The Business Coach with Laura Murphy: Motivation on a shoe string

Answer: “I remember being envious when a colleague announced he was off on a golfing weekend in Spain as he’d hit the monthly sales target but not all companies can use sales as a feeder for incentive schemes. So it takes a little more imagination to satisfy an individual’s natural desire to be recognised as someone special.

There’s classic management models about motivation which can give a good insight but there’s nothing better than asking your workers what would make them happier at work. A garage owner found that his staff just wanted an extra pair of branded overalls. They struggled to clean and dry the overalls they had and often wore them longer than they should as a result. Another pair of overalls not only meant they were smarter but also happier with their clients which increased their reputation.