If there exists any successful mantra
for extracting the desired output from employees, then it is 'motivation'. Yes,
motivation can do wonders for boosting the morale of your employees. A good
management team knows how to keep their employees motivated and encourage them
to perform better. Motivation is an adhesive that keeps the employees and
management together and increases their collective strength. Here are some motivational
techniques often implemented by HR and OD consultants, that will not only help
you to enhance the performance of your employees but will also strengthen their
relationship with you.
Communicating Your Expectations
It is a great idea to align your
organization's goals with personal goals of an employee. An employee must have
a clear understanding regarding what is exactly expected out of her. This will
eliminate ambiguities that might result due to miscommunication and the
employee will be able to direct her efforts only where they are required.
Understanding the Motivational Needs of Employees
While there is no doubt that every
employee needs motivation, the means of motivation may differ for each
employee. One employee may just need recognition for her work in form of words
while other employee may get motivated if you help her achieve work-life
balance. Nonetheless, all employees derive encouragement, if their efforts are
rewarded in some form.
Performance Incentives
Who doesn't like to be rewarded whenever
they accomplish something? Rewards or incentives are a great way to keep your
employees motivated and help them achieve bigger goals. However, it is
important to make sure that the employee should be intrinsically motivated;
meaning the sense of accomplishment must come from deep inside. The employee
must not be motivated to perform, just because there is a reward in the end.
Develop Mutual Trust
Mutual trust is of utmost importance
when it comes to motivating employees. Employees must never doubt your
intentions whenever you assign them a responsibility. They must feel assured
that when you assign a job to them, they are going to contribute to an
organization's development in some way.
Create a Common Ground for Everyone to
Perform
The employees will only feel motivated
whenever they are assured that their performance is being measured by a fair,
transparent system. To achieve this, it is important to identify core
competencies of every employee and create a ground to suit their respective
competencies. Although tedious, this is the best means to achieve a fair and transparent
system to monitor their performance and reward them.
Managers are often considered as a role
model for their employees. The employees tend to scrutinize their manager's
behavior and mimic it. Hence, it is imperative that the managers themselves
stay motivated and exhibit great leadership skills.
