Maintaining Employee Motivation

Posted on November 6, 2014 by equilibrium9

Earlier this year, I wrote about putting some things into place to build employee motivation. It seems appropriate now to take a look at how a manager or business owner can go about maintaining that motivation. It would be easy to say just keep up with what you have already done but that would be a little too simplistic, although pretty much on the money.

In my last blog I outlined four steps to consider in setting up a motivational program:

The goal – a clear and articulated vision of where the organization is going.
The needs – finding out what your employees need to help them work toward the goal, which usually involves training, mentoring and coaching
Implementation – getting a program up and running.
Leader behaviour – in particular the need to continually communicate with the employee body as a whole and individually.

Having gone through these steps and achieved the result of motivated employees then the trick is now to maintain that motivation. What can happen in an organization where a motivational program is initiated is that there seems to be an initial positive response to the program and then after a while as the program slows in momentum and there appears to be a slump or a falling off with employee enthusiasm.

What has happened is that employees become used to the initiatives in the program and start to recognise them as part of the fabric of their work, almost like wall decorations, its there, its good, but it is what they expect. This behaviour can be attributed to what twentieth century psychologist Frederick Herzberg called hygiene factors which are essentially lower order needs that once fulfilled, no longer account for job satisfaction.

This means as leaders we need to be constantly looking at the needs that are going to provide continued job satisfaction. In a nutshell Herzberg saw these as:

Achievement
Responsibility
The work itself
Recognition
Growth
Advancement

So having initiated a program how can we ensure that the initial levels of motivation are maintained?

To maintain motivation in the workplace this initial process can now be looked at as a cyclical, constantly in motion program as illustrated in the diagram.

It starts with knowing where you are going and while the long term vision may not change too often (of it will at some point) there are interim goals and targets that are being updated and need attention. Needs can be reviewed and re-assessed in line with the new interim goals.

However, there now may well be an additional consideration at this point and that is a keen eye to the factors Herzberg highlighted. In most cases these factors will arise in the needs analysis undertaken with your employees as a matter of course. If not, then you as leader need to ensure they are covered in the program as it continues to be developed. This is not always easy as some smaller organisations do not have the same opportunities for advancement and others may have difficulty mixing up the work itself as can be the case in larger organisations. However, there are 6 factors and a critical look at how your organisation provides any one of these opportunities for employees will reveal several different areas where improvement can be made.

The cycle continues, as new needs and satisfaction factors are recognised then the motivational program can be tweaked and updated accordingly. Constant communications from leader to team continues to be a major factor and than around we go again.

A final note! Many organisations start out putting a program into place but then let it falter. This will invariably lead to dissatisfaction and demotivation in the work environment. Consistency is the key.

Value in Motivating Employees

Posted on October 25, 2014 by equilibrium9

By Gary Jaffer

I joined Bartercard about 2 years ago and have found it a terrific addition to my business. The Bartercard network have published a series of blogs I have written for them like this one and I will continue to republish them here as they become available. Let me know if you find them helpful.

Most of us recognize when employees are not motivated and the drain it can have inside an organization. Some of us may have experienced the excitement, thrill, satisfaction and enjoyment of being part of a motivated team and even better, leading a motivated team and the stream of positive effects it brings to an organisation.

If only there was a magic formula to create the level of motivation that so many leaders and managers are craving in their teams. Trouble is, there isn’t one single thing that can be highlighted as being the key to keeping employees motivated. The task is a multi-facetted one and the only thing for sure, is that it is a task that sits fairly and squarely in the leader/manger’s lap.

The first thing to be absolutely clear about is that money (salary and even incentives) is not the answer. Research over many decades on the subject of employee motivation clearly indicates that money is way down the list. Money is almost a hygiene factor, along with a reasonable work surroundings and facilities – as long as it is reasonable then motivation will come from other places.

The answers are in providing for some fundamental needs that all employees have – actually not just employees, all of us who work want a bit of this stuff.

It all hinges around value. We all want to know that what we do is worthwhile and valued. There’s a couple of aspects to this – we see that what we do is valuable, our peers recognise the value we bring and that our managers and leaders acknowledge this value.

When the value ducks line up, then we find that an employee recognizes their contribution to the organization, through that contribution there is experience of belonging and these both lead to the desire to experience more of this and so ambition grows and with that ambition willingness to expand themselves not just in terms of the work they currently undertake but also to broaden their horizons through learning to move into new and elevated work experiences.

So just how can we get the value ducks in a line? I’ve always looked at it as a sequence of initiatives which are backed in by leader/manager behaviours.

