John Sylvester, motivation expert and Executive Director of P&MM Motivation, discusses how an engaged workforce can benefit the solar industry and contribute towards its growth.
Maximising staff performance is fundamental to the success of any organisation, no matter what their industry, but it is of particular importance when cost controls are at a premium yet the pressure to develop and expand remains high.
Improving employee engagement is fundamental to unlocking the full potential of staff members, and once achieved, will prove to be commercially beneficial. At the same time it benefits staff, helping them to feel fully immersed within the business operation, and that their contributions are valued by senior management and colleagues alike.
However, the challenge in the current economic climate is that staff may often feel less engaged, particularly if financial pressures mean that the company neglects employee recognition and reward; something which is often overlooked in times of austerity. If employees’ hard work goes seemingly unappreciated, the resultant low morale will mean that staff struggle to perform to their maximum potential. This in turn, leads to presenteeism (where an employee is at work, but only giving a half-hearted effort), absenteeism and high staff turnover, all of which have a detrimental impact on the bottom line of any energy supplier.
In order to get the best out of every employee, it is important to have a well thought out engagement strategy. Employee engagement is often overlooked, yet it can vastly improve staff motivation and productivity, and thus business output.
Providing purpose
Striving to ensure that employees feel a sense of purpose, both personally and professionally will enhance their attitude towards their work.
Purpose is something that can be easily instilled by managers, yet has a significant impact on an employee’s outlook. In fact, a survey revealed that 65 per cent of workers would be driven to work harder in their role if they were given a purpose or target to achieve; whilst 64 per cent said it would increase their loyalty towards the company.
