A Practical Guide to Employee Motivation
Posted: Tuesday, November 18, 2008
by Timothy Thomas
Makarios Consulting, LLC
Motivating your employees is key to the success of your company. Here are seven ways you can effectively increase your employees' motivation - starting today!
1. Ask each of your employees for what and how they'd like to recognized. Do they want to be recognized for the quality of their work or the quantity? For the way in which they do their work (cheerfully, efficiently, innovatively)? Do they want to be recognized individually or as part of a group? Publicly or privately? Look for opportunities to boost motivation by providing the recognition that each individual is seeking. For many people, a simple "thank you" in the form of a note on their desk or a voice-mail message will go much farther than a monetary reward.
2. Evaluate the roles/jobs in your organization. Do they involve a variety of challenging opportunities or have they been distilled into boring, repetitive tasks? Take advantage of opportunities to expand or enrich jobs/roles to increase variety, autonomy or decision-making authority.1. Ask each of your employees for what and how they'd like to recognized. Do they want to be recognized for the quality of their work or the quantity? For the way in which they do their work (cheerfully, efficiently, innovatively)? Do they want to be recognized individually or as part of a group? Publicly or privately? Look for opportunities to boost motivation by providing the recognition that each individual is seeking. For many people, a simple "thank you" in the form of a note on their desk or a voice-mail message will go much farther than a monetary reward.
4. Identify what employees find fulfilling. Ask them about their ideal workplace or job - they will typically describe an image that taps into their intrinsic motivation. Help them find ways to build elements of their ideal into their current job.
5. Review organization policies and practices. Determine if your organization enhances or inhibits employee motivation. What outcomes do employees receive? Do they value these outcomes? Do these outcomes encourage employees to put forth greater or lesser effort? Adjust practices, policies, and/or outcomes as appropriate to positively impact employee motivation.
6. Define expectations. Work with your employees to establish clear, measurable goals for their roles/tasks. Link these goals to the overall objectives of the organization and ensure that feedback is available to help employees track their progress toward their goals.
© 2008 Timothy I. Thomas
You have my permission to reprint and distribute this article as long as it is distributed in its entirety, including all links and copyright information. This article is not to be sold or included with anything that is sold.
Author Resource Box:
Timothy I. Thomas is the President and CEO of Makarios Consulting, LLC, a leadership development and business consulting firm. Makarios Consulting specializes in interactive training and one-on-one coaching in progressive organizations in order to equip and empower their leaders to maximize their own leadership skills and inspire others to accomplish extraordinary business results. Timothy Thomas is the author of Creating All-Star Performers: The Power of Effective Feedback, now available for immediate download at www.Makarios Consulting.com.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Business 101, environmnet, pay, rewards. It has always been that way. Ladslow. Good job.
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