Motivating Employees In Today's Stress-filled Workplace

(Published in the Hartford Business Journal)

Too much to do and not enough time - this is a common problem for many workers. In light of this issue, managers today have a challenging task for themselves - motivating their employees to work hard and be productive in a demanding, stress-filled workplace.

Many human resources representatives will tell you that customer satisfaction and workplace productivity are directly linked to employee happiness. The more satisfied the employee, the better the customer relations and the greater productivity of the employees.

Unfortunately, stressful work settings can significantly impede employee satisfaction and, thus, employee motivation. Employees today complain about the pace of the workplace. With faster technology, quicker ways to communicate, the rapid development of new products and services, and the desire of employers to compete effectively in the marketplace, employees are being pushed to produce more at an intense pace. This intensity, combined with reduced staffs expected to carry larger workloads, works directly against employee satisfaction and motivation.

Traditionally, managers expect to bolster employee motivation with more money and more perks as an employee rises up the promotion ladder. While money has some motivating power (and is always desirable to most people), over the long run, money in itself serves as only a limited motivator. At the same time, in many organizations (and especially in small businesses), promotions are not readily available.

So what's a manager to do? Surveys of employees show that, in fact, other aspects of the workplace have as much or more effect on employees' motivation than money. Employees talk about wanting to be appreciated for the work that they do. Having a manager who recognizes, acknowledges and appreciates the work they do gives significant satisfaction to many people. A word of appreciation, praise for a project or task well-done, or thanks for the effort they put in, can go a long way to making employees feel appreciated and recognized for their efforts.

Second, employees want to feel that their work is meaningful in some way. Career counselors are seeing an increased number of individuals who talk about wanting to find meaning in their work. One way that managers can address this issue is to talk with employees about the work they are doing and how it fits into the larger picture of what the department or organization is doing overall. Helping employees understand the mission and goals of the organization and the part their work plays in those overall goals helps employees see the purpose of the work they do. Then it's up to the manager to transmit to the employee the sense that the part they play in the work is valued.

Employees, whether single or married, also want managers to recognize that they have a life outside of work. They want to be supported and encouraged to take the steps to balance their work and personal life. Employees yearn for the flexibility to attend their child's school play, take their elderly parent to a doctor's appointment, or participate in a volunteer activity. The ability to choose flexible hours or to have the flexibility to leave work occasionally to address a personal/family issue heightens the employee's sense that their manager is concerned about them as a person and, as a result, can increase employee motivation to work hard on the job.

Beyond using appreciation and flexibility to motivate people, managers also need to appraise the work environment in their organization. Is it friendly? Are there any fun aspects of work or are there "lighter moments" to break the tedium of work? The use of humor can go a long way to lightening the work environment. Ideas for ways to bring fun into the work setting might include: setting up a bulletin board where staff can put up funny sayings, jokes or cartoons; taking time occasionally to share a joke or amusing story; or bringing in a vase of flowers - anything that helps to lighten the atmosphere in the organization can be effective. One manager keeps small puzzles on his desk for employees to enjoy when they come into his office; another leaves small surprises (like candy or liquid bubbles in a jar) on his employees' desks or in their mailboxes just for fun. The goal in each case is to have some light-hearted fun and to make the workplace an enjoyable place to be.

Another way to motivate staff, rather than just giving them money, is to organize staff outings - take them to lunch, to a play, or on a riverboat cruise, for example. These "excursions" give the staff a chance to interact in a different way and send a message to everyone that they are important and valued enough to do something special for them.

An excellent book that suggests ways to motivate employees using a variety of approaches is the book Managing to Have Fun by Matt Weinstein (Simon & Schuster, 1996). Weinstein discusses the value of having fun at work and its impact on employees and productivity. Then he describes numerous ways to implement fun in the workplace. As Weinstein says, "If you want your company to provide excellent customer service, you first have to provide that same kind of attention and appreciation to your internal customers - your own employees. You can't expect your employees to provide ‘service with a smile' if you don't give them something to smile about! The intentional use of fun and play as a management skill can help create the kind of a supportive work environment that produces excellent customer service."

So, as managers, look for ways to appreciate your employees. Implement strategies to help them feel positive about being at work. Support them as they balance work and family responsibilities. Give them something to smile about and employee motivation will increase considerably. Finding ways to help your employees feel good about where they work can reap wonderful benefits - and you, as a manager, will have more fun too.

Eleta Jones, Ph.D., LPC is Director of Career Counseling at the Center for Professional Development, University of Hartford. The Center for Professional Development has been providing career development services to adults from across Connecticut since 1968.