Improve Motivation and Morale in your Organisation

What is motivation ?

It includes three common characteristics:

1. It is concerned with what activates human behaviour.
2. It involves what directs this behaviour toward a particular goal.
3. It addresses the question of how this behaviour is sustained (supported).

It is important to have a team that is motivated. It will lead to better productivity, lower levels of absenteeism and staff turnover, improve customer service.

The good news it is possible to improve the motivation and morale of your team. But how ?

What you can do as a manager is set up incentives that give people the opportunity to achieve things that they want through their work. This will be different for each member of the team. A good manager will develop good relationships with their staff and understand what does make them ‘tick’, what they do want and support them in working out how they could achieve it.

Following some research undertaken by Frederick Hertzberg, he suggested that there are a number of key motivators for people at work. The following is a list of these motivators with some suggestions on how you can support them.

Achievement – Set realistic goals. Help them break big tasks in to smaller mini tasks, so completing each is an achievement.

Security – Let people know you value them. Pass on what information you can about any organisational changes.

Recognition – Give praise 1:1 and in team meetings and other group situations. Publish key achievements on notice boards, by email etc as appropriate.

Company policy and administration – Feedback staff views on these to senior managers.

Personal growth – Support the achievement of personal objectives where they fit with team and organisational ones – EG – support or show interest in personal activity they’re doing if possible, provide opportunities to mentor if appropriate.

Personal life – Recognise it’s important, make allowances when necessary. Try to understand the personal ambitions and desires of the people who work with you.

Relationship with subordinates, peers and supervisor – Create a climate of mutual trust, respect and confidence within your team – “treat them greatly and they will show themselves great”

Work itself – Support staff in varying the work they are doing to maintain interest and challenge. Find out where their interest lies and support them in pursuing it where possible. Do not insist that people should “do it as you would do it”.

Responsibility – Wherever possible, broaden the scope of people’s responsibilities. Empower them and support them

Work conditions – Small things can make a difference. Different furniture, plants, drinks facilities, breaks, posters and prints, dress code, heating and air con. Supporting an environment where people feel they can talk. Create an atmosphere in which people believe that you are fair, just and looking after their interests as well as your own and those of the business.

Status – Recognize and publicise high performance. Help people to see how their work fits in with what the business is trying to achieve.

Advancement/Promotion – In 1:1’s and performance review meetings ask them where they’re going, and support them in considering what they want to do, and what the short-term steps towards it are. Communicate high performance to senior managers, to enhance chances of promotion.

Salary – Champion high performers, coach staff in deciding direction and taking steps.