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View Full Version : How do you motivate employees



KristineS
10-02-2008, 03:36 PM
I worked for a television station back in the late 90s. We did a lot of great things, one of which was a reading program for employees. If you read three books about employee motivation, teamwork or management, you got a small bonus. You were required to talk with the GM about the books after you read them and before your bonus was issued. We also had a monthly meeting where we worked on teamwork skills and brainstormed ideas about how to build up the company and make it more successful. It was great!

What methods have you seen used to motivate employees? It could have been in a part job or in your present work life? Also, which do you think works better, the carrot or the stick?

billbenson
10-02-2008, 07:03 PM
In my professional career most of my long term bosses I liked, respected, and became friends. That includes a college security job. People I both learned from and enjoyed working for. The one contradiction I can think of, I didn't like or respect, but I learned from. Coincidentally, he is the one that got me going in the internet direction when my sales career ended in 99. But I learned from him as well, I just didn't like or respect the guy as a person.

KristineS
10-02-2008, 08:04 PM
I think finding a mentor is a big part of becoming and staying motivated. When I was at the tv station, the GM took me under his wing. He spent a lot of time that he really didn't have to spend working with me to help me develop my strengths. I know his guidance and interest in me helped keep me motivated.

I'd definitely say that having someone take an interest in you and want to teach you can be a great motivator.

orion_joel
10-02-2008, 08:23 PM
I think that this is something that can differ greatly depending on the industry and the level of position that you have.

For example the majority of the employee's where i work are not really motivated. It is a fast paced high volume processing environment, with a lot of casual workers. If there is anything that is motivating them it is being sure they still have a job. However i have found a good way to motivate them to do a job that they really don't want to do is to offset one job they don't like with a couple of the ones they enjoy processing.

While for the same token i may work at the same place but i have less motivation, even though you would think that i have more. I am permanent so i know i have a job unless there is a total disregard for policy or i did something really stupid. But really what motivates me is nothing to do with the management, but more so for myself knowing that i have done everything i can to get things done.

I think that many businesses need to take a more active approach in looking for ways to motivate and potentially reward employee's that are doing a great job. It could take things for some companies to a level they never thought they could reach.

KristineS
10-03-2008, 08:16 AM
I think that many businesses need to take a more active approach in looking for ways to motivate and potentially reward employee's that are doing a great job. It could take things for some companies to a level they never thought they could reach.

I think you're absolutely right about this Joel. A lot of companies nowdays seem to think that just having a job should be reward enough. I suppose, in a way, it is, but the pendulum will swing back the other way eventually. Companies need to get the programs and incentives necessary to retain workers in place now. If they wait until the job market is tight, they'll be in trouble.

I think companies have also failed to realize that many workers have more options now. There are more avenues for starting your own business than there used to be. If you're really dissatisfied with how you're being treated as an employee, you can always go off on your own and figure out ways to generate money.

orion_joel
10-04-2008, 12:26 AM
I absolutely agree that there is a need to extend the incentives for people to get in and perform well. I do not know in large scale processing environment's where the work just really is not fun anyway how this would work. However i think companies need to appreciate what the next level up do as well, eg the first level managers. That are on the floor overseeing these people.

For example where i work, i am one of these first level managers, overseeing a group of 40 or people most days, and i am putting in a lot of effort to make sure things work fine as much of the time as possible. To take this position i have effectively taken a $15K pay cut to what i was making doing slightly more hours as a casual. There is no bonus, or no incentive expect for my own self gratitude to do anything more then the minimum i need to for my job, yet i do because i know i am doing that bit more i need to do.

KristineS
10-04-2008, 08:57 AM
I think there are always people who will be self motivating Joel. I'm one of those sort of people too. I'll see a need and I'll figure out who to fill it, whether it's part of my job or not.

