How to motivate staff

[smithy266]

do you expect them to do jobs that you will not do?

[medusa]

Is there any scope in your job for making a specific measurement of who achieves the most in your team? If there is then the first thing I'd do is to bring in a weekly or monthly personal bonus for either the highest achiever or the most helpful member of staff or similar and I'd ask your boss if there's the potential for a budget for you to provide this. If not then I'd probably stump up for it myself- nothing huge, just a little Amazon or high street voucher, pair of cinema tickets or something every month.

 

One of the purposes of this is to reward the most productive member of staff in your team, another is to make sure that everyone is aware that you CAN measure their productivity and if you can work out who is the most productive then you are therefore also aware of the LEAST productive member of staff. It's also a good personal team bonding thing that it's your bonus, not a company bonus (if that makes sense).

 

Once you've got that measuring process set up I'd send around a memo telling them that there have been a number of complaints about the noise/attitude of work affecting other staff members and that you're coming under pressure to reduce these complaints and that you are logging complaints which name individuals for future action.

 

This should then allow you to compile a code of good conduct which you negotiate with your team, then start a gradual process of infractions and warnings, all of which are recorded properly and lead up to formal disciplinary action after a set number of warnings (with a set number of infractions leading to warnings IYKWIM).

 

Do I sound like a draconian manager?

[DragonofAna]

Seems strange to me that there are so many people advocating the use of bonus's and prizes to get people to do a job they are already being paid to do.

 

Is there a seperate office that is private? If so - ask each one of the offenders in turn if you can have a word. Then tell them in the strictest confidence that the boss is looking to get rid of some staff and is checking people out on cctv or whatever.

 

It will only work for a while - until they realise no-one is being given the sack. In the meantime you could have moved them to different work stations or whatever.

 

Failing all else - tell them to knuckle down or lose their job.

[Tripitaka]

Sounds like you need to get rid of them rather than motivate them.

 

Set a rigid workplace system that is relevant to your work and make sure the system is designed in conjunction with HR to make sure that it complies with relevant law and is not a material change to their contracts.

 

Then inform the staff of the new system and train them if necessary to comply and have them confirm they fully understand etc. Ensure that the penalites of not conforming to the system are understood and that they will be enforced.

 

Then give them a week to settle into the new system before it goes 'live'. Each and every time they then screw around or don't do what they are supposed to then it is first in line of the disciplinary procedure i.e. verbal warning, then written, then formal grievance, sacked etc... No exceptions either. Each breach to be treated as the same no matter who it is - even you.

 

Not going to make you the most loved manager at first but will do in the end if you administer it fairly and equally.

 

Personally never been keen on rewards for 'best' achiever etc. Someone is always going to lose out even if they tried harder, but might not be the fastest at what they do and in turn will lead to their demotivation if they don't get any reward but can see others doing so for less work.

[Bonjon]

I go online on my IPhone adnd I can't access the internet from work (my reply to the above post)

I asked for advice on how to motivate the staff not for judgement about my net usage!!!!!!

 

If your seen to be tapping away on your phone alot, i'm sure this would have an impact of 'we can do what we want as our team leader does' on your staff.

 

Lead by example.

[DragonofAna]

If your seen to be tapping away on your phone alot, i'm sure this would have an impact of 'we can do what we want as our team leader does' on your staff.

 

Lead by example.

 

Or you could give the OP a break. How long does it take to access the net; post a message; check new replies and then stop? Not exactly the same as spinning around on chairs; chattering; and generally causing disruption in the work place.

[harvey19]

Sounds as though you have lost control of your staff.

You are not their friend or one of them you are their boss and are paid to manage them.

Delegate tasks and ensure they are completed correctly and on time.

Depending on the type of company consider redeployment if there is not enough work.

 

The other option is that you leave.

[brianthedog]

Or you could give the OP a break. How long does it take to access the net; post a message; check new replies and then stop? Not exactly the same as spinning around on chairs; chattering; and generally causing disruption in the work place.

 

Precisely. And, let's not forget she's seeking advice on a work related issue...

[bladesufc1]

I have a team of around 12 people I manage and I am highly trained however, the team do not really want to be at work and are increasingly being disruptive. I am getting complaints from others saying they are being disturbed by gossip, loud noise etc....now, I have to follow procedure and set policies which is sometimes hard to keep them in line due to the protocol I have to follow which sometimes appears to favour the staff.

I can't just move them all to sit on their own as this would be seen as being 'unfair'. I have my procedures and HR know who the bad staff are.

 

I wondered if anyone could give me any new ideas how I can motivate them from gossiping, swizzing around on their chairs and not giving a stuff whether they get caught or not. They have no office etiquette, regularly bad mouth each other and rude to everyone.

These are women of all ages who have worked here for around 7 years and most are in unions. I am friendly but firm and it has worked until now but I could do with some under the table things to do and say to them that won't land me at the Union!

 

Any advice would be appreciated!!

 

obviuosly not in this case :hihi:, sorry but you need to show them you are the boss, and some banter is ok, but you also have a line, and when this line is crossed, they know about it

[Treatment]

Fear of unemployment is the oldest motivational factor in the book.