Welcome to the 2nd'part of our top 10 management tips on how to motivate your workforce.
In the first part,'we looked at how management feedback, the working environment, keeping poor performing staff, leading by example and finding out what makes your staff tick, all play an intrinsic part in keeping your staff motivated.
In this 2nd'part, we will be sharing another five tips to get the very best out of your workforce.
Le's kick off with a great tip to keep your staff onside'
If your workforce values don't match those of the organisation, this could lead to a whole host of issues.' It's therefore vital to ensure that your staff understand what your brand stands for because they will be sharing these beliefs with colleagues and customers.
Find out how well your staff understand your company's philosophies and goals, from this create a document that sets out your core company values that encapsulates your business goals and what sets you apart from the competitive set.
And as important as it is to give your staff a better understanding of what the company are all about, try to get their input in to shaping the business and how they feel they can have an impact in years to come.
I've seen first hand at how imparting a little knowledge through one to one training can have a massive positive effect on the workforce.
It is only going to cost you a little time, which is a small price to pay for employee development.' See if you can identify a training need with some of your staff.' It will be a fantastic bonding opportunity if you can do so.
And don't neglect getting in specialised external trainers.' This can be essential, especially when you are installing a new CRM system or a piece of software where you will need your staff to be fully on board.' It will demonstrate that as a business, you are serious about their long-term development.
You'll often find that successful businesses will have schemes in place which offer time off as an incentive over earning a few extra pounds bonus.
Whether it's an early Friday finish, extended lunch breaks or even just a late start to a working day, time has always been a motivating factor.' Think about it, would you prefer an extra '50 or a Friday afternoon off to do your own thing?
If someone in your team has clinched that big sale or deal then make sure you thank them in front of their peers as soon as you can.' Don't put it off and'try not to commend them away from the rest of the team.
I've worked in many businesses where the management have never really grasped the importance of commending the staff.' And the excuse for not doing so has always been the same - that they figured the staff would know that the management were pleased with them.' This kind of telepathic management might work if you are master Yoda, but everyone else might need a little bit more transparency from their communication.
Simple tricks like including a picture of the staff member alongside their achievement in the company newsletter or an employee of the month award can all boost morale.' I created a 'Wall of Fame' in one office which included my staff's certificates, awards and letters of thanks.' This worked particularly well, creating healthy competition amongst the various departments.
If you feel your motivation efforts are not hitting the spot, it may not be your fault.' As with life's'drifters'people can just be in the wrong job and no amount of your motivation effort is going to get them to up their game.
Strong management is recognising this early and either moving that member of staff into a different role within the organisation, or encouraging them to pursue something new outside of the business altogether.
Hopefully you have found something useful in the ten tips that you could implement within your own workforce.' If you have a particular motivational tip that you find works particularly well in your organisation, we would love to hear your thoughts on our Linkedin page, which you can find'here.
