One of your employees doesn’t seem as content with his job as he used to. He is neither as upbeat nor as productive as he was. Public recognition of his job used to motivate him, but now it barely gets a smile.
People’s motivations change over time — what was a goal six months ago may be just a memory today. Supervisors must tailor their motivational feedback to the employee’s individual needs, says Gary S. Topchik, author of The Accidental Manager.
“Today, a team member may be focused on self-worth needs. Tomorrow, she can go out and buy a new house with a big mortgage. Then the need for job security and a higher salary becomes much more important,” Topchik notes.
Topchik also says supervisors should individualize their feedback and motivational strategies because employees are motivated by different things. “One team member may be motivated by public recognition, while another might be motivated by the one-to-one feedback that he gets from his manager.”
The following are some ways to help you change your motivators to fit with your employees’ needs:
- Find out what motivates each employee. Ask him what is most important to him about his job right now. If you would prefer a more indirect approach, observe his behavior and actions. Listen for clues when he talks with you. His concerns will be tied to his goals in some way. For example, if he repeatedly asks for feedback, you know recognition is a priority with him at the moment.
- Avoid making assumptions. Don’t assume you know what motivates a person before asking him or observing his behavior. Leave your values and assumptions out of your assessment.
- Reward, don’t punish, your best performers. “Many managers and organizations punish their best performers each day and usually don’t even know that they are doing it,” Topchik says. Many supervisors “reward” their employee’s good work with more work to do. This can alienate and depress even the most motivated employee.