The Tribune

Every employer wants to retain passionate, committed employees who demonstrate a high degree of loyalty to the company, its goals and objectives. Research continually reminds us of the direct correlation between passion and productivity. When people are motivated and enthusiastic about their assignments, they tend to perform it with a higher degree of accuracy and efficiency.

The passion demonstrated by employees should permeate into every aspect of your company’s appeal. They should exude passion for the customers, the company, their fellow team members, the goals of the organisation and, ultimately, the bottom line.

Perhaps most employees begin their employment on a high note, passionately pursuing a good name for themselves. The question, then, is what happens in the decades, years, months, weeks or days after contract signing that causes many employees’ love for job and work to wane? Why are there such blatant cases of lacklustre performance existing in both the private and public sector?

Some argue that jobs are like relationships, beginning with a super honeymoon and continuing in series of hills and valleys. When leaders and companies fail to add the fire to the ‘lit’ employee at the onset, they become overwhelmed, exhausted, bored, unappreciated, and can ultimately invite turnover into their business, which we all know is quite expensive.

Here is a brief list of what employers can do to ensure that employees remain motivated:

1. Avoid intimidation tactics and policies. Allow employees to make mistakes in a secure environment.

2. Passion breeds passion. Allow the passionate employees to lead teams and serve in key roles to spread the joy.

3. Do not make a habit of hiding information from anyone. The greater the levels of transparency, the higher the trust in the company and love for it.

4. Create a culture of engagement among employees. E-mails and memos must never take the place of face to face meetings when they are possible. People can sometimes get lost in the silence of technology.

5. Celebrate successes together. Birthdays, engagements, weddings, work anniversaries are a reason to whip out the cider and cake.

6. Reward and recognise fairly - and regularly - employees who deliver to the company’s standards.

7. Ask your employees for feedback, and make the changes necessary to ensure they are happy.

• NB: Ian R. Ferguson is a talent management and organisational development consultant, having completed graduate studies with regional and international universities. He has served organsations, both locally and globally, providing relevant solutions to their business growth and development issues. He may be contacted at tcconsultants@coralwave.com.