ON A BUDGET: Motivating your team, bolstering loyalty & elevating morale. – Bestowing recognition on your team. (Series: Part 4 of 5)
(Photo: Microsoft Clip Art)
Times are tough right now. Raises are not being doled out, salary’s are being cut, 401K’s are not being matched, people are losing their jobs…morale is low. Many managers may not be concerned if their remaining employees are unhappy; where do they think they are going to go in this economic environment? Don’t be short sighted; employees who are not happy are looking elsewhere and when the climate turns many will abandon ship. Now is the time to keep your employees exhilarated!
“So what can you do to motivate a team and create loyal employees when morale is low?”
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In this economy it’s imperative employers concentrate on non-monetary motivating factors by:
- Taking a genuine interest in people
- Keeping an open line of communication
- Helping people to understand the importance of their role
- Bestowing recognition on your team
- Cultivating career development plans
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4. Bestowing recognition on your team.
Expendable funds are minimal, but how do you recognize your team for a job well done? One of the best ways is to allow your employees a greater stake in the company. By offering your team options in the organization it generates a deeper interest in helping the company to succeed. The closer the ties, the more loyal they will be and the more desire they will have to look out for the best interest of the company.
A lesser option is to provide them with a gift they would not otherwise spend their own money to purchase. In better times companies had gift catalogs allowing the staff to pick from a selection of nice items. In today’s climate a more resonable token may be company logo merchandise. It allows the employee to boast his affiliation with a nice corporate logo while at a minimal cost to the company.
Let’s face it, people enjoy recognition, but the timing and context have to be right. Be sure to:
- Convey praise immediately with much encouragement
- Tie the recognition to the team goals and make it part of your repertoire
- Have recognition provided by an officer of the company, this is often times worth more than a material token
- Award people based on measurable goals
An award is good, but bragging rights are better!
Remote Note:
With a team of remote users it can be difficult to publicly recognize a job well done. A great vehicle for recognizing a team member is through a weekly newsletter. Create a short article touting the wonderful job they did and if you can get a customer testimonial it makes the achievement all the better. There is nothing like being able to show others your achievements right there in print.
Another great method is on your weekly team call where their colleagues can applaud them in person. It is always nice to have a quick pat on the back for a job well done.
What a terrific way to spark a friendly internal competition for your team members in order to vie for that top spot.
Awards and recognition generate loyalty and elevate morale.
-What forms of recognition do you use? Please leave a comment and let us know.
-How do you recognize an employee for a job well done? Please leave a comment and let us know.
~Check back daily for the additional series segments.~
