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I subscribe quite heavily to the notion that motivation is a state of mind. Today is the most motivated i have felt in a long long time. Changing jobs and starting do a lot of things for myself again really does feel liberating. People often ask “how can I motivate my staff” I think there is a short is quite simple really. Treat them like a puppy.
Puppies need love and rewards, when they do something good you pat them on the back or give them a treat, when they make a mess of your carpet you pull that love away. When they scratch the door to be let out for the first time, you show them how proud you are so they do it again.
I’m not saying you should let your staff pee on the floor! I am however saying that be open and honest, set tangible goals and then based on these have a reward system. If a deadline is realistic and you tell your staff that if you finish a day early they get the afternoon off and the first drink is on you, then you will suddenly find work coming in a lot earlier. There is nothing wrong with a bribe!
If you start feeling like you are buying drinks all the time, this isn’t because your staff are giving you wild and scary estimates, it’s because they are trying that little bit harder. Tell people they are doing a good job when they do and don’t be scared to pull them to one side and tell them so. If you find yourself telling 90% they are doing a wonderful job then be open and talk to the 10% more.
It’s the ones who are struggling that need the most help and probably have the best ideas to help with change, they also probably respond most to bribes as they are the most negative. It’s amazing how negative people change with a pint in there hands.
In closing, talk more to your staff, find out what makes them tick and where you can offer it them, be open and tell them what financially would make a big enough difference to give it to them! If they want Friday afternoons off tell them how many thousand you need to earn a month more in order to do that, ask them if they know of ways they can be more efficient, try new things and reward when they come off!