What’s the goal? If you are on the bus, you really want to know where it is going! Leaders need to clearly articulate their vision and be able to break that out into digestible chunk’s by department, team and individuals within the organization.

What’s needed? Now we know where we are all going, what support is needed to get us there. Training is a great place to start – what skills do employees need to polish up, what new skills might be helpful. One of the “value” results we mentioned earlier, is that people want to expand! Conduct a needs analysis, talk to your employees, formally or informally and then be prepared to act on the outcome. If people in an organization clearly see that their opinions and suggestions are taken seriously and acted upon, then their sense of belonging and contribution grows. Training is one aspect, but support can roll over into cultural stuff like tweaking surroundings, ensuring the equipment works and providing for time out, not just something like a lunch or retreat room but celebrating birthdays or other milestones. Setting goals and targets are an integral part of this area. They need to be a stretch but also realistically attainable. Incentives can play a part at this level. Don’t forget that you may find employees that display qualities indicating high potential – nurture these, coach them or have them coached, they may well be your future leaders.

Implementation and communicate. Having established what support is needed then a program of implementation can be developed. Where possible involve employees in the implementation process and make sure the whole picture, or as much as possible is communicated and regularly updated and communicated again. Communication is such an important part of the entire process, it can be done in meetings, training sessions, emails, staff gatherings and social events and simply one to one. It is where employees get to see a bigger picture and recognize how their part fits into it.

Leader Behaviour. It would be easy to spend a lot of time here but we would be talking more about leadership effectiveness and it might be better to save that for another blog. The point here is that there are several things a leader or manager can do that are directly related to employee motivation:

Communicate, communicate, communicate! If you missed the point, this is important.
Be present. Let people see you involved, talk to people and take an interest in their work and their personal life – you don’t need all the details but be interested and be seen.
Don’t be a jerk. Be honest, fair, respectful, trustworthy, encouraging, approachable, accountable and just as an experiment try fun, humour and a light touch.

As Bartercard members we have tremendous opportunity to implement employee motivation programs without it being a drain of cash flow. From consultants and trainers through to venues for staff functions and gifts and rewards for incentive programs, we all have the opportunity to put our trade dollars to productive use in developing and maintaining an employee motivational program that delivers results across the entire organization.

Tragic outcomes of inadvertentness

Posted on October 18, 2013 by equilibrium9

By Gary Jaffer

I was shocked a week or so ago to learn of the child that had been left in a car all day after the father “forgot” to drop it off at a child care facility. My heart went out to the father, what a terrible thing with which to live. At the time both TV and newspaper reports were quoting similar occurrences in Australia and overseas, with similar outcomes. Then, just today, I read a report of a mother running late for a doctor appointment, inadvertently left her child in the capsule in the car for about an hour – thankfully the child was rescued, but unfortunately the mother was charged and fined.

What is happening here? There seems to be so much demand around us today – all these electronic devices that are meant to make life easier seem to be demanding attention, our work, pressures at home and our general busyness all just seem to take up so much of our head time. The question is; “If we are becoming so pre-occupied with our thoughts that we are missing what truly must be important stuff, then what else are we missing, that is important too, but does not carry the same tragic outcome?”

If ever there was an example for the need to cultivate mindfulness then these two recent events must surely be the ones.

We are so familiar with the term “be mindful” yet we don’t realise that it actually needs to be cultivated, practiced and quite purposeful, for it to have any meaning or effect. In the past few months as I have moved around some business circles and talked about mindfulness, I have regularly got that all knowing look, the one that says, “yeah, that stuff sounds interesting but is a bit hokey pokey and cosmic and not really suited to the general work environment and certainly not here.” Yet, here, in the last couple of weeks, we have seen dramatic and tragic results of inadvertentness. Don’t get me wrong, there is no blame or judgment here, I believe this sort of thing can happen to most people and in fact does, but not with the same tragedy. I got out of the car at the supermarket the other day, deep in thought, and got all the way into the shopping centre before I remembered I had left my shopping bags in the boot of the car – same inadvertentness, nowhere near the same degree of outcome.

Practicing mindfulness is for everybody! It is not something to be shrugged off as something a bit “out there” or “eastern” but something that is incredibly useful in our everyday living. It improves productivity at work and at home, it can reduce stress, increase memory and improve relationships just to name a few benefits. The best part is that it can take just a few minutes of practice every day and some exercises can be done as you go about your normal activities.

What part of your life are you inadvertently missing?

We live in delicate financial times….

