7 ways to motivate your staff members
If you want to motivate your staff members (SM), here you have 7 actions you should put into practice.
1. A SM belongs to a team
A SM is part of a team. Then, you have to see if he/she fits in this particular team. Much of demotivation arrives from a disconformity within a group, from the beginning. While in service, demotivation could come from conflict, lack of support or confidence, unfair practices, mobbing or whistleblowing. Watch these situations carefully in order to maintain the cohesion and strength of your team.
2. A SM should do what he’s specialized to do
A SM member has been engaged to do what he knows best and is specialized at. Verify that your staff member is doing his job, and not doing other things. Much of the demotivation arises from situations where SM performs (many) other activities, not theirs. Pay much attention to the job description at the very beginning and control every 3 months if it still matches the SM performances. In such misperception, you could probably give unconstructive criticism rather than positive feedback.
3. A SM has to be treated with respect
And respect means not to mistreat or harass a SM, by any reason. Don't consider him/she as a robot at your hands and service. Consists as well, to give them enough space to create and innovate. Empower them gradually with responsibility and challenges. It supposes also to treat them fairly and rightly, with equal treatment to all of them. The way you value and appreciate your SM, is directly proportional to the performance you’ll get from them.
4. Every SM has a personal Axial cycle of motivation
As a good leader, you should pay attention to the SM’s axial cycle of motivation. Every SM has got one and you should have a good understanding of its evolution in time, intervening at the different stages of the curve and timeline in order to avoid a definitive break point. Fig. 1 Axial Cycle of Motivation, from Carlos Jaico, The Power of Leadership (2017).
5. As much as you can, get close with your SM
And to get close means to be visible for them. For instance, pick up the phone and congratulate them for their birthday, share their lunch time, ask about their family needs, health or plans in future. Don’t economize your words when they are doing a great job and are successful. Don’t forget to give recognition for an excellent performance to the top SM, but in the end as well to the whole team.
6. SM must have a clear vision and mission
Lack of motivation comes from the absence of a clear vision. The absence of vision will lead to a lack of a SM’s mission. No surprise then if you see some of your SM loosing time or doing irrelevant and unproductive tasks. From time to time, to fix the vision and clarify the mission will help your SM to “synchronize their clocks” with the company’s vision.
7. Proud to be with you
A SM will be proud to be with you, if your credibility and ethics in your business field (as person or company) is high. Company’s success or acknowledgements have an immediate impact in SM confidence and loyalty. The motivation to get up in the morning and go to work will not be seen as such but, in the contrary, as a personal realization.