Motivation goes beyond carrots

Keeping staff motivated should therefore be top prerogative for any business but, everyone is motivated by different things so how can companies ensure that their teams stay motivated?

Williams believes that keeping staff motivated requires a multi-faceted approach that goes beyond simply dangling carrots.

“Individuals are motivated by different things: some want recognition, some want to be rewarded monetarily and some just want a happy working environment. That’s why companies need to strive for a balance between reward and recognition within an environment where people feel appreciated and where their contribution to the team is valued,” he comments.

Focus on building up

Williams says creating this kind of environment requires a full team effort where each employee is actively responsible for motivating the rest of the team by encouraging the free-flow of ideas, recognising the value of the contribution that each individual makes to the team and caring for, and respecting, their fellow team members. Politics should be banned from the workplace and everyone from top to bottom should be focused on building up, rather than breaking down, their colleagues.

Companies should ensure that remuneration is appropriate and in line with industry standards so that employees are not bogged down by financial worries and are able to concentrate on their work. Employees should also be officially recognised for going the extra mile and exceptional work should be rewarded, whether it be monetarily or by some other means, to further encourage employees to continue to achieve at that level.

Within this context, staff will be naturally motivated to work together, rather than against one another, for their own good and for the good of the company.

According to Williams, MGM has a multi-faceted approach to staff motivation and employs a number of mechanisms to keep its staff motivated and dedicated to the cause. All aspects of the company’s staff motivation programme are detailed and evaluated monthly as part of the agency’s overall scoreboard.

“Every month we evaluate ourselves in terms of the working environment we have provided for our employees, the way in which we have managed our human resources, the training and growth opportunities we have created, the remuneration we offer against industry norms and, whether or not we have adequately recognised and rewarded employees for great work,” he says.

MGM’s motivational programme includes, among others, monthly, quarterly and annual awards which serve to recognise employees who have gone beyond the expected levels of service or produced outstanding creative; monthly team-building events which provide opportunities for employees to interact on an informal level and have fun together, and regular informal departmental meetings where feedback is open and debate is encouraged.

Small things, big differences

The company also does small things that make a big difference in its employees’ lives such as providing nutritious breakfasts and lunches, an inviting area to congregate and eat, a creative space in its studio where people can play with ideas, and even a punch bag where people can get some of their frustrations out without taking it out on their colleagues.

Of course, the company does not overlook the importance of offering additional financial incentives to encourage staff to achieve their goals.

“It would be naïve to assume that money is not important to our staff. Every person in our team has dreams and personal monetary goals, and financial incentives play a part in helping them to reach them. At MGM we do incentivise monetarily but we don’t equate monetary incentives with staff motivation.

“That’s because we believe that true motivation goes much further than a carrot at the end of a stick. Even the most elaborate staff motivation schemes and biggest financial rewards will prove ineffective in motivating employees if they don’t feel like coming to work in the first place.

“The advertising industry is notoriously tough. Clients are demanding, hours are long, stress levels run high and it is easy for people to become de-motivated. So for us, it really all boils down to creating a caring, respectful and dynamic environment where people feel appreciated and are free to share and explore ideas without fear.

“If employees are happy and are motivated to work, productivity goes up, staff turnover is minimal and the company performs better overall,” concludes Williams.