Business Management Skills

Giving Employee Performance A Boost

We have all experienced being singled out because of a mistake or a misdeed many times throughout lives. But rarely do we get noticed for doing something good. Even if we’re all grown up and working, this trend is still widely experienced. In fact, this is a common resentment in the corporate world. Sure, every employee undergoes employee training, but it is inevitable that most still commit mistakes. Sadly, when evaluation time comes, all the good work done are almost always overshadowed by poor employee performance.
Employee rights dictate that there should be provisions for coaching or training employees. However, this is an additional expense for the employer and another dent in the company’s finances. This is not a problem for big multinationals, but for the average company, this is a big issue. The common stance on coaching is that it’s only necessary for poor performing employees. However, Mary Massad, a human resources expert, begs to differ. According to Massad, coaching and training are essential for every member of the company or organization. It is observed that singling out an employee for mistakes leads to even poorer performance because of sagging morale. From the lowest-paid to the highest-paid employee, each must undergo training to boost the company’s morale and performance.
Massad asserts that training employees doesn’t have to be budget and time-consuming enterprise. Training is simply a means to get employees back on track. After all, they are qualified for their jobs. She asserts that setting examples and giving incentives are great for pushing employees subtly. For example, lateness is proven to be cause of low productivity. Improving employee scheduling by making shifts is a solution. An employer, setting an example of coming in early, will inspire his employees to do the same. Training does not have to be a full-fledged seminar. It may be as simple as a conference or daily reminders. Setting a time where employees and employers can meet to discuss work problems is an effective way of preventing tension in the workplace.
Of course, training does not stop when the problem ceases. Massad claims that training should be an ongoing process. If the employees feel and see that their problems are being addressed, they will be more driven to work. All work and no play causes dissatisfaction among employees. Setting an employee time where employees can relax and forget about work will refresh them. This could be as simple as a family day in the park or an excursion. Another surefire way to keep employees on track? Giving employee incentives for good work makes employees feel that they are appreciated. People are observed to work better if they feel that they and their work are valuable.
By Jason Murphy
For more valuable information on employee scheduling and employee training, please visit http://www.employee-scheduling.net

What reward systems are effective for maintaining employee motivation and loyalty? This article looks at which types of employee rewards are the most effective, and what kind of rewards don’t work.
Employee Rewards Reap Results

The way you reward people forms an essential foundation for effective people management. Money is by no means the only motivator of people, but too little money demotivates powerfully. Studies have shown that material reward is far more powerful than monetary.

1. How To Determine Levels Of Reward

To determine how much reward is appropriate, consider the question what level of employee reward will attract, retain, and motivate people of the calibre that you require. If an employee does something that results in a one-time boost for the company, a one-time incentive is most appropriate.

2. Why Give Employees Added Rewards In Addition To Wages?

Keep in mind that the main reason why you are giving an employee reward is because you want exceptional results, not comparable performance. Exceptional productivity will more than cover extra pay.

- Employee rewards should be set for noteworthy achievements
- Rewards must be related to a particular completion of a given task
- Employees should be encouraged to express their recent achievements
- Ensure the employee knows they deserve it, it will have a great impresion on their personality

3. Employee reward should never be an alternative for a reasonable remuneration scheme

This type of award should not be set as an enduring option to stable income amendments when, in fact, these changes should be carried out for constant and regular completion of tasks, excellent execution, and notable modifications in conscientiousness, or enhanced assessment of a status. Remember that employee reward is a one-time incentive program; therefore, it should be set out clearly and must be understood well by the employees so that they will know where to stand.

6. Employee rewards should not reflect the impression that these are changes to one’s basic pay

It must be set out clear to the employees so that they will not expect anything more than what they have to receive. Make it apparent that the extra pay is for special achievement only and nothing else. Generally, employee rewards may be in the form of cash incentives or non-cash fringe benefits. It could even be something of no real financial worth such as a personal letter of commendation.

7. Reward By Volume

If you have to use a monetary type of employee reward, give reward based on results. This means that the employee gets a fixed amount for a specific amount of results. In theory, this gives the employee the best incentive to maximize output. In fact, employees tend to put a ceiling on their earnings and thus on their effort. Nevertheless, the key concept here is that the management should only give an employee reward that is tied to an individual achievement. The reward must be reasonably large to have value – no one likes getting an overly small reward as it could have the opposite effect and make the employee view the company as cheap or undervaluing them. Never reward an employee for what has been accepted as a sensible objective. It should be given for extraordinary achievements only.
By Trevor Marshall

For more great employee reward related articles and resources check out http://www.weknowemployees.com

Many managers are struggling to find good employees, and then keep them within the company. This article explores the factors that motivate employees, and keep their loyalty.

