It’s that time of year when we reflect on the past and revise our goals for the future.
2010 was a challenging year for all businesses. The recession and economic uncertainty saw many companies going through the difficult process of downsizing or restructuring and staff motivation often reaching an all time low.
A new year can to a certain extent create a sense of a “new beginning” by shedding the problems of the past and looking forward to the successes of the future. Why not take advantage of this sense of “new year” in a way that will motivate your staff to accomplish more in 2011? Here are some suggestions:

1 A kick off meeting/regular communication

People appreciate knowing what’s going on in their Company and being part of a team. A kick off meeting to start the New Year will focus everyone for the year ahead; identify successes which show you appreciate their efforts and highlight where the business needs to improve.
Carrying messages through from the kick off meeting to regular team meetings or regular newsletters will keep your employees informed of progress and help to build teamwork.

2 Setting targets

Most people tend to perform better when they have targets to work towards. This helps to drive them forward and keep them motivated and, if they achieve it, can have a significant effect on self confidence.
It is essential, that targets are realistic as well as challenging. An employee who works as hard as they can for a target that is increasingly unreachable will become de-motivated and may end up under performing.

Key factors to help employees meet their targets:
• Have a plan and break it down into small, manageable steps with regular milestones to track and celebrate progress.
• Upgrade your mindset to increase your odds of success by repeating positive affirmations. If you are holding onto thoughts that negate your ability to achieve a goal (e.g. I’m just not organised enough) you are sabotaging your success.
• Build in support and accountability by setting up a support system in advance so that if and when targets look unachievable you have someone to turn to for support.
• Be ready for setbacks; think through setbacks ahead of time and decide how you will deal with them.

3 Training  

Do you have the right people in the right jobs? Are managers ready to lead their teams to business success?

It is possible to train a workforce to become more motivated. By showing them how to break down challenges into achievable tasks and using instruction and demonstration, your teams should feel less fearful of future tasks and projects, more able to cope and more motivated. Various types of training can take place either in the workplace or outside of it.

4 Company awards/incentives

If you don’t already have them you could introduce company awards. These can be weekly, monthly, quarterly and annually, and don’t need to cost a fortune. Just to be awarded salesperson of the month, and to receive a token bottle of wine, for example, will motivate people and encourage performance.
You may not be able to offer big bonuses, but you can implement things such as letting employees leave work early on Fridays, giving them their birthday off or giving a top performer a month of free lunches.

5 Add some fun

You could use theme days, for example a dress for fun Friday, competitions with prizes or staff off-work time together such as after work barbecues or a few drinks. Get everyone involved to encourage employees to get to know each other and build rapport.

6 It’s good to talk

Personal support is completely free and can make a huge difference to motivation. Ensure each employee has a mentor that they can learn from or someone they can speak to at any time for advice and support.

7 It’s all about me, me, me!

How well do you know your workforce?
Recognising different personalities gives you a better understanding of your staff. Take the time and effort to understand their needs and try to fulfil them. Some people need regular advice and reassurance that they are doing a good job; others prefer to be left alone to work independently.

8 Keep on your toes

Can you respond quickly to changing circumstances and business objectives?
Developing a “change is normal” attitude helps you respond quickly to changing circumstances and objectives. Make it a habit to look for changes that may be a developing trend. Then try to determine how this trend may impact the growth of your business. The best solution to a problem is found when it is caught early and your have time to carefully work out your response.

9 Supporting employees through change

Can you actively support your employees through these changing times?
Resistance to change comes from fear of the unknown or an expectation of loss. An individual’s degree of resistance to change is determined by whether they perceive the change as good or bad, and how severe they expect the impact of the change to be on them. Define the change for the employee in as much detail and as early as you can and provide updates as things develop and become clearer. Determine the reasons for their reluctance and help individuals reduce their resistance to a minimal, manageable level.
By engaging with employees and investing time and resources to foster a happy and motivated workforce, businesses will benefit from greater productivity and talent that, if managed correctly, could see them through the recovery.
So that just leaves us to wish you a happy and prosperous New Year for 2011!

If you have any questions about this or any tips you would be happy to share, please email us at
julie.ware@peoplebusiness.co.uk, call us on 01932 874944