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As much effort ought to be put into motivating employees as producing perfect product. In fact the two are linked. Employees lacking motivation will not give 100% to the process of production or any other function within the company. They will always have one eye on the classified ads hoping to find a better job. Demotivated staff upset customers,impair service levels and take more days off sick. So what do you have to do to ensure you have a happy, motivated workforce?

Before you begin, analyse the existing situation within your company. Try and assess the current motivation level. This can be done by a mix of observation and an analysis of qualitative data. If your office or work environment has a buzz about it, everyone knows what they ought to be doing and are doing it with commitment and enthusiasm, and there is a sense of satisfaction at the end of the day that the job has been done well, the chances are you do not have a problem. But if the opposite is true, if you have strife, lazy work habits, continual errors in work practice, lots of internal emailing going on that has nothing to do with the job in hand, office gossip is rife, people are getting upset, then it looks like you have an endemic problem. Another indication is an increase in customer complaints, product rejects, or declining sales.

Secondly, use a spy you can trust to investigate the cause. There may be a single source of bother, such as a weak supervisor, or a problem colleague who is spreading malaise by his or her attitude. Or it may be a generic problem, such as poor work conditions, poor remuneration, or insufficient incentives. It is vital to understand the nature of the discontent. Do not automatically assume that throwing money at your staff will make them work harder. They may be happier for a short while, but underlying inefficiencies will soon resurface. If remuneration is a moot point, then research the sort of packages your competitors are offering. If you are falling short, this will be a good indication that you need to improve.

Thirdly, once you have made an impartial assessment of matters, then you can put together a plan to remedy the situation. The plan might be as straightforward as confronting a bothersome employee and giving them a warning. If the office environment is a problem, call a meeting to let people make suggestions for improvement. Letting employees have an input towards their own welfare is a good way of building up motivation. Announce short term bonus schemes, or employee of the month awards, as a way of instilling a good competitive spirit. The fact that you are showing an interest in your staff at all is a powerful motivating factor. Come up with ideas for group activities, day trips or charity events, that involve everyone in bonding exercises. Sponsoring a charity as a company might give your workers the added incentive they need to make their job seem more purposeful.

The worst thing you can do is pretend there is no problem, or that things will sort themselves out. A deteriorating work environment normally only has one way to go, and that is down even further. Either take charge of matters yourself (preferable in the early stages) or employ a popular, charismatic manager to do the job for you, but take action at all costs. Short term investment of resources and your time will reap rewards later.

Learn more about this author, Milton Johanides.
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