I think where companies fail is when they don't recognize and encourage the employees who exhibit that sort of behavior. They either reward everyone in the same manner or they don't reward anyone at all. Either way, you're failing to encourage the behavior you want to see continue.

vangogh
10-10-2008, 12:14 AM
I don't have any employees, but I've been an employee often enough. I can't think of too many times my employer ever did much to help motivate me. More often than not they did the opposite. However I was always motivated to work for one of my employers.

He treated all his employees as people first and employees second. Sometimes work would pile up and someone would need to stay late on a Saturday. He never asked anyone to stay. He would stay on his own and do the work. That made the rest of us want to stay and help. Another time I remember it being a very slow Sunday. There wasn't much reason to stay open since we weren't doing any business. He closed up shop a couple hours early, but paid us for those hours.

One time he came up to me and told me he knew I was having a hard time being able to afford a better apartment so he was giving me a raise to help. Shortly thereafter I controlled the schedule for how much work the shop could take in. I made sure to increase the workflow and made sure I did that extra work to help him make more money.

By simply showing a lot of respect for his employees, every one of us went out of our way to work harder for him.

KristineS
10-10-2008, 12:52 PM
By simply showing a lot of respect for his employees, every one of us went out of our way to work harder for him.

Sounds like a good boss.

I'm constantly mystified by the employers who don't seem to grasp that treating employees like people will make them work smarter and harder. I go out of my way to compliment the people who work for me when they do something well. That doesn't happen much around here, and without exception, everyone I've complimented lights up with delight at being told they're doing a good job.

Complimenting people is such an easy and simple thing to do and the rewards are so huge. Why don't more employers do it?

vangogh
10-10-2008, 01:19 PM
He was. One of the few or possibly the only person I ever worked for who I held in respect. He treated us well so we all treated him well in return. Pretty simple concept that seems to get missed all too often.

billbenson
10-10-2008, 10:54 PM
He was. One of the few or possibly the only person I ever worked for who I held in respect. He treated us well so we all treated him well in return. Pretty simple concept that seems to get missed all too often.

Kind of a sad story. I've only had two bad employers in my career. My first job at a hamburger joint at 16 and my last job where you would be publicly berated and find holes punched in doors in the morning (by the owner).

I haven't had that many other jobs, but the rest have been mentors and friends.

vangogh
10-11-2008, 01:42 AM
You're lucky with bosses. I've had a few decent ones. I don't want to make it out to seem like they've all been bad, but sadly more were on the bad side than the good side.

lav
10-29-2008, 05:24 AM
He would stay on his own and do the work. That made the rest of us want to stay and help.Wow, fat chance my people would stay and help me even if I asked nicely and offered double pay. I gave up trying to motivate employees a long time ago. I tried a lot of different methods even some suggestions that some guys here may have made on the old SBF. Short term (very short) it got some results but realistically they expected me to continue with the rewards without them doing their part.

Sorry for my negative attitude around here lately.......just having a bit of a rant

vangogh
10-29-2008, 12:32 PM
I think it was just how he treated us. It was a small place. Usually 3 or 4 of us working at a time so we got to know each other pretty well. He always treated employees as people first and employees second. He did a lot of little things for us that most business owners wouldn't do.

For example we normally had a half hour for lunch each day. Saturday was the busyiest day and he really needed us all to be in the store all day. To make up for it he treated everyone to lunch. We'd still get to sit in the back and eat, but if it did become busy we were there. I don't know too many business owners who pay for lunch for employees on a regular basis.

A lot of little things like that add up.

Watchdog
11-12-2008, 08:17 PM
Wow, fat chance my people would stay and help me even if I asked nicely and offered double pay. I gave up trying to motivate employees a long time ago. I tried a lot of different methods even some suggestions that some guys here may have made on the old SBF. Short term (very short) it got some results but realistically they expected me to continue with the rewards without them doing their part.

Sorry for my negative attitude around here lately.......just having a bit of a rant


I can elabroate more on this soon..I was a shop forman for several years and it was a great experience...I wrote a small article some time back for those that are thinking about jumping ship and how they can be a better asset to the team and rethink their drink:)

I called it "Act Like Your Own The Joint" It's about taking personal responsibility in your career.

