Spreading Sunshine

Wipe away the clouds that hover in your workplace

By Karen Appold

It’s a dreary Monday morning and the staff has dampened spirits. How can a manager motivate employees and increase their enthusiasm for the workday? Nikki Nash, public relations manager, Phenix and Phenix, Austin , TX , suggests starting a boring Monday by discussing what is important for the week and whether or not any obstacles stand in the way of the week’s tasks.

“A manager should generate excitement by showing genuine openness and enthusiasm for work activities,” Nash said. “Perhaps the manager should be the sunshine, which may brighten dark corners.” The staff will surely appreciate coffee and donuts during the meeting.

Working Late
Suppose a supervisor utters the other dreaded phrase: I need you to work late. What can he do to make working into the dark of the night not so dreadful? “Communicate and appreciate,” Nash advised. “Managers have a tendency to expect individuals to work late to show they want to advance their career. This has a tendency to be negative and adverse, regardless of whether or not it is true.”

Tell your staff why it is necessary to work late. Team members will work more enthusiastically if they understand the reason. If the project would benefit from the boss’ presence, then she should stay. Order pizza or give dinner gift certificates, days off or movie tickets as rewards for their efforts.

No one likes to work late, but try to make the evening bearable, says Deborrah Himsel, vice president organization effectiveness, Avon Products, Inc., New York, NY. Now that it’s after hours, why not order a smorgasbord of your group’s favorite foods for dinner and crank up the radio or liven the night with golden oldies CDs?

The Same Old Rut
Another scenario which can cause a workplace to feel cloudy is staff boredom due to the routine work. What can a team leader do to part the clouds?

Nash advises a supervisor generate enthusiasm by maintaining a strong communication channel between staff and himself. This will:

• Inform them that you know the importance of their role.
• Give a bigger perspective of how their role fits into the larger scheme.
• Offer an opportunity to suggest improvements in their processes.
• Create variety and an opportunity to grow.
• Implement a reward mechanism for effort.
• Provide variety and a way out of the cage.

Christopher Jones, careers expert and columnist, Yahoo! HotJobs, New York , NY , says the key to inspiring employees is to give a purpose and a goal and ensure they do not lose sight of them. Hold group meetings with the entire staff as well as individual meetings with each staff member to discover concerns and what’s bringing down morale.

“If the staff has lost direction, it may be time to regroup and reinstate roles and responsibilities, objectives and goals,” Jones said. “Or, perhaps the daily grind has become too routine, too regular. If your team is on a rotation, maybe it’s time to rearrange the order and mix things up.”

A Depressing Workspace
Many hospitals and clinics are gloomy. How can a supervisor brighten the workplace inexpensively and without overstepping her bounds as a facility employee?

Nash says a mechanism that allows employees to provide suggestions for improvement can be fruitful. Offer the opportunity to vote or present a reward for the best suggestion. Let employees tell you what is and isn’t working and how to fix it.

If concerns exist about overstepping your boundaries, tell the policy manager that you will establish such a system or that you would welcome working together to liven the workplace, Nash adds.

Motivating an Employee
How can you motivate an employee who is anything but Ms. Sunshine? She consistently asks for deadline extensions and her work continues to hover around average. To change her attitude, Nash advises providing assistance. “She may be in over her head,” Nash said. “She may have personal problems that are causing stress. She may hate the work. She may despise the boss. The task might be ridiculous.”

In this scenario, a team leader should engage in a one-on-one discussion to address conflicts and obstacles in an employee’s work and personal life. “Become a trusted individual who an employee can turn to for assistance,” Nash said. This should be a “how can I help you” talk. This will result in uncovering details and issues that the manager can tackle. The best approach is if the manager has a genuine interest and empathy for the employee first and the job function second.

Jones believes the first step is to address the problem with an employee and try to discover why she continues to miss deadlines and why her work is mediocre. By detecting the problem, you may be able to realize a solution together that will motivate her. Sometimes all it takes to pep up an employee is taking the time to recognize her and address her concerns.

Himsel, who has authored the book Leadership Sopranos Style 1, suggests determining an employee’s passions. Ask her what upcoming, unassigned project excites her. Tell her the project is hers as soon as she meets the deadlines for her current work.

Finding Peace
You sense an employee is walking through a thunderstorm. He’s depressed that he has little hope to offer a patient. How can a manager boost his spirits?

Show empathy and sympathy. “You’ll have a better chance of helping a depressed employee than a manager who doesn’t care,” Nash said. “Sit down and have coffee or lunch and discuss specific situations.” Tell him that he is blessed by having the ability to bring light to a dark place. Let him know that he is privileged to be close to the soul of a special patient, that there is reverence in this and sharing in this is a great gift. In this light, the employee should maintain the strength to assist the patient in a time of need.

Weathering the Storm
Whether rain, snow, clouds or thunderstorms plague your practice, a manager can help employees overcome problems and find some sunshine. It will take action on your part, but the end result will be a happy and productive employee.

Additional Reading
Himsel, D. (2004).Leadership sopranos style: How to become a more effective boss. Chicago, IL: Dearborn Trade Publishing.