Presenting

46 Business Unfortunately, too many owners and/or supervisors see worker interactions as interruptions rather than opportunities. Other times, these leaders' personalities clash with those of their charges, and that can be a major demotivator. "An employee's perception of his or her relationship with the owner or manager is far more important than that person's perception of the organization as a whole," Tosh assures. TIP: Engage the cynics. Harness the energies of employees who always seem to have a negative interpretation of workplace events. "Sometimes your cynics are your best critics," says Bob Verchota, owner of RPVerchota & Associates, a consulting firm in Hastings, Minn., that aligns businesses and their employees. "Make a focus group out of them; then you can really work on removing barriers to efficient employee performance." TOP MOTIVATORS Supervisors can use motivational techniques to re-engage workers and keep everyone performing at an elevated level. But what techniques will work? While the common wisdom says throwing more money at people will stimulate performance, studies have shown that not to be true. "When people are paid more, their performance does increase temporarily, but then it goes right back down," says Jack Altschuler, president of Fully Alive Leadership, an employee-engagement strategy firm in Northbrook, Ill. "And they then view higher pay as an entitlement." Money, then, does little to inspire great workers. But Altschuler offers three caveats. "For lower-wage people in financial distress, more money does matter and can change their engagement level," he clarifies. "Additionally, people who feel they're being underpaid will respond positively to increased financial reward." Finally, at the lower end of the wage distribution scale, money can determine who applies for a job and who stays on once they're hired. "If somebody is paid $12 an hour but can earn $18 someplace else, they're gone." . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ose exceptions aside, what really motivates people is a nurturing workplace that meets their basic human needs. And to establish such an environment, experts suggest doing the following: • Appreciate employee contributions. "e No. 1 thing employers can do to drive employee engagement is show appreciation," says Altschuler. " Very often, doing so is no more complicated than something like, 'Mary, thanks so much for staying late to help finish the wedding flowers for today' or 'anks for making that delivery on your way home last night. It was for a very important customer.'" • Recognize achievements. "When people do something worthy of recognition, they want to be recognized," says Altschuler. "Whether it's a celebratory party or a plaque that someone can hang on his or wall, recognition creates a sense of personal pride." • Provide autonomy. Anything an owner or a manager can do to cut back on stifling bureaucracy is a good thing. "People need some personal freedom in their work practices," says Verchota. "ey need to feel that achieving an outcome is important, but how they get there is something they get to decide." • Emphasize larger goals. "People need to feel a sense of purpose," says Verchota. "ey need to feel an emotional connection with their work and that their duties align with their value set." "When people are paid more, their performance does increase temporarily, but then it goes right back down. And they then view higher pay as an entitlement." March | 2023

• Cover