5 Things that will motivate your team and won’t cost you a penny!

In the last email, I promised to share tips on how motivate your people.

Based on the latest research, and on what we have seen work first hand in our own businesses, here are the first 3 of BHP Consulting’s 5 top tips on what works to increase motivation – and you won’t need to break the bank to deliver them!

1. Praise and commendation from immediate Manager

   A simple thank you goes a long way, as does a direct line Manager noticing when someone does a good job and commenting positively on it.

   According to a global survey by McKinsey, 67% of employees said praise and commendation from their line Manager was ‘extremely’ or ‘very’ effective in increasing motivation. Indeed, this topped the list of motivators.

   Perhaps surprisingly doing significantly better than even a salary increase; which featured at number 5 on the list with only 52% of employees saying that was ‘extremely’ or ‘very’ effective in increasing motivation.

   Praise is particularly effective when it is done at the time the achievement happens, not later in an annual or bi-annual appraisal. Responding to good work at the time it gives it currency and people remember what it was that helped them do such a great job and want to replicate this again.

   2. Attention from Leaders

   It’s not just direct line Managers who can play their part. Even if someone is not in your immediate team, senior leaders commending people when they have done a good job and noticing when they go the extra mile pays dividends.

   The motivational effect of receiving attention from people further up the hierarchy was illustrated by this coming in at 2nd place on the list of motivators in McKinsey’s survey, with 63% of employees saying this was ‘extremely’ or ‘very’ effective in increasing motivation.

   Senior leaders who notice what others are doing well and offer positive feedback help employees feel part of the bigger picture and realise that what they do matters and is valued.

   It’s no surprise really. Most of us respond well to positive feedback, I know I do. But ask yourself, when was the last time you took the time out to tell someone not in your direct team what a great job they did and how much it was noticed and appreciated?

   3. The opportunity to take on new projects

   There are very few jobs in reality that are unrelentingly exciting every second of the day, and even the most challenging and inspiring jobs have elements of the routing. Even astronauts I’m told have to endure hours of tedium between the really interesting bits!

   For most employees their jobs will include routine and more mundane tasks that need doing but can sap motivation. Some jobs have more of these than others.

   So, it’s worth considering whether there are additional projects or tasks you can give people. This could be working on a new project, or existing projects that need new ideas. Plus, most people have aspects of their job that they could delegate if there was someone to delegate to.

   The mere fact someone is doing something new and outside of their usual role or routing can increase motivation, even if it’s a job not enjoyed by the person who usually does it. This is a win: win.

   By spending time putting a little thought into how some tasks can be allocated differently, you not only increase motivation, but also broaden and increase the skill levels and experience of your people, giving you a more valuable and versatile workforce. Which is why 62% of those surveyed by McKinsey said this was ‘extremely’ or ‘very’ effective in increasing motivation. Upskilling your Management team is also an important aspect of increasing motivation, why not find out how our Management Academycan be useful.

   In the next update, we’ll share 2 more tips on what you can do to motivate your teams without breaking the bank. But if you’ve been inspired to learn more about how we can help your business, then get in touch with Rachel by clicking here.