VV V

PRACTICE MATTERS
Motivation
for success
Recognising staff’s existing skills and training can have
a huge impact on their motivation, writes Debbie Gigg
Debbie Gigg Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (1954)
In the June issue of Vision Now, we
looked at how good communication can
improve staff involvement and, therefore,
retention. This time we are going to look
at how to motivate staff and the benefits
of training.
THEORIES OF MOTIVATION
The famous Australian management guru,
Elton Mayo (1880-1949), suggested that
workers could be better motivated by
having their social needs met 1 . Having
conducted a study in Chicago in the 1950s,
he concluded that the following directly
impacted on an individual’s performance:
better communication between individual
and manager; greater manager involvement;
and working in a group/team.
The American psychologist, Frederick
Herzberg, also contributed greatly to the
way in which managers think about
motivation at work. He first published his
theory in 1959 in a book entitled, The
Motivation to Work, and suggested that in
order to obtain the maximum involvement
and the best performance from an
individual the following should be in place:
job enlargement, job enrichment and
empowerment 2 .
In his book, Motivation and Personality
(1954), Dr Abraham Maslow developed his
theory of a Hierarchy of Needs (Figure 1),
presenting a number of key fundamental
requirements that need to be in place
before an individual can reach their full
potential. We can see from these three
different examples that motivation is
not just about pay. One assumption that
many have is that if staff aren’t happy then
they want more money. But actually, basic
needs are just as important, depending on
the individual.
In his Hierarchy of Needs, Maslow suggested
that people needed to understand that their
basic needs would be met. Within the
workplace that translates to suitable
frequency and length of breaks to enable
the member of staff to satisfy their hunger,
thirst and human needs. They need to
know that they are safe, that they are not
exposed to inappropriate circumstances like
lone working with insufficient safety
measures, that they can get to exits if
needed, and they have lighting and the
correct amount of heat. Their social needs
should be met in some part so that they
feel part of the team, and that they are
communicated with by all staff.
Praising staff for a job well done can speak
volumes. We are all too quick to criticise
when things go wrong and forget to praise
good performance. A good patient
experience is a team effort not just down to
individuals. By recognising good effort,
intention and achievement will also satisfy
staff needs. This can be very simple by
either having a staff member of the month
to entering them into a full training and
qualification process.
TRAINING AS A MOTIVATOR
As Herzberg suggested, job enlargement
is a motivator – as is job enrichment.
Recognising staff’s existing skills and
training can have a huge impact on their
motivation, well-being and overall
performance. A happy, well informed and
confident team is priceless. Patients are
happy because staff are, and they
genuinely enjoy seeing staff achieve.
Supporting staff to achieve a qualification
will give them a huge feeling of success
and pride.
Training courses can be used to give
structured training to new staff, particularly
if they are new to optics. It gives them the
knowledge they need for their role and
helps them to understand the industry that
they are a part of. It gives them something
to work towards, and something for you to
measure their performance on.
Many options are available and it can
sometimes seem a minefield to know what
is the right thing to try. At the end of the
day, discuss with your staff member what
they would like to cover and how they like
to learn. There are a number of different
learning styles 3 :
• Activist: hands on, full involvement.
Enjoy group discussions, role play, etc
• Pragmatist: experimenters, like to try an
idea before applying. Enjoy case studies,
problem solving, discussion
• Theorist: Analyse and synthesise. Need
models and facts to become engaged
• Reflector: observe and think through the
process. Take time to work towards a
concept. Enjoy questionnaires and
observing activities
You may find that workshops suit them best
or they like tutor contact, that they hate to
be observed but love exams. Try and
ascertain what will work for you and them
before you explore the options. That way
you can streamline the choice.
The Worshipful Company of Spectacle
Makers has a variety of levels and
qualifications available to support staff
within optics. These are now being
delivered by ABDO College and details can
be found at www.abdocollege.org.uk or
contact courses@abdocollege.org.uk
REFERENCES
1. Reid M, Barrington H, Brown M (2004)
Human Resource Development, Beyond
Training Interventions. 7TH Edition.
London CIPD.
2. Weightman J (2004) Managing People.
2nd Edition. London CIPD.
3. Harrison, R (2005) Learning &
Development. 4th Edition. London CIPD.
Debbie Gigg is an HR consultant
specialising in learning and development.
Email Debbie@spectaclesbear.uk
Vision Now AUGUST 2016
23