Employee motivation is part and parcel of business growth

Recently I met an old friend who runs a small IT firm in Nairobi.

The business is doing well, but he admits it could do better.

One of his employees has shown good promise in terms of commitment, leadership, discipline and creativity.

His dilemma is how best he can motivate this gentleman so that he is more useful to the business.

My first reaction was that he does whatever it takes to keep this employee on board because such people are hard to come by.

When motivating employees it is important to dispense with the myth that financial rewards are always the way to go.

Therefore it is advisable to use all means available to keep this gentleman in the business.

The most natural way to motivate your employee is to actually recognise his efforts openly.

Let him know that you appreciate the role he is playing in the organisation. Praise is very important and uplifting.

Try and praise him in the company of fellow employees and this will bring out the best of him.

Another way to motivate a good employee is to assign him more responsibilities along his line of expertise.

This implies that you have a lot of confidence in his ability to discharge these duties effectively.

The usual result is that he steps up his efforts and this translates into business growth.

Challenging tasks helps one grow in depth and resourcefulness since a bit of research will be involved.

Employers must make a deliberate effort to enhance their charge’s ability to perform by sending them to relevant training programs, seminars or even further studies.

At a glance this sounds like a cost to the business, but it is actually an investment. It makes the person feel wanted and valued.

Most businesses think that building an employee’s capacity is unnecessary because they might eventually leave for greener pastures, but it is a risk worth taking.

Every employee dreams of climbing the corporate ladder.

Consider the option of promoting him to the next grade.

Promotions on merit normally produce amazing positive results.

If there is no suitable grade to rise to, you can even create one.

In my friends case, he could make the employee a brand development manager in charge of new products.

A promotion comes with a new title and higher responsibilities.

The main objective of motivation is to show that you appreciate the extra effort and dedication.

Incentives like a holiday, free airtime, a better office and a car to mention but a few go along way to communicate this message to an employee.

The choice of incentives depends on the nature of business you are in and financial strength of your company.

A dinner or lunch would mean a lot to employees as well.

Monetary incentives are also important. A salary increment is always welcome and appreciated.

However this must not be the only measure of motivation but should be used as part of a wider motivational strategy.

The excitement arising from a salary increment does not last long and therefore it is prudent to emphasize more on the factors mentioned above.

The moment your employees start to refer to your business as “our business”, then you have a reason to celebrate.

The shortest route to this end is employee motivation that is wholesome.

Ben.kimani@gmail.com