Accentuate the Positive - Motivating your Employees through Positive Reinforcement
by Leeia Ladipoh on March 26th, 2008
There are two types of reactions to everything in life - positive and negative. This goes all the way down to the operation of the smallest atoms and molecules that make up the environment around us. It also comes into play at the workplace.
As a small business owner, you regularly have to choose between positive and negative reactions to things that happen. When dealing with your employees, you may let things continue as is - until something goes wrong.
You may then resort to using a negative reaction to effect course correction. While negative consequences do work, at least in the short term, this is not always the best way to deal people that work for you.
Employee Psychology
By only dealing with your employees when there is something wrong, you ensure that they will try to remain under the radar as much as possible. That is, no one will take responsibility for anything for fear of negative repercussions.
Instead, wouldn’t it be better if your employees were all vying for your attention for the right reasons? With positive reinforcement, they can be.
The best employees are those who feel appreciated. They feel their boss and company care about them, how they perform, and the job they do. They also know that you notice their hard work and their attempts to ‘go above and beyond’ for the good of the business.
Set Goals
One important way to set effect positive reinforcement is to set goals for your employees to reach. These could be goals for sales, customer service, or in any other area.
Make sure each employee knows individual and group goals, so they can aim to reach them.
Recognition
When your employees reach their individual goals, take notice. Make sure to praise that employee at a meeting or other staff gathering.
If there is a group goal that has been met, give the team praise for working together and reaching the goal at hand.
Rewards
In addition to praise, you may want to institute a reward system for employees who are meeting their goals. This could be a cash bonus, free vacation day, or anything else you can think of as a reward.
If it is a team goal, come up with a way that everyone can take part in the reward, such as having a bagel breakfast brought in for the team to enjoy in the morning, or a group lunch in the afternoon.
Above and Beyond
Some employees will do more than just meet goals. Many are self-motivated to go ‘above and beyond’ every time there is an opportunity.
Whether it is going out of their way to make a customer happy or coming up with a plan to reduce shoplifting, recognize your employees for their initiative. This will encourage other employees to step up and be more productive.
Note Improvement
For some employees, improvement comes hard. While they may not be the shining stars of your organization, when they work to improve themselves and the job they do, it should be recognized. This will encourage them - and other employees - to continue to strive to be better.
While there are positive and negative reactions to any situation, the only way to really motivate employees is through positive reinforcement. The more you show your employees that you appreciate their work, the more they will work to gain that appreciation.