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“Tend to the people, and they will tend to the business.” –John Maxwell<\/p>\n“Tend to the people, and they will tend to the business.” –John Maxwell<\/p>\n
When you wake up in the morning, what is the passion that fuels you to start your day? Are you living this in your work? If others asked you what drives you to achieve, would the answer be obvious? NO – the triggers that motivate people to achieve are unique for everyone. Many would say its money; some would claim that they are driven to make a difference, others would say something different. Regardless of what motivates you and drives you to reach peak performance \u2013 it must be managed and balanced.<\/p>\n
Traditional business theory suggests there are three types of involvement managers can have with their employees.<\/p>\n
The first category is called \u2018Alienative\u2019; herein people are motivated out of fear\/respect for the leader. In India, you can get some short-term mileage out of being extremely authoritarian, but it won\u2019t last for long. Similarly, you can also see some initial positive motivation out of being extremely accommodating, but this will also come back to bite you in the long run. An effective manager needs to balance both ends of the spectrum. The motivation employees feel towards managers\/leaders is much more about who they are as a person, rather than how much fear they command.<\/p>\n
The second category is called \u2018Moral\u2019; here the leader appeals to his\/her employee\u2019s conscience. So basically it\u2019s communicating to the employee that other employees are dependent on this work, so it needs to be done quickly. This technique has some validity in India, however here – \u2018doing the right thing\u2019 comes after \u2018doing it for the right person\u2019.<\/p>\n
The final category is \u2018Calculative\u2019, here the leader tries to motivate based on the employee\u2019s self-interest. Using self-interest as a motivating factor can work in India as well, but the concept of – \u2018We all will do better if we cooperate\u2019 hasn\u2019t really stuck in the Indian mindset in a large way. Standing in any queue will drive my point home. <\/p>\n
“My job is not to be easy on people. My job is to take these great people we have and to push them and make them even better.” –Steve Jobs<\/p>\n
\u2018What employees want?\u2019 is the next big mystery after \u2018what women want?\u2019 Mel Gibson figured out what women want, it\u2019s time for you to find out \u2013 What your employees want?<\/p>\n
Employees who are not enthusiastic about their work can be a big problem for managers. These employees are not only less productive, but their lack of motivation for tasks can also affect the morale of the rest of the team. Here are some tips for managers and leaders to keep their employees motivated at work: <\/p>\n
\u2022 Managers should try to instill a sense of ownership among employees, so that they care enough to work productively and effectively.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Managers should align employee\u2019s interests with the organizations interest. Managers don\u2019t realize that employees are sometimes clueless about the company\u2019s direction, or why they are working on a particular project. Managers should take time to have periodic meetings with their team to share any changes taking place in the company and to help them understand the business in the bigger picture. They should then place the employee\u2019s interests and correlate them with that of the organization. <\/p>\n
\u2022 Involve associates in strategy decisions and incorporate their valuable perspective in projects\/ assignments. Show your associates their \u2013 Opinion matters!<\/p>\n
\u2022 Employees should be \u2018challenged enough with new things\u2019. Give the employee a new project in which he or she doesn\u2019t have experience. Giving staff responsibility for an unknown project enables them to learn, pushes their boundaries and makes them more engaged in the work. <\/p>\n
\u2022 Reward – Employees need to know that what they do is valued. Rewarded behavior gets repeated. It\u2019s important that staff is appreciated not only when they do extraordinary work but also for the smaller daily tasks. Appreciation letters, employee of the month, felicitation during monthly townhalls, are great ways to make them feel valued. Salary increments\/ P&I\u2019s\/ Bonus, etc go a long way to motivate employees, as do other non-monetary benefits. <\/p>\n
\u2022 Make the office fun: Another source of motivation, especially for younger employees, is the office environment. Creating informal spaces where people can interact without being conscious of hierarchy is one way to make the office more fun.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Joy at work place activates – encourage more interaction by celebrating festivals, playing sports together during\/after work, screening movies, food festivals, holding monthly talks on non-work related topics, team building exercises\/games, etc.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Flexibility at work like telecommuting, work from home, extended maternity breaks, paternity breaks, sabbaticals also go a long way in keeping your employees motivated. <\/p>\n
Happy workers make more productive and loyal employees. While everyone likes the idea of a bigger paycheck, it\u2019s not always the money that keeps talented people contributing to your bottom line. It\u2019s the way you treat your people that determines whether they\u2019ll give you a 30 percent or a 100 percent.<\/p>\n
