Motivation Secrets: Getting Beyond Pay Raises
Posted August 16th, 2010
It takes more than money to motivate employees. In fact. while money is important to employee morale — workers need to be paid fairly for the skills and talents they bring to your company — it’s not the most important motivator. Not by a long shot
In fact, the things that truly motivate people to do a good job at their place of employment pretty much have nothing to do with money at all. Instead, people want, in no particular order:
- the chance to learn new skills
- interesting work, with variety
- A culture where managers are open to feedback, positive or negative (the proverbial “open door”)
- Respect for the needs of their personal lives (“work-life balance” and possibly flexible work hours)
- Fairness at work
- Regular and proactive communication from management
- Leaders and managers who do what they say and say what they do
- Positive feedback and praise
- Requests for employee input and heeding that input where applicable
- The chance to be promoted
- Recognition and rewards for exceptional work
That said, here are some ideas as to how to motivate employees without increasing pay.
Don’t micro-manage. Trust your employees to do what needs to be done when it needs to be done in the manner it needs to be done. Delegate responsibility to those employees you feel are up to the task and then leave them be. Be available to them, of course, and set clear, identifiable deadlines and goals. Then step back and watch the magic happen!
Encourage and then encourage some more. If some employees doesn’t meet expectations, avoid criticizing. Instead, help find where the problem lies and help them find solutions to the challenges. If more training is needed, provide it.
Offer non-monetary incentives. An afternoon off at a local amusement for an entire department if goals are exceeded, for example. Lunch on the manager to an employee of the month. Extra paid days off. And so on.
Always, always, always show respect. Listen to what your employees tell you, even if it’s critical. If they have legitimate concerns, do your best to alleviate them or solve the problem of which they speak. Trust their judgment. You hired them, after all (you didn’t hire dolts, did you?).
Encourage a culture of openness, tolerance and respect among coworkers. Train your managers to be flexible in their interpersonal skills so that they’ll be able to get the best out of their individual employees.
Look to Bayside Solutions for help in sourcing motivated workers. As one of San Francisco’s premier staffing agencies, we know how to source and screen top employees for your firm. Contact us today; we look forward to serving you.
