Contributed article in our career series. Enjoy! – Kimberly
During the normal life of a company various problems appear, and as the going gets tough it is vital that employees remain motivated. The problem is that motivating a firm’s employees is a lot more difficult than many believe. You cannot simply offer some money and expect great results. Also, there is a huge possibility that you do not have the cash for bonuses since motivation problems usually appear when funds are low.
The good news is that there are always ways to motivate staff members when tough times appear. Monetary Library blog offer some advice that you can take into account and that will help you increase effectiveness.
(Image Ref: Illustration by Frits Ahlefeldt-Laurvig, HikingArtist.com)
Stress Management
It is important that staff members are not stressed. You have to realize that every single person out there handles stress differently, and although doing nice things for your staff is usually effective, you need to first realize what a “nice thing” is. You should always consider stress levels, and as a manager a one-on-one approach is always something that is recommended. Arrange informal talks with employees so that you see what an individual needs to remain focused on the job that has to be done.
Frequent Assurances
Always be completely honest with your staff and let them know that your door will always remain open. This is quite important because of the fact that managers that appear to be evasive, or that promise things that cannot be delivered, will only make the situation a lot more stressful. If there are some things that you simply cannot discuss, be honest about it.
You have to recognize and praise the hard work that is done. That is not at all difficult to do. Even emails that include appreciative notes can do wonders. Make sure that you encourage the other employees to do the same. Recognition events can be organized in order to honor accomplishments at banquets, company picnics or even lunches.
Understanding Individual Career Goals
Each staff member will have career goals and you cannot dismiss them. It is your responsibility to help your employees to fulfill them. Sit down with staff members and simply find out what they really want from the company or from the job that they have at the moment. When an employee wants extra responsibility, or when work in different departments is something that they desire, possibilities must be investigated and options should be made available. A clear career path should be presented. When a degree is required, make sure that you talk to your employee about what you can do to offer scholarships or tuition assistance.
Moving Staff Members
If an employee is dissatisfied, you may want to move him or her to a new position. In many situations the discontent appears because of not enjoying the work content or problems with colleagues. Talk about different ways in which you can improve their work experience. If necessary, talk about the possibility of moving an employee to a different work area, a different company or a different department.
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