Lack of Performance Has a Price: Motivating Performance

Lack of performance has a price, and it's probably more than you realize. Motivating performance of your employees isn't just something to talk about; it's essential for the success of your business. As leaders you recognize that lack of performance causes projects to be delayed and redos be common. Have you ever stopped and thought about the actual cost as a result of this? Cost overruns on projects are easy to recognize. But what about other, less obvious costs related to lack of performance? If a project is delayed, the likelihood is that other projects are pushed farther out on the calendar. Employee morale is affected when projects aren't completed or they are asked to redo some parts of it. Morale can have a direct impact on performance, as well as turnover, and thus the cycle continues. Lack of performance is costly at many levels, and I've touched on just a couple. So how do we ensure we are motivating employee performance as much as possible? A few points I want to make.

1. I believe we have a greater chance of de-motivating employees than motivating them. There are numerous ways to de-motivate an employee, and frankly we do it without even recognizing we are. I'm certain many of you reading this post will disagree and site a variety of options to motivate employees.

2. In 20+ years as a recruiter, I found employees left their companies due to culture, challenges with management style, not clear career path, no ability to change/improve their skills, dissatisfaction about the work itself, and a host of other reasons that were "de-motivators."

3. If we want to improve employee performance, we have to look at our company and recognize what is interfering with their performance. Consider things such as poor communication, ineffective leadership, a culture that punishes mistakes, limited opportunities for career progression, a culture where employees should be seen but not heard...you get the point. What are the parts of your organization that can negatively impact how employees feel about their role or the company in general?

Great companies don't just happen. Superior employee performance isn't just luck. Both are the result of leaders who consider their employees as true assets to the organization, not something that is easily replaced, like toner for your printer. These leaders invest in their people and understand the investment will yield rewards such as top performance, creative thinkers, minimal turnover, and a company where people are excited to come to work. Lack of performance has a price, and it's more than you might realize. Take the time to invest in your people, andmotivating performance will not be something you have to do; it will be something that happens naturally.