You may be thinking, “systematizing employee motivation? How impersonal!” However, creating systems around employee motivation and recognition builds an environment and culture in which motivation, recognition, and stability are assured - rather than something given out in fits and starts.
How to systematize employee motivation
Employee motivation is vital right now. Inc Magazine found that motivated employees are 87% less likely to resign, while Gallup found that only 15% of employees worldwide feel motivated. Instead of tackling this issue with gut feelings and temporary solutions, now is the time to take on employee motivation.
While we have discussed systematization generally in previous articles, this article specifically drills down and addresses your employee recognition and motivational system.
Here is how to get started with the consistent systematization of employee motivation:
Determine your resources
Not every company has a vast budget to hand out bonuses for a job well done. You may need to be judicial with monetary recognition. Or you may need to tie motivational compensation to a specific income goal.
Determining your resources before setting up a system will help you distribute recognition fairly and equitably.
Decide how recognition will occur
Set up levels of recognition. Here is an example:
- Sending a personalized message when a small task is completed on time.
- Sharing when an employee goes above and beyond with the whole crew. This may include working late to get something done - or getting something done early even if no overtime was needed. Providing high-quality, swift work is often overlooked and should be acknowledged.
- Authorizing “spot bonuses” for a job well done. These “spot bonuses” are becoming more popular in larger companies, allowing a lead or a peer to award a gift card to another employee after they have gone above and beyond. This is often used in place of “let me take you out to lunch” in our current remote world.
- Tying a significant bonus with goal accomplishment. For example, giving a 10% bonus to any salesperson who passes the quota for the week or providing a $100 production bonus for the first team to reach a production goal.
- Authorizing company-wide bonuses when a significant goal is met. For example, if the company doubles profits in 2022, all team members will get a $1000 bonus.
Set up a predictable employee review/raise schedule
Providing predictable and actionable reviews and raises will both support employee improvement over the long term and help them plan. If an employee knows they will get a raise if they do a, b, and c, they are more likely to do those actions, thereby benefitting the company.
A predictable review and payroll increase schedule has the added benefit of making finances more predictable for your accounting team and for you, as well.
Set up a system for goal sharing
The new year is perfectly situated for goal sharing. Talk with employees about your goals for the company, and ask them about what they’d like to accomplish.
As part of this, you can set up systems for accomplishing these goals - and for celebrating achievement throughout the year. Create mini-goals that show what your team has accomplished as you progress toward completing larger goals. That way your team can see the progression throughout the year.
The process consultants at Business Success Consulting Group are ready to work with you to create processes and procedures around every aspect of your business - including motivating employees. Get in touch today.
