Maintaining high motivation levels within a workplace is among the key challenges facing business heads, according to Bob Ferguson of Toastmasters.
The member of the educational organisation that teaches public speaking and leadership skills said that while the simplest and most effective way of motivating employees is through praise, this is not as straightforward as it appears.
Praise can also get lost in translation, he explained, citing a study which found that more than half the managers who thought they were giving commendations were not getting that message across to their staff.
One form of encouragement is providing immediate feedback simply by writing a message of appreciation on a sticky note placed on the recipient’s desk. This would arouse a sense of pride within the individual being acknowledged, Mr Ferguson said.
He added: “Watch what they do next. Most likely they will move the note to one of the corners of their desk and during the day they’ll glance at it from time to time to repeat the dose of good feeling. That’s why written feedback is so much more effective than verbal; it keeps re-giving that praise.”
Acknowledging small successes by awarding a small gift can pay even bigger dividends when it comes to staff motivation, according to Mr Ferguson.
He added: “This way we reinforce that success is important to us; that we value our teams’ efforts, and we make them feel good at the same time.
“It doesn’t have to be anything big. A tin of biscuits or a tray of cakes will do the job. The payback on a small investment can be huge.”
The final tip requires business bosses to ensure that their employees understand that the accolade has been given in recognition of a specified action, according to Mr Ferguson.
He said: “Just giving a treat without a link means staff won’t necessarily recognise the praise or feel motivated by it. Timely praise produces powerful results, and if you do it right it really can be simple.”
Adviser view
William Annison, employee benefits consultant at Derbyshire-based HWWA Consulting, said: “I think employers should make it clear to their employees that they expect them to have a degree of self-motivation. Incentivising staff members is important nonetheless. Some bosses prefer to acknowledge colleagues by giving them a cash reward or throwing an awards ceremony, but this method will not work for everyone.
“I think employers should concentrate on their working relationships with their employees instead of offering big rewards. If workers feel valued, they would naturally make an extra effort and work harder.
“The best working environment that I have worked in is where the boss treats you as a colleague rather than just another worker – akin to a teacher/pupil dynamic.
“The best managers I have worked under challenged what I did, but would do so in a decent and fair manner. They would highlight the good things while flagging up areas in which I could improve.”
