Motivating Staff

Author: Youth 2 Youth.

Just managing your staff can be a major challenge for small business operators, who often have trouble delegating their 'dream and livelihood' to employees. Yet an essential skill for small business owners and managers is also the ability to motivate your staff.

Why motivate?

Motivating your staff can have a huge impact on the productivity of your business, as it:

• Increases staff morale and job satisfaction
• Increases company loyalty and encourages employees to promote the business to potential clients, suppliers, contractors and employees
• Impacts on the efficiency and attitude of employees to their work

With these three great reasons, why wouldn't you want to motivate your staff?!

Some strategies

There are many different ways to motivate your staff. You might decide to plan some of the suggestions below as regular activities or programs, whilst others may be more special, spontaneous rewards. The key to success with all of these things is to be genuine about it - don't make your staff feel like they need motivation, like they should be grateful, or that you expect a return on the investment.

• Training Games
  
  Training Games are both fun and motivational. They also have the added benefit of teaching your staff essential skills like open communication, team work and about business ethics. You might like to motivate staff at an annual 'retreat' or meeting with some motivational games. This need not be an expensive exercise either as you don't always need to get in consultants or facilitators - just go to a good book shop and buy a book on training games!
  
  
• Social Activities
  
  An easy and fun way to motivate staff is through social activities. We're not just talking about an annual Christmas party either!
  
  How about something a little more frequent? Some ideas include having Happy Hour on a Friday once a month, organising a cake or morning tea for staff birthdays, having a Melbourne Cup Celebration, starting staff sports teams or a running club, and treating staff to an annual excursion to the theatre/movies.
  
  Typically, those activities that include food and drink or that celebrate something should be during paid working hours, and ones such as sporting activities and less formal celebrations should be outside working hours (before, after or on the weekend).
  
  
• Rewards & Incentives
  
  Reward and incentive programs need to be just the right balance of competition, hard word and fun if they are to successful in motivating staff (aggressive sales competitions etc should be separate). And make sure the reward or incentive is worthwhile. Large US companies have huge incentives and rewards that can include holidays, cars and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash.
  
  Save these for the sales and marketing rewards and not for motivating staff, as they are likely to encourage aggressive competition. Perhaps offer gift vouchers, CDs, movie tickets or flowers for staff at the end of each quarter.
  
  If you can't afford this, work out a 'trade-off' with employees - they work on an extra project each in return for a monthly at-desk neck massage with a consulting masseur.
  
  
• Professional Development
  
  Something that often motivates employees is the investment of time and money in their professional development. Budget for each employee to attend at least one networking function, conference or workshop each year.
  
  Make sure the event isn't something they are force to attend, like compulsory training, and is something they have a part in choosing. This shows that you care about their professional skills being up to date and about their interests.
  
  
• Community Service and Charitable Causes
  
  Show your employees you care about issues wider than work by offering a community service program. Your business should pick a particular cause, such as the environment, and establish or help out on projects to do with this (eg. Clean Up Australia Day).
  
  Involve your employees in the choice of the issue so that they will be happier to be involved. If you encounter resistance, initially offer the program during working hours, or offer a reward for attending (like a nice lunch afterwards).
  
  Lead by example and get involved yourself! If your employees are particularly time poor, perhaps hold fundraising activities for a charitable cause. Divide the staff into teams and hold a fun competition for who can raise the most money for the nominated cause. And remember to reward everyone, not just the winners.
  
  
• Outdoor Education
  
  Outdoor education programs are fun and challenging for employees, and can motivate them by stretching their relationships beyond their roles at work. These programs usually comprise of basic recreational activities that in some way 'push the limits' so that the participants bond, as well as learn initiative and about teamwork. They'll also learn each others strengths and weaknesses. Integrate outdoor education into conference or retreat programs.
  
  
• Positive Reinforcement
  
  The easiest, most inexpensive and arguably best way to motivate employees is simply positively reinforcing what they do at work. This means making positive statements about employees on a regular, daily basis. It will make them feel good about what they do, and also desire more praise.

This whole concept revolves around the principle of praising rather than reprimanding, "catch them being good." The approach is all in the phrasing:

" I like the way you got that report to John on time. You did a great job."

rather than

" This is the only week you gave John his report on time. Keep it up."

Employees who do the wrong thing will overhear others being praised and will require less reprimand as they strive to gain the same status. Again, be genuine (don't patronise).

More information

These are some great ways to motivate your staff. For more information you could always hire a private consultant, a life coach or a motivational expert to get some new ideas and approaches. Or even just get hold of a good motivational book - as what works for people, works for staff!

'Copyright 2003 Youth 2 Youth'

Disclaimer: This article is for your information, but it may not apply to or be suitable for your situation, so seek professional advice. Youth 2 Youth cannot be held liable for anything resulting from how you use the information provided in this article.