The Sheet Metal Shop .Com (http://www.thesheetmetalshop.com/Article81.html)

Watchdog
11-12-2008, 08:44 PM
I think the being a mentor to the empolyees is the best way to build a relationship no matter what it is your doing. I was always in the shop helping those that needed the help...help them learn easier ways of developing patterns..I would let them do it (it shows them you trust them to do a job that they were hired for) you can decide how long the leash should be..

Always be there - remember the element of surprise, but too remember where you might have come from or wish you've been. We would give the guys a few minutes in the morning to "hang out" and then it was all work and they new it because that's what we expected. Motivation for the most part wasn't an option - they knew what we expected.

There was a sign on the wall in one shop that read

If you think you know all there is to know, please quit!

vangogh
11-12-2008, 10:53 PM
I like the sign.

Good point about being a mentor and showing trust. I guess to a degree that's what I meant by treating us like people first and employees second. It wasn't just a what can you do for me situation. Our boss understood we were real people. He was there for us and so we were there for him.

KristineS
11-13-2008, 10:51 AM
Another thing that can really help is including employees in the discussion. Obviously the ultimate decision must be made by the owners and managers, but a lot of employees will accept changes so much more easily if they at least understand a little bit about why the change is being made. Just dropping a bomb on people usually causes a lot of upset and never works well.

vangogh
11-13-2008, 12:36 PM
Being included in the process definitely helps morale. Even if the final decision is against your opinion it still feels good knowing you had input. One thing that has to be watched out for though, is including people in the process without really listening to their ideas. You can't just pay lip service to your employee's ideas. You should be listening to what their saying and considering it in your decision.

Still having your employees involved in the decision making even if their voices are muted does soften the blow of any surprise.

KristineS
11-13-2008, 03:46 PM
I'm not even sure they have to be involved in the decision making. Sometimes it's just enough to know why something is being done. Ideally, employees would be involved in making the decision, but that's not always possible.

In my opinion, some employers go to far the other way and just move their employees around like chess pieces without even explaining why the changes or moves are necessary. It creates a lot of stress and drama that isn't necessary. Taking a few minutes to explain why things are happening can make things much less stressful.

vangogh
11-13-2008, 11:21 PM
Knowing why something is being done is important. I do think feeling like you have a voice in your company can also be a boost to morale. But, yeah it absolutely means a lot to know what's going on and why it's happening.

KristineS
11-18-2008, 12:32 PM
I agree that having a voice can be a huge morale booster, but I'm not sure how realistic that would be for some companies.

I guess I think of it like this: start out letting employees know why changes are happening. This at least acknowledges that the company sees them as people. Then, once those in authority have mastered that skill, they can go on to allowing employees to be part of the decision making process.

vangogh
11-18-2008, 11:17 PM
I think we're mostly in agreement, but seeing the idea of employees being part of the decision making process differently.

I'm not thinking you'd have every employee in a meeting with input on things. I'm thinking more along the lines of letting them make suggestions in some way and being open to listening and adopting some of those suggestions assuming they're good for the company.

It's that feeling of knowing if you do have something to contribute that someone in the company will listen.

KristineS
11-19-2008, 12:53 PM
It's that feeling of knowing if you do have something to contribute that someone in the company will listen.

That is so important and is such a vital part of having a happy, successful workforce. The key is to make sure that someone in the company will listen. A lot of companies say they have that kind of policy and then completely disregard or fail to act on suggestions from employees. In those cases, the "we listen" programs do more to sap morale than they do to raise it.

vangogh
11-19-2008, 04:55 PM
Yep, that's what I meant. Sorry if it came across like I was saying to have your employees voting on key decisions. That's a little much. Just be willing to listen to their suggestions.

Think about Google. They allow every employee to use 20% of their weekly time to work on their own projects. Many common Google applications we all use started life as something an employee started working on in their 20% time.