Top tips
On its anniversary, here are some tips for managers on motivation.
These tips stem from going beyond the all too common simplistic and naïve views - based on our own assumptions and biases of course – concerning the complex question of “why do people work”? Is it not only because “we have to” or “only for the money”?
Yes, rather than just these ‘extrinsic’ rewards, there are ‘intrinsic’ rewards, those difficult to quantity and understand reasons that management so frequently ignore or misjudge and mismanage.
These include the following tips within the context of creating a more open organisational culture with ‘5R’s:
• Rewards – create rewards systems so that they are not only transparent, clear and equitable, but are ‘seen to be fair’ by all
• Relative autonomy – allow this and develop greater trust, with avoidance of needless micro-management and bureaucratic controls
• Recognition – forge timely recognition and appreciation of achievement, this can be with appropriate facilities, support and understanding of work-life balance
• Resources – allocate funds and time for communications that are both timely and useful in their content and even participation that is meaningful and impactful in terms of feeding into decisions
• Respect – encourage understanding and respect with fairness in management and develop appropriate appeal processes with clear timelines by truly impartial – and so independent - bodies that were not involved in original actions and outcomes