Part 1 of this series provided eight ways to keep your HVACR and plumbing teams motivated to do good and great things for the company, with an emphasis on communication.
For many people, however, money is necessary, but not necessarily motivational or satisfying. They respond to other factors. Here are eight more:
9. Be Respectful
No matter the position, treat everyone with respect. It’s really simple. Yet, it can also be hard because people come from different places. Some are more sensitive than others. Some can handle good natured teasing and others cannot. It’s the manager’s job to understand each person and show respect in ways the individual values them.
10. Say Thank You… A Lot
You may feel like you are saying thank you to your team every payday. It’s not enough. Even though you pay people, treat them like volunteers. Thank them continually. It helps people to feel appreciated. Some crave it. Others do not. Thank them anyway.
11. Support Initiative
When someone takes initiative, encourage it. Even if it’s not the best idea, encourage the person for taking initiative. Let people try things, even when you think they won’t work. You might be wrong.
Initiative is precious. You cannot teach it, you can only create an environment where it can thrive. Conversely, you can easily snuff it out.
12. Hold Fun Events
It’s okay to have fun at work. Hosting fun events are a great way to make the workplace more enjoyable. Fun events can be contest based, food based, or activity based.
One example: create a company contest where everyone participates as players or fans. The winning team gets a steak dinner. Everyone else gets baked beans.
13. Be 'Open Book'
Share your financials with the team. Explain to them how to read a balance sheet and income statement. Review company performance monthly or quarterly. Everyone likes to know how the company is performing. Also, few companies generate as much profit as employees believe. Letting people see the size of company overhead relative to profit helps people understand you aren’t raking it in at the expense of payroll. Further, it encourages people to find ways to cut expenses.
14. Set Team Goals
Hand in hand with open book is the establishment of goals for the entire team. Human beings are achievement oriented creatures. We are at our best when we are striving to attain a goal.
Drive a stake into the ground. Set a target and watch how the team rallies to achieve it. Celebrate when you succeed.
15. Give Lots of Recognition
Find ways to recognize others. Almost everyone craves well-deserved recognition. Even if you are one of those who do not need it, your team does. Make an effort to recognize good performance and to catch people doing something right so you can applaud their efforts.
16. Show Humility
Owners and managers should never take themselves too seriously. Be willing to be silly, if it’s called for. Offer self-depreciating humor from time to time.
Most of all, recognize that you could not accomplish anything without others. Feel fortunate, you have a good or great team around you.
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