in all aspects of their lives. Examples of this |
| pump yourself up, or use the services of a colleague, | | | | type of benefit include flexible work schedules, |
| or coach to keep you motivated and focused. | | | | membership to a health club, flexible work schedules, |
| 5. Communicate with everyone respectfully. Yes, fear | | | | on-site childcare, employee assistance programs, |
| and intimidation can produce real motivation to take | | | | wellness programs or family appreciation days. |
| action, but this approach does not produce sustainable | | | | |