Employees in a major accounting firm received motivational emails and thank-you's from the President every Thanksgiving and during the Christmas holiday. These same employees received periodic bonuses, and a yearly holiday gift or bonus. Employees at a small printing company didn’t get a thank you email, a bonus or even a “thanks for the hard work” from the owner anytime throughout the year. Guess which one was named by a major publication as a great place to work, and guess which one saw 12 of 16 employees leave within a year? The larger firm was on the path to success, the smaller firm was on a downward spiral. 

It seems simple enough when you think about it. The higher the morale within an organization, the more dedicated employees are. They feel valued, and like they are contributing to the growth of the company. They also feel their input and work is part of that success. The opposite can lead to employees performing unenthusiastically at minimum levels, even when there poor performance may lead to the downfall of the business.  Why? Mostly because they don’t feel they are treated fairly.

Sharon Jordan-Evans of Jordan Evans Group and co-author of “Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em: Getting Good People to Stay” cites a revealing job-satisfaction survey of more than 15,000 people. All of them named at least one of the first three of these six big motivators as what leads to improved morale and dedication:

• Exciting work and challenge
• Career growth
• Learning and development
• Working with great people
• Fair pay
• Supportive management/good boss

"So while fun matters most to one talented employee, another is motivated more by autonomy and yet another by flexibility," Jordan-Evans says. "Motivation – engagement and retention too - is therefore largely an individual activity between the boss and employee."

A number of factors outside management, however, can play a role in company morale and dedication. An employee who doesn’t work well with others and is out for himself, an employee who spreads office gossip or is always complaining, and inter-department feuds can play a key role in the lack of happiness in a company. Office managers are often the glue to an organization – they seem to know a little bit of everything about each department or employee, and are on the pulse of company projects, issues, and employee conflicts. And office managers can coordinate activities to build teams, subtly, without being classified as “team-building” exercises.

Jordan-Evans recommends office managers go to lunch with certain team members individually to help understand them better. What does each one enjoy most and least about his job? What does he want to learn next, and how would he like to learn it? Office managers can then ask a boss to make their jobs more enjoyable or satisfying by subtly relaying feedback. If Sally would like to learn desktop publishing and take a crack at the company newsletter, send her to a class. If Jose wants exposure to the senior team, invite him to the next staff meeting. Watch their performance soar as workers get involved in what they really want to do.

Ken Gaebler of Gaebler Ventures, a Chicago-based business incubator and resource (www.gaeblerventures.com), says what people want from their jobs and what managers think employees want can be very different things. Are your employees productive in their work? Do they work passionately and with dedication? Here are eight great ways to boost employee productivity and motivate employees to do great things for your business: 

1. Ask for employee help in setting goals
Ask employees for their help in setting department or company goals. Then ask them for their advice about how to actually achieve those goals.

Getting employees to “buy into” the company’s goals is the best way to ensure that those goals become reality. Also, the people who are involved, day in and day out, in the inner workings of your company probably have a good idea of what kind of problems they will encounter in pursuit of the goals. They may also have a good idea how to overcome these problems.

2. Distribute the workload and hours fairly
The key word here is “fair.” You want to be consistent in everything you do. Every employee should get the same opportunities to work overtime, and everyone should also have hours cut in a similar fashion. Sticking one or two people with all the work creates bad morale. Those who get dumped on will be universally unhappy, while those with a light workload may get labeled as “teacher’s pets” by the other employees. A follow-up to this rule is to be friendly to employees without being their friend. To paraphrase Bess Truman’s famous quip about our nation’s capital, “If you want a friend, get a dog.”

3. Honor people’s schedules for lunch, breaks and going home
As with being fair in all things, respect your employees’ lunch time, breaks and quitting time. Even the best employees need a break during the workday. If you barge into your employee’s lunch hour, you will get the employee’s attention but not the best possible work. Also respect when employees go home. One of the biggest complaints on “I hate my boss” websites involves bosses who expect employees to stay late at the last minute. Remember that your employees have personal lives, too.

