Using Praise to Motivate Employees

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USING PRAISE TO
MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
TIPS FOR A BETTER WORKPLACE

USING PRAISE TO
MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
What workplace doesn’t want more motivated
employees? After all, an employee who’s truly motivated
is an employee who’s going to strive to put forth their
best work day-in and day-out.

USING PRAISE TO
MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
So how can managers increase motivation in their team
members?
The answer might surprise you. It has everything to do
with praise.

USING PRAISE TO
MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
MRI scans have shown that receiving praise triggers the
same regions of the brain as receiving a cash bonus,
which means it can motivate people in a similar way.
Beyond that, it makes your employees feel good about
their work, which can be a particularly strong motivator.

USING PRAISE TO
MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
When employees are motivated, it leads to
higher productivity in the workplace as well as a boost in
morale and job satisfaction, both of which can lead to
better retention rates.

USING PRAISE TO
MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
Although all of us like to be recognised and receive
praise for a job well done, managers in the workplace
often underestimate how effective praise can be as a
motivator. So, how can managers praise their team
members more effectively to achieve great results?

USING PRAISE TO
MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
Here are 7 secrets to using praise as a motivator in the
workplace.

USING PRAISE TO
MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
1. Offer praise even amidst failure
Praise your employees even when, despite their best efforts,
things don’t go as planned. It’s during these times that praising an
employee for their effort has the most impact, as it will help them
to stop dwelling on their failure and restore some of their self-
confidence.

USING PRAISE TO
MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
1. Offer praise even amidst failure
This allows them to get their head back in the game and double
their efforts at making a comeback, whereas employees who are
allowed to stay in a mindset of low morale might spend longer
periods of time being unproductive or ineffective at their jobs.

USING PRAISE TO
MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
2. Don't mix praise with criticism
Trying to mix praise with constructive criticism will greatly
undermine your praise’s effectiveness. This is because people have
a strong bias towards remembering negative things, so in the long
term, your employees are far more likely to remember the criticism
than the praise.
As a general rule, always make sure that your praise and criticism
don’t go hand in hand and are completely separate from each

USING PRAISE TO
MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
3. Praise the process, not the ability
While it may seem encouraging to be told that you are good at
something, Columbia University’s Dr. Heidi Halvorson says that this
can leave people vulnerable to self-doubt. “If being successful
means you are ‘a natural,’ then it’s easy to conclude when you’re
having a hard time that you just don’t have what it takes.”

USING PRAISE TO
MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
3. Praise the process, not the ability
Instead, she says we should praise the things that are under our
control. “Praise the process, not the person. That way, when an
employee runs into trouble later on, they’ll remember the process
that helped them to succeed in the past, and put that knowledge
to good use.”

USING PRAISE TO
MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
4. Be spontaneous with praise
Many managers give out praise as part of a daily routine, but it
doesn’t take long for people to realise this. The result? The praise
soon loses its meaning and no longer remains effective as a
powerful motivator. Instead, be spontaneous with your praise, as
unexpected praise is always far more effective.

USING PRAISE TO
MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
5. Be timely with praise
“Praise while the iron’s hot,” writes USA Today business expert
Stan Mack. Immediate positive feedback motivates workers to
keep up the good work and helps them stay on track.
Offering praise long after the fact, on the other hand, is not
nearly as effective.

USING PRAISE TO
MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
5. Be timely with praise
For example, if you wait weeks to compliment an employee’s
handling of a particularly difficult customer, she might wonder why
her good work went unnoticed.

USING PRAISE TO
MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
6. Be specific with praise
Instead of telling a team member that they did well, tell
them what they did well and how it led to a good result.

USING PRAISE TO
MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
For example, instead of: “You did a great job with this morning’s
presentation, John,” try: “What a great presentation you delivered
this morning, John. Your professional delivery kept everyone
engaged and the research you used to support your arguments
was well thought-out.”

USING PRAISE TO
MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
When you’re specific in this manner, you make it clear what about
the employee’s process was effective, allowing them to recreate it
again and again in the future.

USING PRAISE TO
MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
7. Strike a balance with praise
Although some employees will be more praiseworthy than others,
only praising certain people in the workplace will leave others feeling
neglected and demotivated.

USING PRAISE TO
MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
7. Strike a balance with praise
Instead, try to praise all your employees at some point or
another, even if it’s for some small achievement or just a job well
done. Doing so will make them feel appreciated and leave them
wanting to do well in the future.

USING PRAISE TO
MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
Unlike monetary incentive, which is limited by your
organisation’s budget and the expectations of your employees,
there is no cost to giving praise, and it is very powerful as a
motivator.

USING PRAISE TO
MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
It’s also a reinforcing process. The more praise you give your
employees, the more motivated they will become, and the more
praiseworthy achievements they will give you in the future.

USING PRAISE TO
MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
The benefits go beyond that, of course. Increased motivation
leads to higher productivity in the workplace as well as a boost
in morale and job satisfaction, meaning your employees are
more likely to remain loyal to your company and stick around.

USING PRAISE TO
MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
Which of the praise strategies from this presentation will you
implement in the workplace this week?

USING PRAISE TO
MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
We hope you enjoyed this presentation!
Visit www.shapingchange.com.au for more resources on
leadership development, change management,
emotional intelligence, and more!

Using Praise to Motivate Employees

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