Posted on September 30, 2013 by equilibrium9

By Vivienne Jaffer
Lucy Beresford, British Psychotherapist states “we live in delicate financial times, so worries about money are real. But in my field, money also represents emotional supplies, which is why issues around money are also about security and safety.”

Interesting, this concept about money being about security and safety…. It always amazes me how so many people feel they don’t have enough, regardless of how much money they do or don’t have. It ranges from people who clearly struggle to afford the basic necessities like being able to heat their room in winter, or to buy produce at the grocery store, through to people who are mortgaged to multiple properties, run several vehicles or take regular holidays : all believing they lack. On the other side, there are people with the same divergent access to money and therefore commodities as described on both the lesser and greater ends of the scale who are completely content and at peace. This contentment with little is not very common in the Western world where money is almost tantamount to personal worth. Ms Beresford’s reference to money being linked to emotional supply certainly rings true in cases where there is no real lack of money, and yet the feeling of insecurity runs rife.

From my observation many people seem to be plagued by the idea of accruing more than they need now, to repel potential future hardship. That activity itself, of stressing about potential lack, is bound to attract it.

I’ll leave you with two very valid concepts to consider:

1. Give what you lack. (I don’t need to draw pictures here….time, money, love)
2. Whatever you give your attention to – grows. Don’t be stressing about how much your next holiday is going to cost, or how expensive the new car is….don’t go yet, buy a cheaper one. It actually IS that simple. Have a really good look at what you are giving your attention to. Is that what you want to increase? If it’s not – seek out how to have some control over what is filling your mind.

9 good reasons to hire a coach

Posted on September 2, 2013 by equilibrium9

by Gary Jaffer

Sometimes I get a blank look when I suggest to an executive that they might consider using a coach. It is rarely expressed, but the thought bubble is extremely clear; “I don’t need any help, and what are you going to tell me?”

A good coach won’t tell you a thing! What they will do is provide a forum to draw out what you instinctively know. I could bang on about this for a long time, instead here are 9 good reasons why every senior executive should hire a coach:

1. 100% you time – most senior business people rarely get a chance to just sit and talk about themselves, their challenges, their successes, their fears, their family, their personal goals, their business goals – whatever! A coach provides a 100% “you” forum – it really is all about you.

2. Clarity – here’s an opportunity to bring some clear space around your thinking. Whether it be around new goals, existing strategies or simply blue sky stuff, it doesn’t really matter. Just imagine having the opportunity to really clarify your thoughts, without judgment or unnecessary provisions clouding the process.

3. Planning – a coach has no vested interest in your achievements (apart from the fact they will want you to successfully achieve whatever it is you set out to do) and so their great value is their objectivity. Imagine having a completely objective sounding board, asking questions and providing some direction to the plans to reach your objectives.

4. Bring about change – many business people bring in a consultant to bring about specific change. A coach can provide the same momentum to accelerate change in your organization, or life, by working with you ensuring that there is a strong hand on the tiller without the process being hijacked or losing direction.

5. Productivity – the key here is that a coach will help you become more results driven and this will naturally lead to better organization, more efficiency and hence more effective in a lot more of what you do on a daily basis. Each meeting with a coach will invariably have specific outcomes to be accomplished before the next meeting and the natural outcome from this is productivity.

6. Empowerment – at times our emotions can get the better of us and we can find ourselves riding the emotional rollercoaster. A coach can help build emotional strength – Goleman called it Emotional Intelligence in his famous book and EI can be defined as the ability to perceive, control and evaluate emotions and the sharpening of this ability empowers the individual.

7. Focus – A bit like clarity but once clarity is achieved then focus is required to work on the right things in the right order. The objectivity of a coach comes into play again and a coach can provide direction for your focus to as to achieve the outcomes required.

8. Support – the old adage that it is lonely at the top is so true. So often the support systems for leaders is light on as best or non-existent. The lack of peer support can create a sense of isolation. Sometimes you just feel that you need to sound off or bounce something around with someone to get some perspective and all too often there is no one!

9. Balance – all work and no play makes Jill a dull girl just as much as it makes Jack a dull boy! Burnout is a result of insufficient or inadequate recovery time. We see it happen with athletes. Our 24/7 office, all on, all the time, is making it increasingly difficult to have some switch off time. A good coach will have an eye on your lifestyle and ensure sufficient time is being allocated to recovery.

This is by no means an exhaustive list but they are good reasons any business leader might consider a coach. On the other hand if you feel you are achieving everything you want, have all the support you need, have a good set of plans in place and are focused and on track with your well defined goals, are getting enough time out and not bothered by emotional responses then a coach may not be for you.