Employee motivation specialist P&MM has launched a guide for employers on how to launch an effective recognition scheme, which is based around a treasure map concept.
The guide includes details on the importance of setting motivation programme objectives, living the company values, designing a programme structure and identifying which rewards work best to engage a workforce.
It also advises on defining a target audience and how to communicate with them, as well as how to manage a motivation programme and keep it fresh.
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These steps are represented by images such as travels across the seven seas, through battles with a giant octopus, fire-breathing dragon and a tiger, as well as meetings with exotic natives, before discovering a chest full of treasure to symbolise that holy grail of achieving a truly motivated and engaged workforce.
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Good Call!
I’ve just completed a survey of 633 salespeople from 60 countries utilising principles from Herzberg’s Motivation Hygiene Theory and the biggest change since Herzberg’s original investigations (and one that would have him turning in his grave) is ‘recognition’ has now become the single biggest factor of de-motivation; whereas previously it was the second highest motivator. ‘Lack of recognition’ is virtually a ‘criminal act’ for managers and leaders in industry. According to Herzberg’s description, this is simply a verbal process, an opportunity to say thank you for a job well done.
An additional concern for industry is the power of money as the ‘great motivator’ because sales motivation is now a contextual issue, one revolving around the consideration “What’s in it for me?” Whilst money might not be the most effective motivator for ‘intrinsic motivation’, it seems contextual issues (extrinsic motivation) now outstrip work content considerations.
In order to put Herzberg’s findings into context, it should be noted that attitudes towards pay & reward in 1968 were considerably different to current day attitudes. Herzberg used the semi-formal interview technique to collect results relating to motivational events, which is not best suited to taboos surrounding money. He also used the critical incident technique which downgrades emotional scoring responses to a value of 1. I replicated this process using an online survey and compared the results with total scores; it revealed stories relating to money are underreported by as much as 62% using this technique. When salespeople were asked; “What could your employer do to improve your motivation?” 25% of all scores were allocated to pay and reward. (Herzberg’s 16 factors of motivation were offered, so a motivation neutral response would be 6.25%).
On the basis of these findings, my recommendation to industry is to use the latest information to best effect. Don’t increase pay and reward as a response, because it will only continue to fuel the contextual element of extrinsic motivation, which will result in a never ending spiral of increased wages merely to stand still (note the lessons from the banking industry). No, the solution is to use the new motivational power of money to upset the balance by addressing the greatest problem of motivation ‘lack of recognition’. Take the rewarding process and use it to provide positive information feedback, an opportunity to attach an existential $ value to the sometimes seemingly hollow words “thank you”. The emphasis is very much about turning rewards into ‘personalised recognition events’ as opposed to the alternative which is merely a passive line item on a payslip; which is an expensive opportunity lost.
Regards
Paul Beaumont – DipS, MCIM, Chartered Marketer
Strategic Account Manager
MA Sales – Portsmouth University (Pending results in May)