Always tell them like it is. Give them clear, concise information on what the guidlelines are for and why we need them. Let them know they are doing a good job and always communicate in a timely manner to your teams any changes that will affect their role.
Non-monetary recognition can be very motivating, such as recognizing them at a company function or just a simple email saying they did a great job and it’s appreciated. It helps you build confidence and satisfaction in the job that you do.
Lead by example. Policies & Procedures are black & white and usually well known by employees. When managers themselves are in compliance daily, their way of professionalism is an easy act to follow.
The working environment makes a big difference. Keeping stress levels low while still having high expectations can make a big difference in motivating a team.
Sending emails to the staff, giving thank you notes or just simply saying thank you to the individual are all good ways that a manager can motivate employees. Too often this is forgotten even though it's necessary.
They can not engage in the "what-if's", the rule applies, if you have to look into the mirror to see if it fits, you SHOULD NOT wear it. Same thing goes here, if you have to think if it is appropriate, then side with caution! SAY NO
Great comments, Tearee! I appreciate you sharing your insights to good management techniques!
I've heard some say that happy employees equates to happy students. Great points, Jill.
Diana - Pride, passion and commitment are great traits to find in employees. The organizational culture can also foster and inspire such to motivate employees outside of monetary rewards.
Work with employees to embrace the value of what they do by the product produced. It just can't be effort based solely by the prospect of monetary rewards. It must be effort based upon pride, passion and commitment to our students. I remember a psychiatric facility that received incentives for finding young trouble youth. Thank goodness facts came to light and it was closed down. Same applies. We are here to put training professionals into the workplace.
Set a good example; focus on employee happiness rather than employee motivation; make sure employees share in the company sucess; create a culture of autonomy
Managers can motivate employees by several mechanisms. First, it is important for the manager to be a role model. In this capcity the manager can inspire others by portraying ideal qualities. Another motivator is praise. Employees need to hear that they are appreciated and when they are exceeding expectations. A simple act of kindness such as thank you, you are doing a great job, can bring a smile and inspire employees to work towards exceeding expectations. The most important motivator is being a great boss and creating a positive work environment.
Great information, Richard.
Linda - I couldn't agree more with the comment about prevention being worth a pound of cure!
Good suggestion, Jon, to get feedback from employees about what motivates them. I also like the comment about celebrating successes as a team. I have seen some schools use the team concept across departments to show that multiple departments impact such sucess.
Great suggestions, Emily!
I completely agree on helping staff feel the strength of team commaradarie. It's an important motivational tool to provide every employee with the idea that they are supported by everyone. They are not alone in anything that occurs and we are all here to work together toward a common goal... student satisfaction.
By appealing to an individual's sense of community service and being able to achieve personal satisfaction and selffulfilment upon helping one's fellow man, a student. Employees like these type of people will be best suited for recruitment functions of an educational institution.
Focus on career growth, development, and increased responsibilities for your employees. Have a team approach focused on being student-centered.
Gather input from each individual employee about what motivates them beyond monetary compensation. Look for ways to individualize success plans as much as possible, but then celebrate successes as a team.
