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THE HUMAN ISSUE
EXTRA MOTIVATION
COULD YOUR BUSINESS BENEFIT FROM AN INCENTIVE SCHEME ? DON ’ T KNOW ? READ ON .
W hy should staff need incentivising ? Surely getting paid is enough incentivisation ?! It ’ s a fair comment , and one you ’ ve probably either heard – or thought – yourself over the years . And , quite rightly , being paid is enough of an incentive to do your day-to-day job .
However , incentive programs can be a useful way of motivating new behaviour , establishing your company values or growing the business .
So , if you ’ ve ever considered establishing an incentive program but don ’ t know where to start , you ’ re in luck .
1
KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO INCENTIVISE
You need to incentivise something positive for the business long-term that currently doesn ’ t happen . For example , your people proactively seek out new business . Maybe it ’ s a change in behaviour – for example , improved communication with customers . Whatever it is , it ’ s vital to know what you want to incentivise , and why .
2
DECIDE HOW IT ’ S GOING TO RUN
Who ’ s going to take part in the scheme ? Is it everyone in the company , or people at a certain level – for example , apprentices ? What will the incentive be ? It could be commission , it could be an annual bonus – it could be something completely different . Make sure you consider how , for example , it will run for a part-time employee versus full-time , or what happens when people are off on personal leave . Of course , there needs to be a discussion with your finance person , too , to ensure incentives can be paid and understand the financial impact on the business of doing so .
3
DECIDE HOW IT ’ LL BE MEASURED
A common reason for incentive schemes failing is that the targets are either poorly defined or unrealistic – or both . So , it ’ s important that you set clear , achievable ( not easily achievable !) targets that can be understood and measured . It ’ s also important that the scheme is seen as fair and realistic , so before you present something as a done deal , get a few different opinions to see if it ’ ll fly .
4
DOCUMENT IT
Your incentive scheme needs to be documented , capturing all of the ‘ rules and regulations ’ that impact it . Distribute this to staff so they ’ ve got a point of reference .
5
COMMUNICATE IT WELL !
A good incentive scheme should be easy to understand , easy to manage and deliver strong results for the business . Launch the incentive scheme properly – make sure people see it for the big deal it is . Ensure that people understand the what and the why – what benefit is it going to deliver for the business , and why is this important ? Invite questions about it – hopefully your consultation process has identified any ‘ gotchas ’, but it ’ s vitally important everyone involved understands how it ’ s going to work , and what the benefits are . n
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CHARACTERISTICS OF A GREAT EMPLOYEE
While incentive schemes can be great for businesses to achieve things they currently aren ’ t doing , employees need to meet their part of the bargain , too . So , what are some of the key characteristics employers look for in employees – and how many do you tick ?
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R Ambition : Are you happy being where you are now , or do you want to achieve more ? R Confidence : Do you have assurance in your ability ? R Humility : But don ’ t think you ’ re god ’ s gift ! R Passion : Do you genuinely care about what you do ? R Reliability : Do you do what you say you will , each and every time ? R Positivity : Are you a ray of sunshine , or a Debbie Downer ? R Consistency : Do you display the same behaviours and personality every day , or is it pot luck what |
sort of mood you ’ re in ? R Self-motivated : Do you just get cracking or do you need a kick up the backside ? R Team player : Do you revel in being part of a group , or are you purely out for number one ? R Proactivity : Wait to be asked , or come up with ideas and take the initiative ? R Detailed : Do you have a laser eye for detail ? It ’ s a critical skill as an electrician . R Honest : Your bosses need to be able to trust you . Can they ? R Loyalty : Are you in this for the |
long haul , or is it just a stepping stone ? Can you be trusted with business info or is it likely to find its way into the ears of competitors ? R Flexibility : Do you rigidly stick to your lane , or can you change direction and do whatever the business needs ? R Problem solving : Can you figure things out for yourself , or do you panic as soon as you hit a roadblock ? R Organisation : Do you have everything under control , or do you rarely know which day it is ?!? |
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