The attitude of âIâll put in my time and thatâs itâ happens every single day in companies big and small. Is it happening in yours? Did you know that 50% of workers today would rather be someplace else? And another 20% take out their frustration every day and may be doing more harm than good. What about your people?
I have found that employees get this way when they are bored with their job; or feel like a faceless cog in a big wheel or don’t understand how “what they do” specifically contributes to the goals of their department or business unit. How can you, as a manager or business owner, keep your employees motivated to do their best work?
Three Strategies to Prevent “It’s Not My Job”
1. Communicate the importance of what they do.
Every supervisor should be able to state a meaningful purpose for his department and the work that is being done. Here is a short but powerful statement that was developed by a manager for her five-person benefits group.
âBenefits are about people. Itâs not whether you have the forms filled in or whether the checks are written. Itâs whether the people are cared for when theyâre sick, helped when theyâre in trouble.â
It is a statement with the focus on the end resultâserving peopleârather than on the means or processâcompleting forms. How well do you communicate the importance of what is being done in your department? How well do you build pride especially with your front line workers?
2. Recognize the importance of recognition.
The motto of many supervisors is: Why would I need to thank someone for doing something heâs paid to do? Workers repeatedly tell, with great feeling, how much they appreciate a compliment. They also report how distressed they are when their supervisor is quick to criticize mistakes but not acknowledge good work.
A pat on the back, simply saying âgood going,â a dinner for two, a note about them to senior executives, some schedule flexibility, a paid day off, or even a flower on a desk with a thank-you note are a few of the hundreds of ways supervisors can show their appreciation. Money may get people in the door but it doesnât keep them motivated to go the extra mile. Here are simple, inexpensive ways to recognize employees.
3. Tap into the importance of involvement.
There may be no single motivational tactic more powerful than asking for peopleâs input. An accounting manager presented a list of customer complaints at a staff meeting. She then broke the group into teams to find ways to eliminate these service glitches.
Getting everyone involved in problem-solving accomplished three goals. It brings the customers to the center of the departmentâs day-to-day operations; it lead to greater âbuy-inâ when changes had to be made in a process, policy or procedures; and finally it said to everyone that they and their ideas are valued. As one very proud production line worker, in an automotive plant, said to me:
âThey only looked at what we could do from our neck downâ¦now itâs for what we can do from our neck up.â
Smart Moves Tip:
It is true that most people must work to survive and money is certainly a motivator â but up to a point. For your employees to commit to and achieve great things, they need to experience purpose, recognition and involvement. As a manager you can provide that. It costs you nothing. And you will gain engaged employees who are working together to increase productivity and profitability.
Marcia Zidle:
The Business Edge with Marcia Zidle, your Smart Moves Coach, delivers practical advice to help business leaders take the growing pains out of growth. Are you facing overwhelming demands on your time? Are costly mistakes eating into your profits? Are you facing increased expectations from customers and clients and the need to strike a better balance in your life? Now’s the time to stop spending your energy managing problems and start doing your real work: growing your business to the next level and beyond. Learn to create a growth agenda to get your business on the right track and keep it there. Rev up your growth engine with exceptional talent. Develop the right kind of leadership to move it forward fast. Start by tuning in to The Business Edge, airing live every Wednesday at 11 AM Pacific Time.
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