Top 9 Ways to Improve Employee Morale and Motivation

In many organizations people are working longer hours and doing more jobs because downsizing has reduced human resources to a minimum, yet workload has not decreased. In most cases the intensity and pressures of the job are on the rise. People are working longer and harder to make up for the ones that are. A key issue is "How do we motivate employees after the downsizing?" Managers need to understand:

1) Basic concepts of motivation and human behavior
2) Why people do what they do and;
3) What can be done to improve the motivational climate within their organization.

Here are the top nine techniques you can use immediately to improve productivity and morale in your organization, because you will have better satisfied employees:

1. List jobs being performed in your area of responsibility.
2. List employees in your area of responsibility.
3. Match the jobs with employees wherever practical or possible.
4. Define and list expectations for each person who reports to you.
5. Communicate these expectations to each one in a nonthreatening manner. Make this a positive encounter as you spend time with each employee.
6. Ask each worker what "hassles" prevent him or her from reaching peak performance. Eliminate as many "hassles" as possible.
7. Identify ways to recognize each person in your area of responsibility.
8. Make it a point to provide individual attention to each person who reports to you every day. Even with the distance work place it can be done electronically, but of course personal is more effective. If you are in the same building make opportunities for face to face conversations.
9. Feedback, feedback and more feedback. Constantly seek ways to provide feedback to your employees frequently and in small doses.

Before this week is over, personally, say thank you to every person who works for you. You may be saying this won't work. Give it a try. If approached sincerely, it will result in improved performance and genuinely motivated employees. Simply saying "Thank You" will improve productivity.

Remember, worker motivation involves more than the job and more than the paycheck. It involves day-to-day concern and sincerity on the supervisor's part. There is no magic to improving the motivational climate. It is simply a matter of hard work and paying attention to details. Using these nine steps can help you improve productivity in your business, whatever your business happens to be.

Davis M. Woodruff, PE, CMC

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