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Original poster

I fyou were in my team what would incentivise you? (apart from cold hard cash!)

62 replies

WideWebWitch · 17/08/2005 20:10

I have a small team reporting to me atm who are very unhappy and demotivated and I need them not to be so! There is a lot of stuff medium and longer term that I can and will do to improve their lot and make their jobs and lives easier but in the meantime I have a very small (£1k ish) budget to improve their morale - does anyone have any ideas? So far I'm taking them out for a team lunch next week and I'm also thinking of:

Granting a lie in/the ability to leave early to the best performing team member of the month
A decent bottle of wine for the best customer service of the month
What else?
Any and all ideas welcome, TIA.

OP posts:
cod · 17/08/2005 20:13

Message withdrawn

Heathcliffscathy · 17/08/2005 20:13

ooooo, www, is this the new job???

you sound like a fabulous manager already btw.

why not ask them (don't give budget, and don't put it in terms of things that would cost money)?

why are they so unhappy and demotivated? was their last manager a bag of poo?

oooo, i'm so excited for you...and so looking forward to being back in the world of work myself soon(ish)!

cod · 17/08/2005 20:14

Message withdrawn

Hattie05 · 17/08/2005 20:16

I found the odd night out, drinks on the company did my staff team the world of good!

And agree someone who is obviously listening and going to take action in a positive way - which you are obviously doing - is enough. Honesty and keeping them up to date also will make them feel valued enough to work effectively for you.

Twiglett · 17/08/2005 20:17

take them out to lunch and ask them?

then follow through on the best suggestions

foxinsocks · 17/08/2005 20:17

what line of work are you in?

I would not make them compete against each other - I would perhaps let them take turns (if they can't all be off at the same time) for leaving after lunch on a Friday for a few months.

If you want to reward individuals, can their performance be measured subjectively? (i.e. not your personal judgement as to who is best but based on least complaints etc.) because if it can't be subjectively measured I fear you would demotivate them more.

MascaraOHara · 17/08/2005 20:17

Subject close to my heart atm! I'm you but without the £1k.

Could you be honest with them. tell them you know things aren't great but you do have a very small amount of money to do something with - what would they like.. perhaps a night out together once they all get x piece of work finished?

colditz · 17/08/2005 20:18

thank them often. I find being thanked makes a difference to my day.

cod · 17/08/2005 20:29

Message withdrawn

nooka · 17/08/2005 20:29

Money not an option for me as I work in the NHS. I had a team away day with my team (most of whom are realtively new in post) and we did a team values exercise. I think that it was a good thing (they want another one, so it can't have been too bad!). Got a lot out into the open about how they wanted to work/what issues they had. We had a good facilitator and went to a hotel for the day.

Otherwise, lots of listening, plenty of autonomy and honest praise and feedback. I think they like me, because I went for a secondment a few months ago and when I told them I didn't get it they all cheered!

littlerach · 17/08/2005 20:39

Think the lie in or afternoon off is good.

Original poster
WideWebWitch · 17/08/2005 20:39

Cod, I've done that too, have had 1:1s with all, full and frank exchanges etc. I am being honest with them, I am listening to all views about everything, I am asking for their thoughts, all that, honestly! I have agreed it's all rubbish atm and have told them how it's going to improve. Have instigated a weekly team meeting etc. Point taken about rewarding the whole team rather than individuals but tbh some won't deserve it. And will be dealt with (ooh, not sounding so nice now am I?!) appropriately so I guess won't be there medium term. Yes, thanking is a good one Colditz, I will do that, I called someone professionally just to say thank you today and he was very grateful. And I also did a professional favour for someone today and WASN'T thanked (I even left a gap in the conversation for it), by some cheeky boy who ought to know better and it pissed me off!

OP posts:
Debbsywillgetherbeanie · 17/08/2005 20:50

sorry to crash but im a bdm and have to incentivise a tsales dept all the time you could start with spot prizes ie chocs wine vouchers etc which will be a good motivater.

