"I need to motivate my employees," you say to yourself. Yes, motivated employees are critical for the success of any organization. But experts say that you really cannot motivate another person. You can only create a climate in which they can motivate themselves. Here are some things employees tell me motivates them to give their best. Which ones are your motivators?
1. The employees' relationship with their manager - it's a good one and encompasses things like consulting employees about issues that impact their roles and work. Also, that the manager appreciates all their hard work and tells them so.often. They avoid micromanaging and give their employees some control and say over how the work is done.
2. Training that makes them feel competent in their job. You would be surprised at how many times I hear that an employee feels they were just thrown into a task or project without the proper training. Feeling inadequate when trying to do a job will demoralize anyone. For example, if you have to work with angry, difficult customers, have you received training in the best way to deal with them?
3. Involved in work that interests them and that seems to matter. Mind numbing tasks and projects drag anyone down. Ask yourself, "Am I in a job best suited to my skills and professional aspirations?" and "Am I making progress in meaningful work?"
4. They care about and generally like the people they work with. Whenever I ask employees what they like best about the job, I usually hear, "The people." If you are in a workplace with toxic teammates, try to leave. Get transferred. Look for another job.
5. Some incentives and tangible rewards are present in the job. These are the external motivators, and, coupled with the internal motivators above, help employees stay motivated and fired up about their jobs. I'll share a list of some of these motivators in next month's issue. Stay tuned!
If you are missing the motivators that make you glad to come to work in the morning (well, most mornings, anyway), talk to your manager to see what can be done. And I present a training program on creating a climate of motivation for managers. Contact me if interested.
Contact me if you would like to talk about a customized team retreat to work on any of your specific team or customer service issues. I can be reached via e-mail at: peggy@peggymorrow.com or by phone: (281) 280-8190 or 800-375-2982.
