In today's ever changing economic cli- mate, employers need to understand what motivates employees. Research suggests that the new generation of workers want a job that affords them more of a work/life balance, and that as an employee's income increases, money often becomes less of a motivator.
Interesting and challenging work often trumps money as a motivator when it comes to job longevity.
Don't get me
wrong, money is still a high motivator, but as downsizing is on the rise and pay freezes become more of the norm, finding ways to motivate employees is essential in order to remain competitive in the mar- ketplace.
There is significant economic impact with an organization losing any of its critical employees, especially since that employ- ee has the knowledge used to meet the expectations of your customers.
As the owner of a business for almost 20 years, I had to think of ways to motivate our team while keeping budgetary con-
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straints in mind. One idea that worked well was offering our employees a cafete- ria-style benefits program. Three health care plans were chosen and employees could pick the one that met their needs. As another motivator, an additional week of vacation without pay was offered, and several employees took advantage.
Flexibility is a great way to engage employees, too, and in my company we had people who could work from home offices when necessary. Since these employees were not taking sick days, they were able to use that time for a vacation or anything else that afforded them a bet- ter work/life balance.
The benefit to the employer is that you do not suddenly have a lack of staff with last minute sick calls, and knowing when employees will be out helps managers to schedule appropriately, ensuring cus- tomer service. Policies that give employ- ees some discretion over when they can arrive at and leave work make it easier for them to adapt their work schedules to the demands of their personal lives.
Often, employers do not realize that sim- ply acknowledging a job well done can act as another powerful motivator to team members. Being in a service industry, we started a program where service rewards were given when clients took the time to commend one of our employees. Simple gift cards to restaurants can make some- one feel special and appreciated.
Providing opportunities for high quality training and development is another great idea, as encouraging employ- ees to study for professional qualifications can motivate. It also tells them that you want them to stay with your organ- ization.
Encouraging employees to attend industry related work- shops and events could even be done as a group activity. After hours industry spon- sored events can be fun, and networking can create learn- ing experiences for your employees, too.
Linda Davis is President of Recognizing Potential, LLC. For more information contact
lrd5694@gmail.com
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