Creating Productive Work Environments



Today's workforce wants more than money – the traditional currency. Workers are looking for a "new currency" that can be found in the 5 Rs: Responsibility, Relationships, Respect, Recognition, Rewards. Managers have many options for implementing the 5 Rs in the workplace, and using them for planning, managing and evaluating performance.

Responsibility



Typical job descriptions look like extensive to-do lists ending with a catchall phrase such as "…other duties as assigned." The underlying message can be seen as "Do whatever I tell you." Today's workforce is much more interested in flexibility to add value in creating desired outcomes. Employees want to feel that what they do is important.



What can managers do? Make sure jobs are properly profiled for employees and describe outcomes that are relevant to the unit's work. Eliminate tasks and activities that are unessential to your primary mission and talk to employees regularly about ways to increase alignment between what they do and where the unit is headed.

Relationships



Motivation is an inside job – something in each individual that is unleashed under the right circumstances. Effective managers can create these circumstances by building relationships and creating supportive environments. Coaching, teaching, supporting and guiding all are strategies for producing the right outcomes. Above all, managers need to be authentic, honest and ethical. Building trust is essential to helping employees be motivated to take risks and perform to their highest levels.



Respect

In a respectful environment, employees are valued and respected for the intellectual capital they contribute. Performance management and review systems are aimed at building confidence and competence. Feelings, ideas and actions are valued and attended to.

As a supervisor, you may be part of a larger organization that has its "major league" rules, but how you manage your team is largely up to you. After all, you are the coach. Your expectations will shape the environment. Build on the concept of teamwork – respecting differences, solving problems collaboratively, and supporting one another. Avoid negative energy, such as gossiping or harassing. If the larger environment isn't supportive, engage employees in developing operating principles or defining a vision that expresses how everyone will work with one another, how customers are to be served, and how communications are to flow.



Recognition

For many employees, recognition is not so much about getting credit as it is about being appreciated. Focus on creating intrinsic rewards (genuine opportunities to contribute, become more knowledgeable and develop professionally) in addition to extrinsic rewards (prizes, incentive contest).

Special assignments can be an effective form of recognition, but it can't just be more work. Offer more challenging work or work that utilizes the employee's strengths. It's essential to make sure the assignment is something the employee welcomes. If employees feel taken advantage of, special assignments will generate resentment and frustration rather than positive motivation.



Rewards

To provide optimum return on investment, rewards must be an integral part of an overall recognition and reward strategy linking business goals and objectives with the other 4 Rs. Effective rewards need to be linked to the individual's goals and preferences. "One size fits all" doesn't work for rewards.

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