Yes, we all like to be paid, but money is not among the three most important reason why we work. According to Andy Mulholland, "Good HR is a cultivator of good working attitude. Good working attitude is a cultivator of good leadership. I think we have to change this idea that somehow, we're not responsible for HR. HR 'does all the awkward bits' and we have to remember that it does certain processes, many of them legal, so we need that skill, but it doesn't take away the primary need for you to be the human manager."
Andy Mulholland further, shares his insights as to what motivattes engineers where he works; those three things are:
- Give Me Interesting Work
- Expand my skill set
- Recognize me (the most critical)
1. How To Give Them Interesting Work!
Every individual is different. What works well to keep one interested, might not work on the next. You may have to try some new tactics, but learning how to respond to an individual person instead of treating people all the same will yield the best results. As a leader, it is important to be yourself and be adaptable!
2. Expand My Skill Set!
According to a recent study of 3,000 American companies by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, investment in development and human capital pushes productivity up 8.5%. Businesses that invest in training and expanding the skill of their workforce not only avoid costly mistakes, but reach better goals, improve profitability and efficiency, and have a leg up on employee retention versus the ones that don’t(Billikopf, 2001). These businesses take the time to communicate frequently to employees about the importance of expanding their skills and learning, and about how development is important to the organization.
In order to expand and employee skill sets, one must identify the employees’ current skills, determine the skills needed, provide training to expand those skills, and coach to assure the new skills are incorporated in the work!
3. Recongnize Me!
According to Andy, "value me for what I can do, and how I can work. Overpaying someone to make them stay longer, won't work in the end! One of the best ways to motivate staff is to show appreciation and express approval, thanks and recognition for a job done well. Motivated employees are happier ones, and as a result, more productive!
Additionally, 3 motivators that have a major impact on me are as follows:
- Learn How I Learn
- Give Me Feedback
- Show How I Fit Into The Big Picture
1. Learn How I Learn
Every individual has unique characteristics as to how he/she learns and communicates. It is very important for organizations to help employees understand their learning and communication styles. This understanding helps employees utilize ways of learning that are more appealing and impactful for their development. You can tell me HOW to do something a million times, once I DO it, I'll never forget!
2. Give Me Feedback
Nothing is worse, than hearing you're not doing something correctly after MONTHS of doing it that way! Basically, feedback mechanisms are an intricate part of human systems; they are something we use daily to live our lives as best possible. Feedback is extremely important to me in the workplace, whether I am managing or a worker bee!
3. Show How I Fit Into The Big Picture
It is important for me to understand how the goals that I accomplish from day to day, contribute to the overall success of the company. If the company has a list of core values, I like to understand what they mean and how they relate back to my products and goals.
References:
Billikopf, Gregory Encina. Labor Management in AG: Cultivating Personnel Productivity. University of California, 2001.
No comments:
Post a Comment