Employment Services
Motivational techniques
Effectively motivating your staff requires knowing what makes them tick
By Jason Stahl
Smart Business Akron/Canton | April 2007
Terry Phillips
Vice president, Robert Half International
Employees in the United States today
are working more hours than ever
before, so it stands to reason that their need for recognition is that much
greater. Everyone likes to be recognized
for a job well done, and recognition doesn’t
always have to be complex.
According to Terry Phillips, vice president of Robert Half International in Akron,
frequent recognition of accomplishments
is the most effective nonmonetary means
for motivating staff. And that leads to
greater job satisfaction and, of course,
greater employee retention.
Smart Business spoke with Phillips
about what company leaders need to realize about motivating employees, and what
they can do to make sure their staff is adequately recognized for their accomplishments.
What were the results of Accountemps’ latest
survey on what motivates workers?
The survey found that the majority of
workers (35 percent) and executives (30
percent) polled agree that frequent recognition of accomplishments is the most
effective nonmonetary means for motivating staff. Employees want to know that
their efforts make a difference and that
their input is valued. Workers and executives also both cited regular communication (30 percent for executives, 20 percent
for employees) as the second most effective nonmonetary means for motivating
staff. Both of these issues play a major role
in the retention of skilled staff.
How much is too much when it comes to
seeking recognition? Shouldn’t people be
happy with having a job to go to and getting
a regular paycheck?
Having a job and a salary are important
— but working with managers and colleagues who appreciate what you do can
help you be more productive, more satisfied and more motivated to excel at work.
And that benefits everyone.
I’m not advising that employees seek a
pat on the back every day and for every project, but when a team pulls together to
meet a tough deadline or complete a big
project, those efforts should be recognized.
What should managers do to recognize the
accomplishments of their staff?
There are several ways managers can
recognize the achievements of their staff,
including: offering verbal praise during
team and/or company meetings, sending a
written (e-mail or on paper) ‘thank you’
note or mentioning accomplishments in
the company newsletter.
How can companies/managers increase the
level of communication among their staff?
Encourage employees to motivate
each other. If your entire team is involved
and rooting for each other, a truly dynamic,
supportive workplace is created.
Create a sense of community. Find
ways to foster the ‘all for one and one for
all’ approach to day-to-day operations. Go
to lunch together. Help employees appreciate one another and the job that each person does.
Brainstorm. Schedule the occasional
brainstorming session to help solve any
challenges facing your team. By doing so, you’ll tell employees that you’re all in this
together and that one person isn’t responsible for solving all the problems.
Provide mentors. By pairing veterans
with early-stage professionals, you’ll
accomplish three things: first, you’ll send a
message to new employees that you care
enough about their future with the company to take steps to ensure their success.
Second, you’ll recognize current staff
members for things they do well. Finally,
you’ll create an environment where people
take pride in helping others — and everyone feels free to rely on one another’s assistance.
Are there times when staff should recognize
their managers?
Absolutely. When significant work milestones are achieved or when complex projects are completed successfully, those in
supervisory or executive roles deserve to
be recognized for their accomplishments.
In these situations, it’s often best to coordinate with others in the department and
team so that all appropriate individuals are
aware and engaged in the intention to recognize the manager.
What may be holding managers back?
One issue may be time. The pace of business is always accelerating, and today’s
executives and managers sometimes work
off-site. This can make timely recognition a
challenge.
Another factor may be money. Some
managers are accustomed to expressing
their thanks through monetary rewards,
but many may be working under tighter
budget constraints.
Also, don’t limit recognition to predictable dates or occasions, such as once a
quarter or at the conclusion of major projects. Rewarding employees as often as
they deserve it will continue to build a positive work environment.
TERRY PHILLIPS is vice president of Robert Half International
in Akron. Robert Half is a specialized staffing firm headquartered
in Menlo Park, Calif. Reach Phillips at (330) 253-8367.