A committed employee is extraordinarily valuable. You can gain staff commitment by meeting people’s key needs: paying attention to people at all levels; trusting and being trusted; tolerating individuality; and creating a blame-free, can-do culture. But why go through all these? What is the importance of gaining trust and commitment? It all goes down to the fact that when a company gains the trust and commitment of their employees they establish employee retention. And employee retention is vital in establishing a firm foundation as the company proliferates and achieves their goals.

1. What Is Employee Retention?

Basically, employee retention is all about encouraging the people to commit themselves throughout in the company. Through employee retention, the company is able to lessen the additional expenses of hiring and training new people and at the same time build trust and commitment within coworkers, the result of which is happier, harder working employees.

2. The Basics Of Gaining Trust

The quality and style of leadership are major factors in gaining employees’ trust and commitment, thereby, initiating employee retention in the long run. Clear decision-making should be coupled with a mutual and emphatic approach. This entails taking people into your confidence and clearly and honestly valuing their contributions. In turn, you gain employee retention.

As the boss, you should also

- Make yourself as visible as possible
- Show yourself to be approachable
- Always be willing to listen to others
- Never ask an employee to do something you would not be willing to do yourself
- Learn to trust those who work for you – trust is a two-way street

3. Sense Of Ownership In The Organization

A company can gain trust and commitment and expand their shareholders at the same time by offering employees the opportunity to purchase shares in the company, or better yet, implement a rewards program where shares in the company are offered instead of monies. By letting them feel that they will realize that the success of the company is their success as well, and its downfall is their failure too.

4. Pride

If your employee takes pride in being a part of the organization or the company, chances are that employee will surely stay for good. Employee retention is achievable when the employee feels good about the work, loves the company, knows that they are in good hands, and takes pride in their work.

3. Willingness To Work Long Hours

If you are able to encourage your employees to work long hours without having to mandate them or push them, chances are you are establishing a good sense of employee retention. This just goes to show that the employee is more than willing to commit longer hours of work not because of the overtime pay but the fulfilment that he or she wants to achieve.

4. Holding Personal Values Consistent With The Organization

If your employees continue to take part in the company’s values and moral standards and incorporate these things within their own system, this goes to show that they are committed to the company and that they are willing to be a part of the group for as long as it exists. That is a clear manifestation of employee retention.

5. Creating A Strong Sense Of Team Spirit

Employee retention can be achieved if you know how to foster a sense of team spirit. If this is achieved, you can be assured that your employees will serve best for the interest of the group and their individual satisfaction as well. Corporate events and challenges between departments (or even between store locations) are examples of how you can foster team spirit.

6. Commitment

Commitment is the highest form of employee retention. If your employee is already committed to the company by expressing his or her desire to uplift the status of the organization, to boost productivity, and to refurbish mistakes and failures then you can be sure that the employee will stay for good.

Keep in mind that when employee retention is achieved, the company should, in turn, keep that retention as well by remunerating effectively and expressing appreciation through employee recognition. If this is all incorporated, then, a harmonious relationship between the employee and the company is at hand.
By Trevor Marshall

For more great employee retention related articles and resources check out http://retention.hrhaven.com

A challenge in the workforce is employee retention. Managers are looking for ways to increase employee loyalty, and morale. Often it is the most simple and obvious ways of rewarding employees, that are the most effective.
Companies struggle with ways to keep the workforce motivated and productive. Properly rewarding employees is a fine line between a gloomy workplace and overkill. The struggle comes when employers search for the best way to reward an employee. Pay, Benefits, Perks, just to name a few of the options kicked around by managers when working to determine employee rewards. Not to worry, here’s some insight that will help.
Did you know that the majority of HR surveys taken by companies reveal that “Recognition” is the #1 reward that employees seek? Pay ranks #4 behind benefits.
In the old days, people worked in industries that identified them as ‘workers’. The corporate setting constructed hierarchies that most often offered no real chance for advancement or opportunity for individual achievement. This fosters an environment of drone workers that do their best each day with no rewards other than retirement or a pension at the end of a 25-year tenure, which rarely exists today. This is not enough for employees in the modern world and they are making their demands heard.
Companies stay competitive by hiring creative and talented workers that “think outside the box” (a well-overused phrase one might add). Rewarding these employees requires a bit more thought.
During a recent open forum meeting with the employees of National PEO, a Phoenix human resources outsourcing firm, the staff were asked, what type of employee rewards keep them motivated. One employee responded, ‘give me greater challenges’. The employee wanted more opportunity to deliver results. Another employee responded, ‘a little extra time off each year would be nice’. This particular employee is one of our fastest producers. She often found herself with downtime so she wanted to spend more time with her child. The response that stood out the most was from a soft-spoken employee who rarely speaks up at open forum meetings. Her response was ‘a simple thank you would be nice’.
Ultimately, the trick is listening. Hearing what energizes each employee in their own way usually provides the answer to complex questions like ‘How do I reward my team’. But in any case, ‘a simple thank you’ will do.
By Lisa Cieslica
By Lisa Cieslica of http://www.nationalpeo.com/ . National PEO provides PEO services to hundreds of AZ companies including Phoenix Human Resources Outsourcing: http://www.nationalpeo.com/ . Please link to this site when using this article.

