Top Tips for Achieving Motivation
by Fiona Lander
With the rise in motivation training across the UK coupled with survey results that place attitude and motivation as the top personal development need, it seems that there are many people out there who could do with a boost of morale and encouragement, in what has been a long and tough recession. Recruitment is an industry that has definitely felt the effects, with consultants working twice as hard for business, just to survive. So how can you make sure that your team remains motivated, efficient and eager to work, even when times are hard? We asked some of our specialist trainers for their top tips.
Helen Harvey recommends making the working environment a more pleasant one and concentrating on making the workplace somewhere that people want to be. "Send the team weekly update emails on successes and publicly thank, acknowledge and praise people for a job well done. These things may sound small but they can have a big impact. In the same way, make sure your team feels valued - ask people for their input and give them your time, it doesn't cost anything! It's also important to make an effort when it comes to matters that aren't work related - sending birthday cards, organizing team outings and taking an interest in people's lives outside of work can help both retention and team motivation."
Angela Cripps agrees that praise is important. "Give recognition loudly!" she advises. "Make sure everyone knows when someone's done a good job, but especially make sure that the right person gets the recognition. And celebrate the minor victories as well as the major ones. It's also important that if you ask someone to do something, you follow it up. There's nothing more de-motivating than being asked to produce a piece of work or achieve a certain target, only for no-one to notice that it's been done. All that goes through that person's head is 'What was the point? I won't do that again'. Remember, it helps you too, as people do what you inspect...not what you expect!"
Toby Buckle takes an alternative approach and says that it's necessary to re-assess how you motivate yourself. He comments "There are two forms of motivation. One is getting away from the negative and the other is looking towards the positive. The key is finding out which works better for you. For example are you motivated by the fact working harder may help you keep your job or by the fact that you want to a promotion? If one isn't working, look to the other."
Alan Clark agrees that it's important for the individual to take some responsibility for their own motivation. "Don't rely on managers to motivate you - it must come from within. Think to yourself; 'What gets me out of bed in the morning?' What is your aim? Many recruiters say to me that the money is what's important to them, but it's what they do with it that is their motivation - buying that new watch or new car." He also mentions the importance of recognition, "If you're a manager, give plenty of encouragement and praise. Don't practice 'seagull management' - swooping in only when times are bad and then disappearing again. It's also important not to rely too heavily on incentives as they can in fact de-motivate people. I've had recruiters tell me that they don't feel motivated as their incentive was not something they were interested in. Find out what individuals on your team are driven by and aim to address their needs one by one."
What people fear most is the unknown, so it's crucial to encourage open and clear communication and keep everyone in your organization up to date with what is happening, then they feel reassured that the business is being managed well. Mentoring and buddy schemes can also be great ways for employees to share knowledge and experiences and feel valued and supported. It is vital to engage people by keeping them involved and inviting their ideas - and acting on them.
Don't forget to invest in your people, especially when it comes to training - if they don't have the skills they need to succeed in their role, their motivation levels will remain low. Finally, even when times are hard, lead by example; try to maintain an upbeat attitude - keeping morale high is one of the 'vital signs' of a healthy organization.
About the Author
Fiona Lander is Managing Director of Lander Associates, the international training and performance development specialists to the professional recruitment sector.
Fiona Lander is also a contributor to UK Recruiter Plus. You can use your free trial to view up to three articles on the site including those Fiona has provided for us including; Candidate Strategies for the downturn and Presentation Skills
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