4. Give immediate (and private) feedback
None of us wants to work all day on a project only to find that we have wasted our time. When you assign work, ask the employee to check in at the beginning of the project so you can give immediate feedback. Also, don’t criticize your employees in public. It’s humiliating and un-motivating. The old management mantra is true: “Praise in public and criticize in private.”

5. Praise employees and recognize their contributions
When employees in your business do good work, praise them in public, preferably in front of their co-workers. Make sure that the boss knows about the contributions of your team on a key project or goal. This works to your advantage, as well: When people on your team do well, the boss will assume – correctly - that it’s because you are such a good motivator.

6. Be honest about what’s going on and expect your employees to do the same
Honesty really is the best policy with employees. No matter how large or small the company, the employee grapevine has probably already spread word of the impending job cuts or possible sale of the company, so level with them as much as you can. If you are honest about what’s going on in the business, your employees will, in turn, be honest with you about their concerns. This give and take will make communication in your team or company infinitely easier.

7. Don’t be afraid to share a good laugh - especially at yourself
While it’s never good idea to laugh at an employee, it’s almost always a good idea to laugh at yourself. A hearty laugh can diffuse difficult situations and make you seem more human to those who report to you. Also, admit that you don’t know all the answers. This trait will make it easier for employees to come clean about their own mistakes to you.

8. Listen attentively
Those “I hate my boss” websites are full of complaints about managers who just don’t listen. So pay attention to what a person has to say. Don’t tap your foot waiting for your turn to talk. Don’t interrupt so that you can talk sooner. Really listen. Happy, motivated employees always note that they have bosses who listen to their ideas and concerns. And since small businesses can't afford to have even one unmotivated employee, listening is even more essential when staffs are small.

Tracey Turner, executive director of The Creative Group, says it's especially crucial to keep motivation high during times of change, such as when a company is expanding or downsizing.

“Businesses that wait until morale is tangibly lagging to address motivation suffer the costly consequences of reduced productivity and increased turnover,” says Turner. “It's much easier to maintain high motivation than rescue a demoralized or unhappy team."

Carol E. Gilson, an adjunct professor in human resources and management at St. Paul College, offers these tips for coaching an employee through a rough period:

• When an Employee Makes a Mistake
  Help him determine why it happened and understand the consequences. Then show confidence that the employee can do a better job.
   
• When an Employee Becomes Complacent
  Meet with him to discuss his slip in performance. Is it due to boredom, a work problem, or perhaps a personal problem? Clearly define expectations and offer ideas to help the employee. 
   
• When an Employee Has a New Project -- and More Work
  Show your enthusiasm for the project, and ask everyone involved to commit to it. Offer an incentive when it's completed.

Turner stresses the importance of positive reinforcement as a motivational tool:

• Celebrate Accomplishments
  A simple thank-you note or public praise will increase an employee's confidence, while a staff lunch at the conclusion of a major project can help build team spirit. "The impact of showing appreciation for a job well done is tremendous - a recent survey commissioned by our company revealed that lack of recognition is one of the primary reasons employees quit their jobs," Turner says.
   
• Criticize Carefully
  When you must criticize, do it privately, and keep the discussion performance-based, not personal. Be consistent, and hold all employees to the same standards.
   
• Set Clear Expectations
  Conduct regular performance appraisals so employees understand what's expected of them. Instill confidence and enthusiasm by noting an employee's strengths and special skills, not just perceived weaknesses.
   
• Staff Strategically to Prevent Burnout
  Bringing in extra help during peak workloads enables full-time employees to concentrate on special projects while temporary workers focus on day-to-day matters or vice versa.

“A positive corporate culture also motivates employees to do their best,” says Turner. “Professionals will work harder for organizations who show they care about employees as individuals and want to help them succeed.”

 

 

---

READING RESOURCES:

1. Motivate Your Employees and Make Your Workplace Come Alive eBook
By Joanne Sujansky's
http://www.keygroupconsulting.com/veoproducts.htm#mot

2. Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em: Getting Good People to Stay
By Sharon Jordan-Evans and Beverly Kaye
http://www.amazon.com/Love-Em-Lose-Getting-People/dp/1576751406

3. Destination Profit: Creating People-Profit Opportunities in Your Organization
by Scott Cawood, Rita V. Bailey
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/0891061967/monstercom