I have a team of people who are very apathethic?

Their past line management has been virtually non existant and they have never been motivated to work in a performance culture. asking them for ideas is like pulling teeth. I dont want to start barking instructions at them unless i really have to. would prefer to let them raise the bar themselves but am keen not to just overlook areas where thery are lacking. any ideas for motivating them?

It can be very hard to erase the problems of past bad management. Try offering monitary "A team" rewards for actions above and beyond the normal call of duty.

The only way to do that is to find a way to engage them so that they feel like what they do, and especially doing things well, is important. Better yet, they need to feel appreciated for when they make good efforts. Otherwise it is simply a place to go to put in time to get a paycheck.

It is hard to give specific suggestions without knowing details of the business. However, here are some generic ideas:

Set up some kind of bonus system for people who put in suggestions. For instance, someone makes a suggestion that saves money, and it is adopted by the company, they get a small payment, or a certificate for dinner for two at a restaurant, etc.

Set up team performance goals with awards. If they reach certail levels maybe they get a bonus payment. One place that I know of has a multi level system. If the group meets certain goals during a 30 day period they get a pizza party for lunch. If for 60 days, they get fruit and ice cream sundays, for 90 days the manager does a barbeque outside, etc.

One of the best things you can do is an employee of the month award with some teeth in it. The winner is one who has done a great job, or helped the team the most. They get a photo and plaque, maybe their own parking place. A lot of times you can work with HR to get gift certificates from restaurants or stores. Then get someone to write an article about it so it gets put in a local paper or the company's website.

Have occassional contests for work issues. For instance, many service businesses have rules that an employee can have off Thanksgiving or Christmas, but not both. Have a contest that the people with the top five performances in September will have first choice of which Holiday they will have off, with the top performer having the option of having both holidays off.

Finally, actually make sure the people are thanked personally when they meet a goal or surpass it. You tell them they did a good job, look them in the eye and shake their hand. Get a higher supervisor, as high as you can, to come down and personally thank the people.

And when you give any awards out, don't just hand them to people. make it a big thing with a bigwig shaking their hand and someone taking pictures. Then set up a bulletin board with those pictures, and notices of how the employees are been honored and rewarded for their performance and their teamwork.

Good luck.

A damn good booze up usually does the trick. By pint two, tongues are loosened up quite a lot. Just try and hold it at that level for a while.

Yes a party down the pub. If you hire a room and get everyone in there with a buffet and some booze you'll have a great time, even if the ideas coming are a load of crap.

You will have broken the ice with your 'crew' and started down the road to some kind of recovery.

One thing you need to do right from the outset is find out not just what your crew do while they're working for you, but what they do after work. How many do night classes for instance. Do you have any first-aiders, Scout and Guide leaders - that sort of thing + their hobbies and interests. Know them as a family.

Team bonding (eg. team lunches, nights out and team meetings) are good to raise the bar - you need to praise the good work they do and encourage them.

Look at how YOU would want to be encouraged and then act on that.

Try focusing on the good areas and then relating them back to the areas that they arent as good on and maybe even have a team meeting where you do a little learning by reading over or being trained up on the weaker areas.

Try monthly individual support meetings with outcomes for development and targets with as many staff as possible, if not all. Revisiting job descriptions is very helpful for everyone. And monthly team meetings relaxed with coffee and biscuits, welcoming input from all. Consistency is respected. If someone is at fault it is your job to bring it to their attention, privately of course. It is hard as you may feel isolated. But keep the managerial faith and in time it will get better. And remember to say good morning and good night to all by name.

For the minuet i thought you were talking about Englands Football Team

involve them into some phyzical activity like tekking,adventure,give them a challenge u work as a leader by this they'll learn how to work collectively n feel motivated to overachieve their task.

they are probably unhappy in the job, stop fooling yourself any motivational talk or ideas will only last for a small amount of time. i would hazzard a guess they are unhappy with wages or conditions or both improve them, if you cannot see if you can get yourself other motivated workers who want to interact for the wages the company is offering. you know the old addage, if you pay peanuts you get monkeys.

What is your line of business? Why were they hired in the first place? Maybe a bark or two is what's needed?

leaders lead, followers follow, are you a leader or a follower?

ask them why they arent motivated
and "motivated to do what?"

are they interested or just there for the money..
there's a difference...

remember we are human beings not performance monkies

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