Motivating Today's Employees. Lin Grensing-Pophal

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      “There’s a huge gap between what managers think employees want and what they really want,” says a credit union executive. “It seems as though the employees we hire these days aren’t looking for security in long-term careers, whereas the managers have already decided this is the path they want to take. They don’t understand that everybody doesn’t think the same way. I’ve been here for 22 years and I can’t imagine working anywhere else, so for me it’s hard to understand how a young person coming in doesn’t see it in a long-term perspective.”

      The differences in the way you rank different aspects of employment may surprise you. Don’t assume you know what your employees want. They may not be like you — in fact, they probably aren’t like you. Take the time to discover what your employees really want.

      How can you determine what motivates your employees?

      1) Ask them. Go to each of your employees and ask them what things they like most (and least) about their jobs. Ask them specifically, “What are some of the things that the company does to increase your self-esteem?” “What are some of the things that the company does to decrease your self-esteem?” Their answers will give you the starting point you need to develop some effective ways of motivating them.

      2) Find out what your employees do in their spare time — both at work and at home. Observe them during break periods and lunch hours. Do they spend their time relaxing? Socializing? Reading? Working?

      3) Consider past experiences. To what has the employee responded favorably in the past? What type of projects or assignments really create a high level of productivity? What types of assignments create apathy?

      It seems so easy, yet far too many managers and small-business owners fail to take this very important step. Don’t make the mistake of transferring your own likes, dislikes, and desires to employees. The simplest way to find out what motivates your employees is to talk to them. Another way is to observe them. Knowing the interests of your employees when they are away from work is as helpful as knowing their interests on the job.

      Putting It All Together

      Once you’ve listened to your employees comments and observed their actions, how can you put this new information into motivational practice?

      First consider the maintainers: pay and benefits. You need to make sure that your pay and benefits package is equitable internally and competitive externally. These basics do matter. But today, companies also need to look beyond the basics at some less typical considerations, like non-traditional benefits. Do you have flextime? Do you have pto (paid time off) days, rather than the traditional vacation days? Is your technology up to date? Even things like whether employees’ office furniture is in good shape, or how clean the breakroom and restrooms are can make a difference.

      Next, consider how well you keep employees informed and involved. Today’s employees have a hunger to learn and to grow. They want to be involved — and they have a lot to offer.

      Front-line managers have a critical impact on employee relations in any organization. Managers are the first point of contact for employees and have a very strong influence on employees’ job satisfaction, morale, and motivation. Management can impact employees at many stages in the employee life cycle and in many ways. Managers are responsible for a great many tasks and topics, including hiring, conveying job requirements, communicating, training, and redirecting, or, in some cases, reprimanding employees. These issues will be discussed in detail in later chapters.

      Organizations can’t afford to ignore employee relations issues that can have a negative impact on recruitment, retention, and motivation. Have a look at Sample 2 to help you determine whether your company is in danger of losing unmotivated, yet important, staff.

       Sample 2: Retention Risk Assessment