MOTIVATION
What really motivates?
Finding the best ways to motivate staff can be a frustrating and bewildering experience for managers, supervisors and company owners. Employee Benefits magazine has published a special report on the motivational techniques that modern employers use to get the most from their staff.
To find out how leading organisations are responding to the formidable challenge of motivating their employees, the September 1999 issue of Employee Benefits brought together a distinguished panel of experts to discuss the latest thinking in the field. Their insights cover everything from incentive schemes to recognition programmes.
A recurring theme of the debate was the issue of flexibility: reward and recognition programmes have to be tailored to the needs of the individual employee, whilst recognising that different people are motivated by different things.
Another powerful message to emerge was that recognition was becoming "much more holistic". Nicki Demby of Arthur Andersen was in no doubt that "external recognition" can have a more positive and enduring impact on motivation. "If the reward recognises the impact on your family and not just you, it’s much more powerful. And that’s quite a new development — understanding there’s other types of recognition, not just from colleagues.
Although many employers still seem to rely on financial rewards to create higher levels of motivation and commitment, the stark reality is that cash is only one way of motivating employees. As Lynn Meade, head of HR at McDonald’s Restaurants, put it: "When it really comes down to it, it’s those other components of motivation — training, good working relationships, respect — those are probably what really makes people go the extra mile. They’re more important than specific financial reward. Those other things are nice to have — to reward people that go the extra mile — they are fun, high profile, but they don’t in themselves make people go the extra mile."
Furthermore, incentive schemes are not always a resounding success. Why? Because, too often, organisations fail to set out the objectives they are trying to achieve is the conclusion of Neal George, chair of the Voucher Association.
It is also the case that all too many organisations don’t measure the effectiveness of their incentives schemes. "You should be benchmarking using employee satisfaction surveys; staff retention is a useful measure; staff skills, attendance on training courses, participation in education programmes," says Nigel Cover, marketing director of the Grass Roots Group.
As well as the panel discussion, the 14-page motivation special also offers readers a 10-step guide to motivation strategy, starting with the vital first step of deciding on objectives.
Employee Benefits concludes with some practical tips on using non-financial rewards. As all enlightened managers know only too well, they can make a deeper and longer-lasting impact on motivation and commitment than more transitory financial rewards. Without doubt, they should play a major part in the development and implementation of your total reward strategies.
Title: "Motivation supplement", Employee Benefits, September 1999.
Price: £4.95
Availability: Centaur Publishing, tel: 020 7292 3719.
Want to know more? email: employee-benefits@centaur.co.uk