CEOs, directors and business owners are constantly faced with rapid technology changes, increased accountability, new issues and other numerous challenges.
Unfortunately, as they concentrate on keeping up with today's marketplace, efforts tend to leave staff exhausted. Before long, some organisations find a negative culture, with de-motivated employees proliferating across all levels.
So what can be done to get through this "de-motivated zone?" Employers can focus on re-culturing the beliefs and values that underlie their organisation. There's a need for a collaborative partnership between the people and the processes, a culture that constantly reinforces positive employee attitude, and a process that include a management initiative that will improve work performance of staff through motivation.
Along with managing organizational goals, two key challenges for managers are staff performance and skills development. Managers need results such as increases in profitability and productivity as well as decreases in internal conflicts and problems and attrition. In short, they need a competent and motivated workforce. Managers need to motivate the team effectively and be able to analyse perceptions of direct reports, document performance objectives and measures, profile staff appraisal skills, build competence, give informal feedback and implement best practices.
Here are some tips on how employers can create a mutual benefit for their business and their staff:
- Choose the Right Resource. It is not difficult to choose the right person once employers have identified through job analysis and job description what it is they want and how they want things done. Once they have chosen the person, the new hire immediately undergoes a briefing and training.
- Focus on Staff Skills. Managers should assign roles that best take advantage of staff skills and other strengths. When people use their strengths regularly they are self-motivated, energised, productive, and happy. If employees work in a team to put out a product or service, skills required should be identified to put out the product or service on time, with high quality and customer satisfaction.
- Develop and Train Staff. A well-designed human resource process should be in place to ensure that when organizations recruit the best employees, they hold on to them. The process includes a training and development plan that communicates how the organization values the staff skills and contributions. The plan also includes an employee performance appraisal to be done periodically and a performance improvement plan for those who do not meet the appraisal requirements. Staff development is an ongoing activity.
- Provide a Diversity and Work/Life Balance Program. This initiative includes any benefits, policies, or programs that help create a better balance between the demands of the job and life outside work.
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