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Does Your Staff Like Coming To Work?

By Marsha Egan

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Published: 13Feb2012
Word count: 784
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It can be a real challenge to keep your staff motivated and energized.

- Does your staff like coming to work?

- Do they carry out their tasks enthusiastically?

- Do they care about the work they do?

- Do they look like they want to be there?

From the opposite perspective, do you want motivated, energetic staff who want to work for you? Do you want a growing, thriving organization? If the answer to the first four questions is yes, then you probably already have a recognition culture in your organization. If not, then why not?

Most people believe that they would benefit from a recognition culture. Recognition is one of the easiest and cheapest motivational tools in your kit - in fact, it's mostly free! Why then is every organization in the country not using it all the time?

It might be because it's not an urgent task, and doesn't show up waving its arms around yelling 'Do me! I'm an emergency!' We get caught up in the crises of the day and don't get around to taking a moment out to show appreciation for someone's accomplishment. It might be because some people feel awkward doing it, like it feels false. If you mean it, it won't feel false! It might be just because people are busy and just plain forget.

Giving your staff recognition isn't an item you can tick off your to-do list. If you want to build a recognition culture in your organization, you need to do it regularly and often. You also need to get others involved In a company with a recognition culture, people at all levels regularly thank and appreciate others for there efforts and their achievements.

Remember that we're discussing a culture of recognition. Culture and procedure are worlds apart. Having a performance-related bonus structure is a procedure. Having a company where people send emails to congratulate and thank people on a good job, and thank people publicly in meetings over even the smallest accomplishments is a culture of recognition in action.

I'd like to challenge you to make recognition a habit. The more you do it, the more comfortable you will feel doing it - in fact you'll start seeing how much it impacts positively on people and you'll enjoy doing it. As you generate positive energy by motivating others, you'll feel that energy infuse throughout the organization, energizing everyone it comes into contact with - you included!

Here are some ideas you can use to get the energy flowing:

- Send an email or leave a handwritten note for someone in the company who deserves a thank-you.

- Tell the immediate boss of someone at work what a great job he or she did. Complement one of your superiors on a task well done.

- Start a column in your organization's newsletter for 'well done' messages, and encourage everyone to contribute to it.

- Start your meetings with heartfelt and sincere thanks to individuals for even small accomplishments.

- Compliment people in front of others at work, and be specific about their achievements and results.

- Set aside a few minutes every day to think of someone who accomplished a noteworthy deed that day. This will get you into the habit of recognizing people's efforts and achievements. The end of the day is a good time, but choose whatever works for you.

- Celebrate the completion of big projects.

This isn't just a strategy you can use at work - try it at home, too. How do you feel when your partner says 'thank you' for doing a routine job? When was the last time you thanked or appreciated your partner or kids for doing a difficult or unpleasant task?

If you actively appreciate and praise behavior you want to see repeated on a regular basis, your habits will change and you'll start to create a culture of recognition in your own daily routine - which is contagious. The more you recognize and publically praise the behavior you want to see repeated, the more you give people a reason to repeat it!

Recognition cultures are proactive, positive and full of energy, which is exactly what business in today's fast-paced society needs. In this way, a simple culture of recognising effort and achievement can positively impact on your bottom line.

Marsha Egan, CPCU, PCC is CEO of The Egan Group, Inc., a Reading, PA based professional coaching firm. She is a certified workplace productivity coach and professional speaker, specializing in leadership development and can be reached at marsha@marshaegan.com or visit http://www.InboxDetox.com.

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