Why is it important as a manager to consider motivation? After all, you pay staff to complete a set of tasks, which they already do very well. Employees are there to work. You can give them the same job to do every day and they will do it to your satisfaction almost as a matter of routine. Motivate them properly however and you will have successful, happy staff exceeding your expectations. Motivation is about giving people energy so they approach their work each day feeling fresh, interested and valuable. Instead of leaving when they need a new challenge, they will stay and continue to enrich the company with their experience both old and new. Productivity will increase as they enjoy their jobs, strive to impress you and take on more responsibility. A manager should therefore carefully consider how to keep the workforce motivated as it in the best interests of the employees and the company.

Begin by considering what motivates people. This can be difficult to assess on a general basis because different things motivate different people. When a person is aware of something they want, they will work hard to get it. This is the key to motivation, particularly as salary is only a small part of the process. It is hard to pay people the salaries they want. You must therefore find other things they will be willing to strive for that it is within your power to deliver. These goals must be practical and you should never promise what you cannot deliver when the time comes. Have a look at our mentoring courses London.

A good motivator will take time to find out what motivates individuals. One method of achieving this is with the use of appraisals. Use them to investigate how the employee feels about their current position, where they would like to be in the future and what they want to do. An example would be if someone feels they do not have enough responsibility and is losing interest in their work. It would be appropriate to give them more responsibility in a variety of areas in order to make the person feel more fulfilled and worthwhile. It may be necessary to give them some form of training so they can cope with this new responsibility. The person will therefore be motivated to work hard and prove that they are capable and worthy of this new responsibility.

One thing that will motivate your staff is allowing them to learn new things. I once had an employee who was bored in the position she had held for four years. She knew everything there was to know about the job and needed a new challenge. I sent her on a course to improve her current skills thus allowing her to improve the efficiency of the current job along with another course to learn something new, which she could then use within the job. Many courses are available and it is always possible to find one that will be new, but still relevant to the work or the work you want them to do in the future. Obviously you don't have to send an employee on a course for Flash if their position is an administrative assistant. You must find common goals so their new talents will enhance the current job or allow them to do something different that needs to be done within the company.

When these common goals have been decided upon, consider the use of rewards. Rewards help staff to feel positive as they can see the benefits their hard work will achieve. Not only will you have motivated them by giving them new things to do, but also by giving them a tangible benefit to work for. An example of rewards could be increased responsibility in an area he/she is interested in, once they complete a course in the subject.

While rewards are a good motivator, being generally positive can also be used to let them know they are doing a good job. When people are praised for something, they will want to be praised again and will continue to work hard to impress you. It will create a positive working environment. If someone has done a good job or achieved something, always let them know or, if appropriate, let the team know. Sometimes the rewards for achievements can be as simple as a box of donuts to show your good will! If a person is working in a positive atmosphere at work then they will feel happier and happier staff work harder! If possible, provide them with a positive physical working environment to accompany your positive attitude. Staff working in a dirty, run-down office will not feel motivated. Ensure that their working space is clean and well kept.

Part of understanding what will motivate your staff is knowing what will de-motivate them so you can avoid it. If you are negative and overly critical, especially without giving them positive feedback you run the risk of de-motivating your staff, as they will lose confidence in themselves. Sometimes you will have some problem that needs to be addressed. Begin by saying something positive about their performance, and then talk to them about the problem in a positive way. Finish by saying something positive. Another way to de-motivate your staff is to overwhelm them. Particularly when setting goals and rewards to motivate them, ensure that you give them the time and resources required to complete them. This work will often be in addition to tasks they already complete.

Once you have considered the many different ways and theories of motivating your staff and implemented them accordingly, you will begin to see the benefits almost immediately. Your staff will be able to take on more work and will complete it more efficiently and to a higher standard. This will allow you to organise them more effectively. Generally, a motivated workforce is a happier workforce, which forges a better working environment for everyone.