Business income is at an all-time low. Yet, to succeed you need to keep your talent motivated enough to deliver in the harsh economic situation, where the business may have resulted in business cuts.
Turns out, using cash as a carrot isn't always the best answer. What employees crave even more is to feel that their managers appreciate them and aren't afraid to show it, not only in paycheck terms but in other ways.
For the past five years, Patricia Chebet has not received a salary raise. She works as a front desk legal assistant at a law firm in Nairobi. While her salary has remained stagnant, her productivity has been on the rise. "This doesn't disturb me because of the immense career support I have gotten from my employer," says Patricia, 36. She says that her employer is the reason why she is pursuing her Bachelor's degree in law. "I would not have enrolled for legal studies had my employer not encouraged me to. I was in a comfort zone," she says. Over the time that she has been working, Patricia has also attended multiple training on customer handling and digital integration at the workplace. When she had her daughter in 2019, her employer installed a breastfeeding booth at her workplace. She was also allowed to leave work hours before. "I have very flexible working hours that allow me to juggle between my office duties, studies, and motherhood," says the mother of one. "I would still stay in this job even if I got an offer of double the amount of salary I earn elsewhere," she says.
Businesses that outline more non-monetary benefits attract and retain better employees than businesses that offer more money.
The 2018 Compensation & Benefits Review study by the Harvard Business School shows that what matters at the workplace is helping employees feel appreciated. "Employers who describe their benefits such as generous family leave policies and flexible work schedules attract and retain more workers than employers who just pay more," said Professor Ashley Whillans who led the study.
According to entrepreneur Tonnie Mello, what will work for your business is your ability to help your workers make a difference through their work, your respect for their contribution, and your provision for career improvement opportunities. "No employee wants to be stuck at the same level throughout their career. Offer training, especially now when there are multiple free career webinars and digital symposiums on offer," he says.
You may be afraid that acknowledging work that has been done well regularly will attract a pitch for a higher salary. This is not always the case. Learn to recognise your employees, especially when a demanding job has been effectively achieved. According to Bob Nelson, the author of 1001 Ways to Reward Employees , recognition is the number one motivator of employees at the workplace. For example, a certificate award during an office meeting, or a simple round of applause. However, thoughtful personal recognition will be more effective. This may include a personal note to the employee recognizing and appreciating their effort. When you write such a note, ensure that it is sincere and timely.
Value-based promotions are one way of motivating your workers. For this to work, you must have a clear hierarchy design on how workers can move from one position to the other. "Your promotions will not be effective if they are not value or competency-based," says human resource practitioner Hellen Ratemo. "Be clear on the type of conditions that workers must meet to move up the career ladder. These conditions must be realistic and aligned with the talents and qualifications of your employees." Don't say your workers will get promoted if they raise business revenue to Sh10 million when your business currently brings Sh500,000. Don't say your workers will gain promotion if they acquire a Master's degree when their qualifications are at diploma level. Be realistic. "I was the most reliable employee at my former job. But I quit because my employer was keener on promoting degrees instead of talent. Those of us who held diplomas were disrespected and paid poorly even though we did most of the work," says James Rukwaro who worked as a technical staff at a Nairobi-based telecommunication firm's call centre.
Create a good balance between hierarchy and freedom. This will enhance order but at the same time give your workers space to lay out their ideas without fear. For example, when Peter Ndegwa joined Safaricom as CEO, he found an astonishing hierarchy that created fear among employees. "Safaricom is so hierarchical, which has created fear because workers don't want to challenge it. This goes against what I want. I want to collapse this structure so that workers can feel free to innovate and deliver on their careers," he said recently. By creating an aura of freedom, you will be nurturing a friendly relationship that allows your workers to express themselves and see the business as their own.