Caligula · 17/08/2005 20:54

Agree that the evening out etc. is good, but change is what motivates. If they can see one thing pushed through as a result of consultation with them, that will boost morale big time.

Debbsywillgetherbeanie · 17/08/2005 20:54

but dont be afraid to ask them what they would like to motivate them have a suggestion box bcos some individuals are motivated in different ways some money some praise some like goals to be set to get in front of another team player (thats my bag) feedback v important and praise and making them feel worthwhile hth

Debbsywillgetherbeanie · 17/08/2005 20:56

what field are you in ?

tortoiseshell · 17/08/2005 21:02

We sometimes used to get cakes or wine at the end of the day if we'd had a really stressful week or something (in a school some weeks are much more busy than others) which was really nice as it made us feel like it was recognised that we'd worked really hard.

Original poster
WideWebWitch · 17/08/2005 21:11

tortoiseshell, I worked somewhere once where there was a bar downstairs so someone would bring a white wine spritzer to my desk at 6pm! Debby, it's a type of customer service but I don't want to say any more than that, sorry!

OP posts:
SueW · 17/08/2005 21:20

Ice creams for the whole staff on hot days used to pull up morale in an office I worked in. Also occasionally manager putting hand in office 'pocket' and grabbing enough cash for all to have a drink on the company.

Eowyn · 17/08/2005 21:28

I work in a small team where morale has been low for ages. my boss is forever concerned & having meetings about this because we answer anonymous questionnaires and it is in her targets to improve things, but the reason for low morale is her total incompetance & it's a little hard to tell her, she is known for crying when challenged.

she has instigated "spontaeneous gestures" (which have to be agreed & approved) where people are rewarded with wine/vouchars etc, but it's a bit predictable who's going to get them & to someone part-time, like me, more demoralising cos i am unable to go out of my way, having other priorities..

so I think what would help is again the actually listening & taking action, not just over trivialities, & giving people the opportunity to leave early etc can be motivating, but overall being fair, not having favourites, understanding what they do..
hope that is of use.. nice to rant about my office anyway.

Original poster
WideWebWitch · 17/08/2005 21:30

Thanks SueW and Eowyn.I haven't been there long enough for my incompetence to be the cause (I hope!) but thanks. I never cry at work either!

OP posts:
Original poster
WideWebWitch · 17/08/2005 21:31

btw, agreed and approved spontaneous gestures don't sound v spontaneous! I agree, it's not on to leave part timers out.

OP posts:
henshake · 17/08/2005 21:50

I've taken over a couple of teams where they've felt s**t.

I've never had that kinda money to play with.

My first is to book 2 hours in a meeting room for a team brief. They get told the agenda b4hand & it is always: - A. What's crap at the moment, B. How can we realistically bring about changing this, C. What's good at the moment, D. Why is it good at the moment & E. then review all the crap items to set priorities against them. Finish with a quick game or quiz.

Where possible task the resolutions to the team members, tell them that if they have any probs then to see you.

95% of the team have some thing to say in each category & there is always a common thread. My have always been the systems don't work properly & that number crunching is not better than quality.

I've found that communication tends to be what works.

On last note - bring along own team lunches. Get team to arrange a home made buffet & arrange a quick meeting followed by the buffet & another game.

Hope this helps.

jampots · 17/08/2005 21:59

are you trying to get them to perform better as a team or are there individuals who make morale low?

Granting late in/early home is an excellent one.

acnebride · 17/08/2005 22:05

Since I'm a puritan I dislike being given little pressies as an individual, but it's fun if the boss takes us out and buys us a drink.

I think TBH the lie-in/leave early thing is a dangerous road. It says that the best thing on offer is not to be at work?

What motivates me is a boss that listens, that never ever gives bad news any way other than face to face, and who notices/thanks me when I make a big effort or achieve something. Also, a boss that notices when I am getting in a spin about something, and talks to me purely to reassure me. I've had that once, and it was amazing.

I'd hang on to that 1K if you can, to implement a bright idea that somebody comes up with. If 1K would do it. Otherwise, bump up the Christmas party?

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