Having said that, now let us look at a few \u2018Great to work at companies\u2019 who have provided a friendly working environment, special healthcare facilities, flexible work hours, work from home options, women-friendly policies and a lot more to keep their employees motivated.<\/p>\n
Google India<\/p>\n
Creative office space
\nThe company makes sure the employees get the right environment to grow to their true potential. With a creative and colourful ambience, offices are designed to promote fun-filled innovation as the company believes it is crucial for employees to think creatively and give their best.<\/p>\n
Access to best facilities
\nEmployees have access to fully equipped gyms across offices in India with trainers and customized health programs. Employees can play table tennis, pool, football, air hockey and other games in the recreation area, or go to one of the several sleep pods for a quick nap.<\/p>\n
Fun at work
\nThey have special facilities which help their employees maintain a work-life balance. Every week on Friday, Google hosts TGIF (Thank God It’s Friday) after 4 p.m. where everyone mingles and works together. This gives an open platform to employees to collaborate more. Furthermore, Google encourages its employees to pursue their passion, be it in music or drama or some other form of art. The company is strongly looking at removing bureaucratic delays and any policies that hinder swift decisions. Each year, the company organizes a ‘bureaucracy buster’ day where employees can suggest changes to minimize policies and reduce excessive guidelines. . <\/p>\n
Women\u2019s initiatives
\nWomen\u2019s empowerment is another focus area. Google offers academic scholarships to future leaders in technology and supporting employee resource groups like Women@Google. <\/p>\n
Food
\nFood at Google offices is another attraction. Three meals and unlimited snacks from the cafeteria are totally free of cost. Meals are made as healthy as possible along with an elaborate menu.<\/p>\n
For families
\nInvolving families, Google hosts its annual ‘bring your children to work’ day. On this day, the company organizes engagement activities for children. Additionally, new employees at Google can even bring their parents to work on a designated day.<\/p>\n
Marriott Hotels India <\/p>\n
Associates are at the heart of Marriott\u2019s core values
\nMarriott calls it employees \u2018associates\u2019. On their birthdays or anniversaries, the hotel employees are allowed a meal for six in any hotel or a stay to experience their own hospitality at its best. Taking care of associates is at the heart of Marriott\u2019s core values, which reflects the company\u2019s work-life commitment. Apart from providing a competitive pay package, Marriott strives to give its employees a good work life. The company values good leadership offers better growth opportunities, a friendly work environment and training facilities. <\/p>\n
What keeps employees happy?
\nThe hotels\u2019 discount policies, talent development program, international exposure, open door policy, cross department exposure, performance incentives and rewarding high performers boosts the morale of employees. Access to a gym, recreation, discount on food and beverages, room stay, assignments locally and internationally, international placements and health insurance are other benefits.<\/p>\n
American Express India<\/p>\n
An inspiring workplace
\nPromoting talent, growth and positive relationship with employees makes American Express one of the most sought after companies from an employee\u2019s point of view. American Express takes great pride in fostering a work environment that encourages different backgrounds, talents and perspectives to thrive. Creating an inspiring workplace is a top priority for every leader at American Express. <\/p>\n
Rewards & Recognitions
\nThe reward programs are extremely popular with employees and help to create a winning culture at American Express. \u2018Reward Blue\u2019 is a recognition program that enables leaders and employees to recognize each other \u2013 across business units, band levels every day, and reward great work and effort.<\/p>\n
Fun at work
\nSeveral fun-filled activities are organized to drive and inculcate a culture of gratitude and appreciation for each other in the organization. <\/p>\n
Gender diversity
\nAmex designed a unique gender diversity initiative called \u2018Reach Out\u2019. This program in collaboration with 4 other leading companies – PepsiCo, PwC and Tata Sons – set a partnership which enables them to leverage each other\u2019s Diversity & Inclusions (D&I). The program provides a development platform for senior women leaders to \u2018Share, Network and Learn\u2019 from leaders and peers across these organizations, to enable greater career success.<\/p>\n
Smart savings
\nAmex introduced a \u2018Smart Savings\u2019 program that enhances overall financial wellness of employees. With access to online portal and onsite helpdesk, employees are educated and updated on their earnings and long term savings. The convenience of having this information made employees save time and effort. It is a single stop solution to their short to long term financial needs.<\/p>\n
Therefore, developing well-motivated employees leads to more satisfied customers and higher sales; this in turn leads to greater employee motivation and creates a \u2018virtuous circle\u2019. Highly motivated employees are likely to be engaged employees, willing to go the extra mile with customers\/ clients – internal and external.<\/p>\n
\u2018Tend to people, and they will tend to the business\u2019 \u2013 I rest my case!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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