How To Retain Talents When You Can’t Give Them A Raise

The only way to keep employees in a company by recognizing their needs and responding to them.

This is “Before-The-Fact-Recognition” and creates sustainable motivation that will last even through a financial crisis – as opposed to “After-The-Fact-Recognition” which consists mainly of rewards (for achievements) and only gives short boosts of motivation (as long as the rewards keep coming).

If you give people a chance to grow, to be involved, if you make them feel valuable by giving them a chance to make a difference (to the company, their colleagues, your clients, etc.), if you ask them for their opinion, so they feel respected and important and if you openly communicate your concerns and that you do recognize their needs – then you’re creating a relationship (a psychological and emotional bond) with your employees that they won’t break just because someone offers them more money.

How Was Your First Day, Honey?

Here’s a great Wall Street Journal article by Mike Michalowicz on involving the significant others of your employees into motivating those same employees… What would it do for your employees if they came home to partners every evening, who tell them, “Wow, you’re so lucky to work for that company!” What would it take for [...]

Use Wacky Appreciation Days To Create Fun At Work

You know that unexpected little surprises make people way happier than expected ones, right? And coming up with something unexpected on a regular basis is not easy, right again? Here’s a source of information that will give you a boost of creativity and ideas in creating more fun for your team at work. It’s a [...]

When Recognition backfires…

At my company, when a colleague does something great – secures a new account, exceeds a goal, etc. – everyone is called into the lobby. The person’s supervisor announces what she did and she has to dance in front of everyone. I’ve heard that public speaking is the most common fear, and public dancing has [...]

What motivates employees? Money? Always?

I’ve posted Dan Pink’s talk on motivation here before. This clip adds an entertaining “visual aid” to it, though, which makes it really easy to focus and get the message! Are employees motivated by money?

76 Tips on Employee Recognition

Here are a few ideas on unique ways to reward your employees. Whether you agree with them or not, this list might help you to think out of the box and see what possibilities are out there, to come up with ideas that fit your organization or team. These tips are taken from a list [...]

What you appreciate, appreciates…

From a recent Club Fearless email of  Steve Chandler: The value of communicating with people in a praising way is huge, to both people. It helps you (the praiser) focus on the actions and qualities you admire, thereby raising your sense of gratitude about who you live and work with. When you are praising someone [...]

Daniel Pink on motivation in the 21st century

Watch Daniel Pink speaking about motivation on TED Talks. Daniel Pink is the author of “A whole new mind” – his bestseller about the importance of “right brain thinking” in the conceptual age.