Want to Boost Staff Motivation?

Then management must display these 4 critical behaviours

In a recent study carried out in the US and reported in the May 2007 edition of the Harvard Business Review, the following 4 managerial behaviours were identified as being critical in terms of staff motivation.

1. Provide direct help

Not only does this involve ensuring staff know what to do and are trained to do it (which is sadly an area where too many companies fall short) it also means the manager rolling his or her sleeves up when the going gets tough and leading by example.

Never expect your staff to do tasks that you are not prepared to do. This does not mean you are doing their job, it simply means they know their work is not ‘beneath’ you.
The opposite of providing direct help is when staff view their manger as being a hindrance. As Peter Drucker the famous management strategist once said ‘So much of what we call management consists of making it difficult for people to do work.’ When people are blocked from doing good, constructive work they form negative impressions of the organisation, their co-workers, managers, their work and themselves. Enabling people to move forward in their work by removing all hindrances is a key management function. Hindrances include bureaucracy, out-dated work practices, conflict, disruptive employees and in some cases management themselves, particularly those prone to excessive micro-management.

2. Provide adequate resources to get the job done

If staff feel they are insufficiently trained or do not have the resources to do their jobs, then naturally they will be de-motivated. The thinking being that if management have not ensured that I’m trained to do the job at least adequately, or I don’t have the materials or equipment necessary to get the job done, then the message that is communicated is that my work must be of little value in the bigger scheme of things and furthermore they don’t value me.
Time of course is also a resource. Some time pressure and deadlines are useful, they provide focus and get the adrenaline going, but constant time pressures also represent under-resourcing and is a de-motivating factor.

3. React to successes and failures with a learning orientation

Recognising what individuals and the organisation as a whole are doing well, embeds learning and cements positive behaviour. When setbacks occur and they will occur as a natural part of business life, seeking scapegoats and ways to place the blame elsewhere are counterproductive in terms of staff motivation. Yes, mistakes will happen, but if you are looking to maintain or boost staff motivation at this challenging time, then park the culture of blame and focus on what can be learned from the situation.

4. Set clear goals and direction

From the research carried out, setting clear goals and direction was the biggest factor in determining staff motivation and productivity. All staff seek certainty in their roles. Knowing what is expected and knowing how to do your job well, are the biggest external sources of confidence in the workplace. Everyone likes to feel confident about what they are doing. Without clear direction and understanding, how daily tasks contribute to the overall direction and purpose of the company, staff will feel that their efforts are futile, that what they do or don’t do has no impact, that they don’t make a difference.

Some managers, particularly those of the David Brent (The Office) school of management think their most important tasks are giving people daily pats on the back, or attempting to inject light-hearted fun into the workplace. Praise without real progress or effort towards progress arouses cynicism. Of course good work progress without praise or recognition, or criticism over trivial matters engenders anger and frustration in staff.

So often behaviour that would be intolerable outside work is accepted in the work environment. But treat staff decently, respecting them as human beings and you are on the right track. By ensuring staff feel they are able to make progress in their work, that there is a sense of moving forward, then you are creating an environment that fosters and supports a motivated workforce.

(Article based on research carried out in the US by Teresa Amaile and Steven Kramer reported in their article in HBR May 07 Inner work life – understanding the subtext of Business Performance.)

 

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