IMPORTANT BUT MOSTLY NEGLECTED BY EMPLOYERS

Sir,

A happy worker is a good worker, a happy and a well motivated workforce is a healthy workforce. If an employee is kept motivated, he will always be loyal and hardworking. For organisations to grow they need a healthy workforce. A business does not only succeed because it is big or it has been long established but because there are employees in it, who love it, live it, dream it and have great future plans for it.

Within every organisation employee motivation is important. Motivation can be in the form of financial rewards and recognition (non-financial incentives). The creation of recognition programmes is important as it adds value to employees. Giving recognition certificates and appraisal ceremonies will do. Also a simple ‘thank you’ makes a difference.

 The time has passed when employees were regarded as just tools for generating money to sustain the organisation. Now employees should be regarded as valued assets that the organisation needs to pursue its goals, they must be treated with great care and be treated equally.
All employees, from senior management all the way down, have a mandate to pursue the goals of the organisation. It is unfortunate that most of those employees are not happy about their jobs and wish to quit. Many top performers are leaving or are planning to leave their workplace, and even if they stay, their engagement has dwindled making them less effective for the organisation.  A question remains as to why the employees are not happy in their jobs and work places. 

One vocal speaker once said that employees don’t quit their jobs but quit a manager.  This is very true because the relationship between a manager and an employee must be a good one, once it is broken trust is lost and nothing will ever work when trust is gone.

It is important for organisation leaders to take care of employees, leaders must take note and watch for the massive signs before destructions. In the past, Swaziland experienced an unprecedented spate of violence and destruction of property, coinciding with labour relations. The violence of employees may be a sign that the management is not doing enough to care for its work force.

Managers must take note of the nature and culture of the team and have a strategic approach towards changing the team and energising it. A manager without a strategy and with no objectives is bound to make mistakes and cause havoc.

Employee development as part of motivation can also be used. It is important that employers help develop employees as this will increase their effectiveness in the organisation. Managers should offer mentoring programmes, training programmes and ensure that there is a suitable environment for career development.  This help in opening the minds of employees while arming them with cutting edge knowledge that, when applied, will help sustain the business in the local and global business environment. It will also increase productivity.

Helping employees in career advancement and supporting their education is mostly overlooked. Industries must take advantage of the dynamic situations most industries overlook. Successful companies are offering enriching programs that are designed to increase overall professional competence and effectiveness.

Encouraging employees to learn will also help in internal recruitment and planning for succession. Managers must not only be managers but leaders, there is a difference between a manager and a leader. In short managers have legitimate power that allows them to reward and punish and their influence over others is based on formal authority in their positions. On the other hand leaders have the power of influence they can influence others to perform beyond the actions dictated by formal authority.

Concerned Worker

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