by CRP

Created on: March 12, 2007   Last Updated: May 05, 2007

The first step in motivating your employees is getting to know them. Learn all you can about their personalities, interests, and strengths. By getting to know them, you can better design your motivational strategies to fit their own individual needs. Also, this allows them to get to know you as well through the "getting to know you" conversations. This also promotes a more family type atmosphere in the work place.

Once you have had a chance to get to know them, the next step is to challenge them with their work. Their work has to be personally rewarding to them as individuals. If an individual is bored with their work, it will reflect in their motivation. Finding roles for them that match their personalities and strengths are keys in developing a personally rewarding and challenging work setting for an individual.

Next, appreciate your employees. You can show them you appreciate them by encouraging their input on decisions. This not only provides them with a sense of ownership and buy in, but will also generate more value to the decision making process through collaboration and different view points. Make sure you show them you value your input by following up on their input. Let them know if you incorporated their ideas, or if you didn't, why. Even if you didn't use their input, at least they will know you valued it by considering it.

Finally, help your employees grow as individuals. Everyone is motivated by recognition and reward for their hard work. Some prefer it publicly, others privately. Knowing their personality will help you decide which is best. In addition, recognition and rewards often may lead an employee to a higher role in the organization as well as lead to them earning more as individuals. Either way, an employee that grows will contribute more value to an organization as a whole.

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