Employee Motivation Strategies and Retention Culture Insights

Hi,

I am handling the HR for a startup. We would like to start organizing some activities to improve employee motivation. Can you please guide on what can be done?

Regards,
RK

Hey Revathi, you need to specify the industry you are in and identify the factors you believe are hindering the company's growth. Provide a detailed overview of the situation at hand. This way, members can offer better assistance.

Regards

Dear RK,

For every organization to grow, it is important that every internal customer (employee) should contribute their full effort, which is only possible when the employees are satisfied with their job functions.

Hence, it is mandatory to map the right person to the right job, which will encourage them to dedicate themselves towards achieving the objectives.

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Warm regards,

HR Experts

Well, we are in the service industry. Our staff strength is around 40. About 30 are managerial employees, while the rest are at the executive level.

As of now, we are not faced with any impediments to our growth. However, we want to ensure that the employees stay motivated. Please guide me on this.

Regards,
Revati

Hello Revati,

See Ms. Revati, please send us your contact number so that we can provide you with end-to-end HR solutions as per your queries. We assure you of the best of our services.

Regards, HR Experts

Hi Revati,

As you mentioned, your organization is a start-up, then you should first try with small things like celebrating birthdays together, celebrating accomplishments, success, and introducing newsletters which could consistently update the employees about the success and keep them motivated to perform well. Let me tell you that it is always easier to keep people together in small organizations since it is easy to observe all successes directly. There is even better bonding. But it has to be maintained by creating a good environment.

Start with these small activities and then move higher up to ensure success.

Regards,
Pooja

Hi Revati,

What kind of help do you require? If you can be clear, then probably we can help you out.

Regards,
Vinay
9866254387

Hi Revati,

Today's employees and today's work environment are much different than they were just a year ago. Creating strategies to make work fun can be an element in creating a retention culture.

Every now and then, we need to break up the normal monotony and do something different. Whether it is a once-a-year trip to the mountains or beach resorts, birthday celebrations, etc., these events build teamwork and can make a big difference. Small, informal celebrations are many times more effective than a once-a-year formal event.

However, I would suggest the following:

1. Please review the existing systems/processes of the organization and identify the perceived factors leading to a lack of motivation.

2. Job enrichment.

3. Review the following factors:

a. Compensation structure vis-a-vis competition

b. Opportunities for advancement

c. Good supervisor

d. Opportunities for training and learning

e. Working conditions

Lastly, according to William Ouchi, employees are motivated if:

a. They are given lifetime employment in the organization.

b. Their careers are planned.

c. They get to participate in decision-making.

d. All employees work as a team with a minimum of superior-subordinate relationships.

e. People trust each other.

f. There is a holistic concern for workers' welfare.

Have a great day!

Regards,

Rajat Joshi

What is Your Motivation?

By Leonard Roos

Why do you do the things you do? Why did you go to University? Why are you working for that particular company? Why did you skip University? Why did you get married? Why did you marry your spouse? Why are you single? Why are you doing that particular job? Why do you drive that particular car? Is it because somebody expects it from you? Is it because you believe it is the right thing to do? Is it because you feel you have no choice? Is it because you want to be praised and admired? Or do you do it, simply because everyone else is doing it?

The questions may seem trivial at first but later you will see how important it is. Its importance lies in the fact that being honest with yourself will help you identify the following: who you are, where you are, what you want, where you want to be. If you are where you want to be, and if not, what you need to do to get there.

But before I continue let's first look at what I mean when I talk of motivation. Motivation is normally used in two different senses.

We may talk of motivation as a reason for doing something, referring to the reason behind why you do what you do. For example why you attended school or College. The answer may be because you want to be educated so that you can get a job or it may be because your parents expect it from you.

We may also talk of motivation or the lack of it in relation to having a particular drive to succeed in a particular area. For example, if you are attending college or University, not because you want it but because of your parents, you may not be motivated enough. Hence you may not do what is required to pass and as a consequence may fail or drop out altogether.

You see, our inner motivation determines how much we put into something and is directly related to the results we get, be it success or failure.

Say for example you have a job, which you don't enjoy. It is obvious that you will not put in as much into that job compared to if you enjoyed it.

For a company which is profit-driven, this represents a problem because if you are not motivated enough you may not meet their performance objectives. This may result in you not being promoted, being demoted or simply being retrenched.

Big Corporations spend millions annually on motivational speakers in an effort to motivate their workers and improve their bottom line. Why are workers not as motivated as they should be? It is because billions of people in the world are in jobs they don't enjoy.

This fact was vividly illustrated by a recent survey, which found that more than 80% of all working adults in North America don't enjoy what they do for a living. This figure should increase to about 90% for the rest of the world, considering that North America leads the world in terms of entrepreneurial activity.

Let us take another example. Say for example you are in a relationship, in which you don't want to be. Let's say you're having problems and your partner decides you both need counseling.

These problems are unlikely to be resolved by therapies which aim to restore the relationship if that is not what you both want. As a result, you may not be motivated enough to do what is necessary to save it.

I'm not immune from asking myself these questions. I often find myself having to admit that I'm doing things for the wrong reasons.

I remember doing things for people and being quite happy doing it. However, I discovered that I became unhappy when people didn't show any appreciation for what I did. This actually caused me to sit and think, why I am doing the things I did? Was it to receive a Thank you, or did I do it because I have a desire to do good and help others?

If you do it because you want to do good, it shouldn't bother you whether someone says thank you or not. This reminds me of what is written in the Bible. If you only do good to those who are good you are not doing anything special because everyone wants to return a favor or good deed.

But do good, even to those who are not good or have no way of paying you back. If you do that you will have a reward in heaven.

The following is a sign that you are doing things for the wrong reasons.

If you do something for someone and the person doesn't say thank you or does something you don't like. Do you regret doing it?

So what does one do? Ask yourself these questions and be honest with the answers. Depending on what the answers are, take action.

One of the keys to success and for that matter happiness is being honest with yourself, to do what you want and are good at and to do it well.

Leonard Roos has touched and helped change the lives of many through his coaching.

I presume you have a well-structured compensation package with usual benefits and a variable pay component.

The following suggestions may help:

1. An anonymous "GRIPE WEBPAGE where employees can post their grievances, ideas, and suggestions. You can review them, discuss with top management, and provide responses on the open page once a week.

2. Uninhibited meetings without the presence of middle managers. You, the CMD, and all employees without senior managers gather together over tea. The MD outlines his vision for the next couple of years. Then, an open discussion ensues where you and the CMD listen, and occasionally, the CMD clarifies.

3. Fast career growth opportunities, including training in both hard and soft skills to enhance functional value and life balance.

That's all for now!

MICOKRISH