By Brad Remillard
To retain your company’s top talent, it’s absolutely critical to ensure that they’re motivated. Unfortunately, in difficult times, this is often not high on the priority list of managers or chief executive officers. Most employees are working long hours and doing the job of two people, stress is at an all-time high, fear of layoffs is palpable, salaries are frozen, pay cuts have been implemented and forget about any bonuses. For many companies, this is the current reality.
So how do you motivate your best employees to achieve the company’s goals? How do you keep them from contacting recruiters? How do you keep them passionate about coming to work? How do you keep them engaged day after day?
The answer to all of these questions is “culture.” Even in difficult times, outstanding employees, by definition, will always rise to the occasion. They will strive to be the best. If they don’t, they aren’t top talent. But even they can burn out, get frustrated, not see the light at the end of the tunnel or wonder if they’re really contributing.
It’s the role of CEOs and managers to make sure these things don’t happen. There seems to be a consistent theme as to what great managers do during tough times to hold on to and even attract top talent.
Consider these six ways to motivate your best staff members:
1. Create a performance-based culture. Even in a down economy, your company needs clearly defined goals that cascade throughout the organization. Good employees need quantifiable objectives that motivate them, so that when they reach those goals, they feel a sense of accomplishment. Providing specific time-based goals with achievable results clarifies exactly what is expected of them. Your best talent will embrace your goals and not stop until they reach them. Employee engagement is critical to retaining workers.
2. Dismantle a dysfunctional culture. This is probably the biggest reason top talent gets nervous and begins to look for a position with a different company. Do you know your company’s culture? Can you define it? Will your executive staff define it the same way? Will the in-the-trench worker bees define it the same way? If not, this is the time to begin working on it.
Once the corporate culture is well-defined, do the behaviors match the culture? Do managers from the CEO on down regularly demonstrate this culture in how they deal with employees, customers and vendors? You can’t claim to have a culture of teamwork if the manager’s idea of teamwork is, “As long as we do things my way, you can be on my team.”
3. Foster respect and appreciation. This is probably the least expensive and least used method to motivate and retain outstanding workers. Small things can make a big difference. Respecting their contributions, listening to them, including them in the decision-making process, and asking for their thoughts and ideas all make them feel respected and appreciated. Consider building a culture that respects employees so they feel appreciated. They don’t want to be taken for granted.
4. Offer consistent feedback. This could be considered a subset of No. 3, but is more formal. It includes regular and structured one-on-one feedback sessions—not standing-in-the-hallway conversations but actually sitting down and focusing on an individual employee. Giving them feedback, encouraging them, listening to their needs (even if you can’t meet them, it’s important to listen), taking an interest in their career and building a shared bond will let them know their manager really cares about them.
5. Bestow praise. You may have experienced a manager with this philosophy: “That’s what they get paid for. Why should I thank them? They should thank me for having a job.” How did that make you feel? Compare that with a manager who makes statements like, “Thanks. I know it’s just part of your job, but I appreciate the pride you take in your work. It helps everyone in the department.” A little praise goes a long way to motivate people. In a tight job market when people are doing more than expected (and, yes, maybe they should be glad to have a job), showing appreciation will be returned when the economy turns and they don’t have to work for you any longer.
6. Provide education and growth. Good employees insist on getting better. They know once their learning curve flattens out, future opportunities can become limited—and they don’t like to have their growth potential restricted. Giving deserving employees the opportunity to take additional classes, lead a project beyond their normal responsibilities, challenge them with new opportunities, give them a chance to serve on a cross-functional team or take an online class will help them improve their skills. All these not only ensure your top talent is growing, but they also make them more valuable employees.
Your best people will appreciate these efforts more than most managers realize. And the increase in productivity from motivated employees is the best return on investment a company can receive. N
Brad Remillard is a speaker, author and trainer with more than 30 years of experience in hiring and recruiting. Through his corporate workshops and industry association speaking engagements, he demonstrates how organizations can effectively attract, interview, hire and retain top talent. Remillard is co-founder of the executive search firm Impact Hiring Solutions and co-author of You’re NOT the Person I Hired: A CEO’s Guide to Hiring Top Talent. For more information on his hiring training programs or speaking, visit www.bradremillard.com.
