Employee Motivation is Essential to Success

Employee motivation is first and foremost dependent on good leadership. An employee is far more likely to feel motivated by a boss who shows up and actually works. One way of keeping employees motivated is achieved by earning respect and setting a good example. When a manager or a supervisor shows employees that he or she is willing to work alongside them to achieve a goal, they earn their respect.

An employee who is motivated is an asset to the company and to the management. Recognizing this is beneficial to management. Keeping an open door policy is one way to help ensure that employees stay motivated.

This can often give a manager insight into problems that may be surfacing within the workplace and a chance to do something before they escalate. Make it easy for employees to talk to you about concerns or suggestions about the company or their job.

Communication is essential to employee motivation. Ensuring that employees understand the tasks they are assigned and how to accomplish them is one of the best employee motivation tools available. Often this aspect is taken for granted. Be willing to explain exactly what is expected.

Answer questions and provide training if necessary. Encourage employees to ask questions. An employee cannot be motivated to do something they do not understand.

Providing incentives for employee motivation has often been used and typically provides good results. When choosing incentives, provide a choice of several. Everyone is not motivated by the same things. Perhaps a paid day off or a bonus could be one. Many companies have dinners at upscale restaurants to celebrate a job well done.

Some corporations reward employees for top performance with trips. Everyone likes to feel that their efforts are being recognized and providing an incentive allows employees the assurance that their efforts are being recognized.

One of the biggest mistakes made in the workplace is letting friendship interfere with work performance. When workers feel that their efforts are not going to allow them to advance within the company because they are not one of the 'favored employees' their motivation to succeed is taken away. Promotions and raises should be based on performance rather than the personality of an employee.

Employee motivation is one of the most important aspects in a company. Not only should good performance be rewarded, but poor performance should have consequences as well. Employees who do not put forth their best efforts and perform their job well, but are tolerated pull the morale of all workers down. Soon good employees will begin to wonder why they are making an effort if they are taking up the slack for others who are not doing their job, but being paid the same amount.

[DaveTalksBusiness]

Getting control of your employees. I always replace the word ‘I’ with “the company”. “The company” has these expectations. “The company” is expected to have these things ready for the customers. It depersonalizes it and that's where a lot of the emotion and the emotional response comes from your staff and customers.

Money is a big motivator too. You can pay a lower base rate with additional amounts based on measurable performance. We want to encourage and be the Yoda to our employees. Ask them about their career goals. Be the coach to help them accomplish their goals. But you can structure challenges and goals for them - this helps you to stay in control as the manager.