There are plenty of misconceptions and myths about what staff are motivated by in the workplace. Here are five common ones:
Myth 1
Staff are motivated by money
Employees like to receive a fair and reasonable compensation for the work that they do, we all have a desire to be financially valued for the effort we make. Consistent feedback from exit interviews shows that staff do not leave jobs because of money (unless of course there are indeed underpaid and not valued). A professional in their field who is being paid fairly knows that by leaving a company you generally don’t get a salary rise but that you receive a comparable package, so ask yourself why they are really moving on.
The adage holds fast, employees leave managers not jobs. To motivate your staff improve the leadership skills in your organisation, develop your managers by offering mentoring programs, career development opportunities and self paced learning such as e-learning or a books library.
If staff are complaining about salaries (and you pay fairly) look deeper and see what the root cause is before getting the carrot out and offering a quick fix to a systemic problem. If you are not sure if you are paying fairly have an independent salary audit done to give you useful evidence and peace of mind.
Myth 2
Staff are motivated by being protected from bad news
It might be obvious to you because you are so involved with the business, but your staff might not be aware of where the business in heading, what is happening or even how or if the credit crunch is affecting margins. Remember it is their business too and they appreciate being kept informed. Think about showing your employees or your team the P&L especially if you want to keep motivation going through a tough patch or change in the business. This can ignite ownership and increase the responsibility levels from staff.
Be mindful of sugar coating bad news (unless of course you have to), this is a breeding ground for rumors and gossip which just makes matter worse. Treat your staff as you would like to be treated and remember that they are all adults.
So to keep productivity high don’t treat your staff like mushrooms by keeping them in the dark or by feeding them rubbish.
Myth 3
Staff are motivated by stress and adrenaline
Having mental stimulation, challenges and deadlines are motivating for professional employees but stress goes beyond natural adrenaline and if sustained over a long period of time can reduce motivation and productivity.
Do regular health checks of how your employees are going; go back to the old style of ‘management by walking around’. Be aware of how staff use their lunch breaks, look for changes in their grooming and the desk and file management, check for changes in their tone of voice (increase in pace and volume in particular) when they are on the phone.
If stress is an issue, tackle it sooner rather than later, offer your employee a long lunch or afternoon off, give them a massage voucher or simply have a chat with them to see if you can help by distributing tasks more evenly. Whatever you do, do something; stressed employees are at risk employees.
Myth 4
Staff are motivated when they know their job well
Employees like to feel competent while doing their work but in general professionals like to be given additional challenges and responsibilities so they can grow and develop.
No one likes to fail but taking a risk on a trusted employee is a sure way to increase individual drive, determination and motivation. They have more skin in the game and have more to lose, so chances are if you give them the opportunity to flourish, then they will.
Next time you have a vacancy make sure you consider internal staff who you can take a risk with. This can be a cost effective way to recruit and also can be a team morale booster when the company is seen to be promoting from within. This boost can be enough to lift motivation levels and increase output across the board.
It can be a good idea to have a talent spotting program or talent development model for your company to ensure that you have a ready pool of staff to choose from when the need arises.
Myth 5
Staff know themselves when they have done a good job
Recognition is a powerful, effective and inexpensive and it is used too little in business. Praise your staff as often as you can to the board or to directors, praise your staff to their peers and your colleagues, and in fact offer praise as often as possible where praise is due. Sales professionals in particular love to be recognised publicly for their work.
Obviously results are linked to receiving recognition (and subsequently to remuneration) but don’t praise results alone. Recognise effort, involvement, ethical behaviour and commitment. Be specific and detailed in your praise, choose a particular thing and mention this when you give recognition.
If you must offer constructive criticism when you offer praise, prelude it with ‘and’ rather than ‘but’ or ‘however’. For example: “Jeff your work on the Fosters deal was excellent, I particular liked the creativity you showed in the customer meeting, and I would like you to work on your attention to detail as a development point in the future”
Staff may know that they have indeed done a good job however they do not know that you know, so recognise efforts and results liberally to lift motivational levels.
