7 Essentials in Staff Motivations

“People are our most important asset,” said the Managing Director of one of our clients. While this mantra has been chanted by many large organizations as one of their principles in human resources management, many still fall short in developing and retaining their staff effectively.

Is staff motivation a difficult subject to tackle? Though it can be a tricky issue, you can achieve significant improvement in staff productivity and attitude towards company by adopting some simple acts as part of your daily habits:

Set clear expectations and communicate them effectively

Your staff will have clearer ideas of what you expect of them and be able to plan their work better. The next time you are telling your staff of what you want from them, quantify your standards. Instead of saying “achieve better sales figures this year”, use clearer phrases like “achieve 20% increase in sales volume by end of November 2004”

Be realistic about individual abilities

There is no point imposing too high a standard beyond your staff’s ability. You are only setting them for failure and cultivate more stress. However, don’t “under-expect” them either. Set your expectation in accordance of what you know your staff can perform. Make it a habit to ask for their feedback on your expectations on them

Be aware of what your staff is doing

And that is not spying on them, or trying to find faults. As you move around in the office, pay attention to what your staff is doing in performing their role. Notice the small initiatives that contributed to their efficiencies or impact business performances

Make them feel appreciated

People like to be praised, recognized and appreciated. Recognize individual and group achievements publicly – your staff will feel good that others know of their success. Personalised your rewards for individual achievements. It shows that you care enough to notice the little things each of your staff do to contribute to your business

Spread the success as stories

“Success stories” are effective way of motivating your staff. They relate better to stories (instead of news), and they remember them better. It gives the celebrated staff a warm feeling that everyone know his or her story, and it tells others what is expected to achieve success

Throw a party

It need not be a luxurious hotel dinner or paid holiday. A simple appreciation lunch or tea party will allow your team members to mix around and improve bonding, while celebrating individual success at the same time

Lead by examples

The word “leader” comes from “lead”. Many leaders in companies do not practice what they preach. When you set expectations on your staff, make sure you follow and align your work to achieve the common goal. Team members feel better motivated when their boss is moving in the same direction as they are.

Integrating these simple tips will do wonders in boasting your staff morale. Try it.


By Razlan, web editor of EnergySkills. This article will be published in EnergySkills' Bulletin, our monthly newsletter.