Motivating and Encouraging Associates

1. Motivation Motivating and Encouraging Associates

2. Module Overview Purpose This course is designed to assist you; • Better understanding what associate motivation • Know how motivating and encouraging associates can go a long way in fostering job satisfaction, commitment and loyalty to the organisation • Understand how to motivate your teams so as to emerge with happier, stronger teams

3. Objectives At the end of this module, you will be able to: • Understand what motivating and encouraging associates is really all about • Identify the various ways managers can motivate and encourage associates • Understand the significance of motivating associates for the betterment of the organisation and yourself ´

4. What is Motivation? • Motivation is literally the desire to do things. • It is the reason for people’s actions, desires and needs and it is also that which causes a person to want to repeat a behaviour. • Motivation is the intrinsic enthusiasm your associates have about their work. • It is also their drive to accomplish activities that are related to their work. • Motivation is that internal drive that causes an individual to decide to take action on a task, a problem, or a challenge.

5. What great managers do to motivate associates • The reality is that associates are motivated! • A manager's challenge is figuring out how to tap into that motivation to accomplish work goals. Fortunately, the manager controls the key environmental factors necessary to motivate associates. • The most significant factor, that the manager controls, is his or her relationship with each associate. • The second most important factor in a manager's ability to motivate associates is creating a work environment and organizational culture that fosters associate motivation and engagement.

6. What great managers do to motivate associates • This work culture consists of an environment in which associates are trusted, treated like the adults they are, and not micromanaged. • Associates are entrusted with the values, vision, mission, and strategic framework within which they are expected to accomplish their jobs. • They receive frequent communication, are treated with respect and civility, and have input to every facet of the work they are hired to produce. • They are encouraged to speak up about what they believe when participating in solving a problem for their customer.

7. What great managers do to motivate associates • They are further trusted by the organization with the most significant and critical financial information so they are not blindsided by business problems. • These are factors that help produce a work environment in which associates will choose motivation to accomplish the requirements of their work. • Nothing is more powerful than a group of contributing, motivated employees. Trust this. • Happy associates are productive associates. But how do you motivate a group of associates to work hard and help your business grow?

8. What great managers do to motivate associates • Luckily, motivating your associates doesn’t take a lot of flare or even a lot of resources. • In fact, it could require you to just schedule a few minutes on your schedule to say “hi.” • As a small business owner, you need to maximize revenue and increase productivity, which means you need your staff to work as efficiently as possible.

9. Top ways to motivate your associates • Management matters most in motivation • You can make their day • It's all about the managers • Leadership inspires motivation • Respecting your associates at work ´ • Show appreciation • Communicate better • Be an example • Empower them • Offer opportunities for advancement • Provide incentives

10. Management matters • Motivation is the most powerful emotion that associates bring to work each day. • The manager's commitment to motivating associates through shared vision and communication is the fundamental skill that great managers bring to the workplace. • Associates in management roles can learn to inspire and motivate other associates. • Here is why the skill and wisdom of managers matters most in employee motivation. ´

11. You can make their day • As their manager, you can make their day or break their day. Your choice. No kidding. • The manager is the most powerful factor in motivating associates. • As a manager, your impact on associate motivation, by how you motivate associates, is immeasurable.

12. It’s all about the manager...DUH! • The keys to financial success and a profitable business are not always the strategies of management or the systems in place. • The character and skill of individual managers, who practice what they preach and recognizethe manager's role in coaching and to motivate associates are what count. • The manager can still operate a profitable business when his or her associates are motivated to contribute - likely even more so.

13. Leadership inspires motivation • During times of change, no actions are more powerful than when managers make the time to communicate and build relationships with their associates. • When managers share the vision, optimism, and purpose-driven goals, how to motivate associates and gain their commitment becomes easy. • Your leadership relationship with them is your most significant tool.

14. Respect your associates • Associates want respect from their manager. • In fact, treating associates with dignity and respect tops the list of factors that enable managers to motivate their teams. • The relationship between an associate and his or her manager is a key factor in motivation, engagement, and retention. • You can therefore motivate associates by treating them with respect.

15. Show appreciation • ´If you tell your associates that you value them and their contribution, you are on the right path to motivating them. • Associates appreciate your positive recognition in any form. In fact, make sure that the majority of your interactions with associates are positive and appreciative. • Then, when you need to suggest improvement or correct performance or behavior, you do so in an environment of openness and acceptance. That way, the associate is more likely to change, and you achieve your goal to motivate associates.

16. Communicate better • If you’re nothing more than a face on a newsletter or a name on an email, what motivation will your associates have to meet your goals? • The importance of associate communication is often overlooked. You should communicate with them frequently, and actually speak with them face-to-face. • Your associates need to know they are valued, and communicating in person with them is the best way to show your appreciation for their hard work.

17. Be an example • You can’t expect your associates to work hard or behave the way you want them to if you don’t lead by example. • If you show your excitement about the company’s goals, your associates will get on-board and work to achieve those goals. • Good moods are always infectious — especially in the workplace.

18. Empower them • Give your associates more of a say in how they do their job. Ask for their input and get suggestions on how they can improve their performance. • Most associates have ideas about how they can be more efficient, but they may not share them with you unless you specifically ask them. • Use regular team reviews to discuss these improvements, but don’t just ask. If you really want to empower and motivate your associates, you need to take their advice and implement it. • You should also give them the authority to make their own decisions, such as providing service for a client up to a certain point without needing to get prior approval.

19. Offer opportunities for advancement • Your associates are more motivated when they know they’re working towards something. If they think there’s no opportunity for advancement, they don’t have much to work for. • Nobody wants to work a dead-end job. Motivate them by offering training that gives them the skills they need to climb their career ladder. • Grooming young associates to move on to better opportunities is valuable to you as well because it enables you to build your company’s reputation as a great place to work.

20. Provide incentives • Incentives are always motivation boosters — and they don’t have to be expensive. • You can offer incentives like an extra day off, gift cards, tickets to the movies, or other low-cost ways to show your appreciation. • Of course, cash rewards are always good incentives as well.

21. ´‘Motivation plays a key role in keeping your best associates. If you don’t consistently motivate them, you’re sure to experience a higher amount of turnover. ’ Margaret Jacoby