How can I motivate, when all around the news is glum?

Focus, Focus, Focus!!!!

Just because Honda are stopping production for 4 months or this one is shedding this many jobs or that one is closing its factory, does not mean that there is not also good news mixed in with the bad. Why only today Subway announced it was opening a further 600 stores in the UK & Eire creating 7000 jobs. There are still many opportunities in times of recession and even more importantly we have to motivate our teams to go after those opportunities and grasp both hands around them when we find them.

Motivation should not be hard in a climate such as the UK today, but surprisingly it is very difficult. You would think people were thankful to still be in a job and that they would work even harder to ensure that it stayed that way. Human nature does not work like that and unfortunately the bad news is impossible to avoid and no matter who you are, I believe, it has to have a detrimental effect on morale.

I guess as a business leader it is my role to inspire my team to achieve, to invigorate where energy wanes and to coach where the need arises. Is it enough? Most of the time, yes it is but in these strange times I am not sure. I think more is needed and that is the motivation.

One way businesses can motivate is cash. Cash bonuses are real, tangible and effective some of the time.

Another is product bonuses. This could be points with prizes, length of service awards, employee of the month etc. It is generally felt that these type of prizes have an increased perceived value compared to the relative cash bonuses. Only when a cash bonus becomes substantial does the cash seem more!

Is now a good time to introduce a motivation programme? Absolutely! Why? It is widely felt that it is harder to motivate in a difficult climate than when things are good. Motivation can increase sales and of that there can be no doubt. So many Sales People tell me they are self motivated and driven individuals, they probably are most of the time but even the best need a nudge in the right direction from time to time.

So there is no better time to look at a programme for your employees to help and maintain motivation, we at Merchandise Mania can clearly help with that. This is the shameless plug part!!!!!

Until next time……..