Several business owners sat down to discuss incentivizing—and punishing—employee behavior, reports CNNMoney. Do rewards and contests motivate employees? Does punishing poor behavior make you more of a policeman than a manager? The varying tactics and opinions of the group included reinforcing good employee behavior or simply expecting employees to do their job. Some notes from the article:
- “Little things” overlooked, such as not answering the phone properly or forgetting to inform customers about specials or sales can have a big impact. While one manager says you must “pick your battles” with employees, another finds that incentives do such tasks can motivate, while yet another manager found that simple tasks should just be done without positive reinforcement.
- Owners must manage their own expectations of their staff. Employees may not be as passionate about your business’s success as you are. Are you willing to incentivize those who are indifferent to business success, or hire ones who are passionate?
- Changing employee behavior or company culture can be done, notes one manager. His process included “fining” an employee $5 for every break of a basic rule, such as not turning off a cell phone in a meeting or setting their phone to an “away” message. The money went into a fund used toward company events. But does this turn you from a manager into a police officer?
The conclusion? No amount of incentivizing or punishment can make up for good leadership. To read the article in full, click here.
Source:
CNNMoney:Motivating Your Staff: Carrots Or Sticks?
Related Content:
Biz Booster No. 3: Stay Motivated ... And Keep Staff Motivated, Too
