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When it comes to employees, those in the same work classification are usually all paid the same rate, yet have varying degrees of productivity. They are only required to do the tasks detailed on their job description, but some will go the extra mile - giving the company more bang for their payroll buck. A manager's job, therefore, is to make sure that their employee population is motiviated by more than just money. So, what's the best way to do this?

Part of my management philosophy uses the common bank account for a metaphor. If you deposit only a paycheque into your employee's bank account, you can only expect to withdrawl the minimum required performance from that employee. However, if you deposit more into the account, there will be more for you to withdraw - and I'm not talking about physical money.

Suppose you have an employee who takes the bus to work, and the bus only comes once an hour. Your employee ends up either having to be almost a full hour early for work - to be there on time - or 4 minutes late. Obviously, your employee would rather take the later bus - and not waste almost an hour of their time waiting for their shift to start, but the employer wants all staff to start their shift on time. If, as a manager, you arranged for the employee's shift to start 15 minutes later, that would be considered a deposit into the employee bank account.

Or, if you have a smoker on your staff, and you allow them to take five 6-minute breaks instead of two 15-minute breaks, that would be a deposit into the bank account. Or, if you have a staff member who likes to snack while she works, but company policy is that food must only be eaten in the designated areas - and you make an agreement that the employee can eat at their desk so long as the food is not spillable or sticky, so there is no risk of damage to the equipment - that's a deposit.

The more deposits you make, the more you can withdraw.

The other half of my management philosophy is basic. If treat your employees with respect, they will respect you. It is MUCH easier to manage a staff that likes their management than one who hates it. Likewise, if you, the manager - representing the company to the employee - treat the employees with unfairness, attitute, or distain, you can expect that they will quickly get disgruntled. A disgruntled staff will steal from the company, put out on the absolute minimum performance, and even try to sabotage the company or the management team.

The easiest way to have a good relationship with your staff is to understand one very simple fact: Managers and Executives are NOT better people than their staff. On a human scale, you are equal. The difference between the manager and their staff is the level of information. A manager has access to more information, and is therefor able to offer guidance more accurately and appropriately. The manager is a leader, but not a superior. If you understand and embrace the fact that the only thing that separates a manager/executive from their staff is their level of information, all of your actions will support this - and your staff will pick up on your attitude. And, I'm telling you, if you respect them, they will respect you - and that makes them a million times easier to work with, and a million times more productive - and that, my friend, is money in the company's pocket!

Learn more about this author, Merri Sharp.
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