Is there room for improvement in profitability and productivity in your business? How is employee enthusiasm and moral? Are good employees leaving your organization? The skills shortage that we have been hearing so much about isn’t coming — It’s already here, and smart businesses are making Human Resources their #1 priority.

In last month’s article, I wrote about Motivation Through Recognition – a concept that can be used by everyone within an organization to build momentum toward positive change, productivity, performance and profitability. This month, I would like to continue with part two of Motivating Your Team by focusing on the use of communication strategies. 

We know that motivation is necessary in any business for growth and continued success. We also know that people are called to action by different motivators. Determining these motivators is important, and in order to truly understand what motivates someone, you must communicate with them regularly. Communication is something we do everyday, whether it is effective or not is a different story, and there are opportunities to implement specific communication strategies that we may not already be using. 

Here are a few facts that can help you determine how communication can play a key role in motivating and empowering your team: 

Encouraging employees to communicate and celebrate the uniqueness of the business energizes them to contribute their best. Employees who provide service directly to customers typically have very useful information about customer perception, which is valuable feedback for upper management. Ask employees how the business can become better, then really listen to what they have to say, letting them know that you understand and appreciate what they are telling you. 

Every interaction with employees is an opportunity to build trust, and trust is the foundation of a positive organizational culture. Employees need trust, integrity and a company that is committed not only to its customers, but to its employees as well. Make time for discussions of what motivates an employee, what might be turning an employee off, and how the employee is or can be growing and evolving to become their personal best. Perhaps the employee is being underutilized or they are not feeling challenged enough. A sense of growth, development and stretching ones abilities provides incentives and motivation for staying with a company. A monthly 15 minute one-on-one communication between manager and employees can accomplish a lot. 

Employees want the whole truth. It is not unusual for managers to take control, pretend that information is sensitive, and then withhold it. This is good for power trips but it does not lead to trust. 83% of the most successful companies have a system of regular staff briefings by senior management according to Profit magazine’s April 2006 article titled “May The Workforce Be With You”. When employees are ‘in the loop’ with current up to date information about company status, goals and direction, they feel like they are part of the organization, they believe in the business, they trust in their leaders and they tend to stay with the company. If you want your team to be motivated and enthusiastic, you have to tell the whole truth, and that means that information belongs to everyone.

Helping your employees feel engaged and valuable is a very long-term driving force. So ask yourself, how can you help make everyone feel like an integral part of the organization? The answer is by communicating. Communication can recognize people for their contributions and give sincere thanks for loyalty and dedication in hopes for continued good service. Opening the lines of communication can inspire suggestions for continuous improvement for both the employee and employer, as well as foster communication between management and employees to develop a more solid foundation of trust.

Communication is not only a tool for management. Everyone involved in a business is capable of contributing to its overall success and mission, therefore, everyone in an organization can use communication to enhance the business, motivate their colleagues and connect with their customers.

Best wishes for great communication,

~ Penny Tremblay

“If there is any great secret of success in life, it lies in the ability to put yourself in the other person’s place, and to see things from their point of view ~ as well as your own.” ~Henry Ford