One of the ways to get employee’s loyalty is to help him through his financial troubles. Most people take up so much credit that it becomes hard for them to pay it back. And eventually they are looking for debt management. The company can help them through their difficult times of credit collection by getting them a debt consolidation loan or a bankruptcy financing loan, if it comes to that.

An important way to motivate employees is to eliminate negativity in the workplace atmosphere and replace it with a positive motivating environment.

An Environment that Motivates Employees

Would you like to find out what those-in-the-know have to say about employee motivation? The information in the article below comes straight from well-informed experts with special knowledge about employee motivation.

The success of an organization does not solely depend on management but on the work of its employees as well. An employee that enjoys his or her position and feels rewarded by their efforts will ultimately be the most successful in their careers and the most beneficial to the company.

There is nothing like being around happy, satisfied employees who bring their optimism and productivity to the organization. These are the employees who are the most attentive to the needs of the customer and strive to go that extra mile to be the most helpful.

A positive attitude is contagious and can change the attitude of every staff member around. However, just as a positive mindset is easily spread, so is a negative one. If a member of the team is unhappy, watch out! His or her negative attitude can become infectious – contaminating fellow coworker and customers alike.

Pessimistic employees can breed an atmosphere of low morale which equals decreased productivity, employee turnover, and unproductive time spent gossiping and complaining among coworkers.

In order to combat negativity in the workplace, it is essential that employees receive ongoing motivation from management to perform their work to the best of their abilities. Regular contact with employees is necessary to show that you care about their contributions.

Another way to beat low morale is to develop an employee satisfaction survey. This is an easy, anonymous way for employees to voice their concerns and problems without being identified. Issues that are brought up from the survey can be addressed during an organizational meeting.

It seems like new information is discovered about something every day. And the topic of employee motivation is no exception. Keep reading to get more fresh news about employee motivation.

Other ways that an employer can create an environment that motivates employees include:

~Staff lunches
~Holiday celebrations
~Employee of the month
~Continuing education programs

An organization that recognizes that its employees are valuable and deserve to receive a certain amount of praise and recognition will benefit from increased productivity and employee satisfaction and retention, which in turn, will positively affect customer satisfaction. Otherwise, the expense of training each new employee so that they may excel in some OTHER organization is foolish, time-consuming and expensive.

Management with the “easy-come-easy-go” mentality creates conflict, confusion and quite a bit of turnover in the workplace. Nothing positive can be gained by treating employees in such a manner. It’s no wonder that some employees treat their positions as a 9-to-5 job.

Any organization can make changes for the better and help create an environment that is conducive to employee happiness. After all, the success of your business depends upon it.

The organization with the right approach will be the one to reap the rewards of success.

Hopefully the sections above have contributed to your understanding of employee motivation. Share your new understanding about employee motivation with others. They’ll thank you for it.
By Hans Hasselfors

About the Author:
Hans Hasselfors is the founder of http://www.SubmitYourNewArticle.com. You may find varied employee motivation articles in our article directory.

Boosting Employee Morale Increases Productivity

The question asked by executives and managers – “How can I motivate my employees?” – is sometimes difficult to answer. Since each employee is motivated by a variety of difficult incentives, you need to find out what is of value for each person. Research shows that people often leave an employer because they haven’t received the recognition they want, or feedback on how they are doing. With this in mind, designing a positive, employee-driven motivation program works with some of your employees, but then what do you do for the others?

Read more