How to truly motivate agents in your office in 2012

Have you ever dragged your employees to listen to a motivational speaker?

Or tried to pump them up with lunch or some other promotion?

And then got frustrated because after a few days it didn’t seem to work?

There’s a new year coming and everybody naturally wants to do better in 2012.

But consider what really works when it comes to motivation.

Studies show that small rewards aren’t necessarily great because the employees seem to be focused on gaining that prize while forgetting the big picture of truly desiring to get the job done. And those who don’t win become even less motivated.

As far as negative motivation – punishment for not hitting goals, that technique only exacerbates the problem. A sword hanging over somebody’s head certainly doesn’t make anybody enthusiastic about their job.

So what does work?

According to Alexander Kjerulf, who calls himself the “Chief Happiness Officer” the trick is to help employees create their own motivation.

Trying to exert motivation on someone is called extrinsic motivation. Motivation from within, the best kind, is referred to as intrinsic motivation.

“Rather than trying to bribe people with pizzas and promotions, managers should help their people to discover meaning and develop skills at work, “Kjerfulf said. “What some managers don’t realize is that people want to do good work. Create a happy positive work environment and people are naturally motivated. Even better: They motivate themselves and each other.”

One thing to consider is this: rather than attempting to pump up your employees with words, food or a prize, why not improve their work environment with better tools so they can be more successful with their efforts?

Think about it? Have you added any new technology to your office lately, say an iPad or a better photocopier?

What about adding a new feature to your website – like SpatialMatch’s visually-outstanding IDX COMBINED with a lifestyle search engine?

Your goal for 2012 may be “Get x number of new listings.”

Well, the real estate office down the road is thinking the same thing.

But when you arm your staff with an exciting new tool or feature, a tangible item they can use and show prospects, you will inspire them to get those new listings.

And they are confident they can now compete with those folks down the street. You’ve given them an advantage.

As the old saying goes: Talk is cheap.

But we all know,  the right tools will get the job done.

To read the Chief Happiness Officer’s full column on motivation, click here.

If you are interested in adding SpatialMatch to your site in time to kick off the new year, go here.