How do i motivate my employees to perform better? What are some incentives for the improvement?

Question

Some of my team members are struggling with meeting company metrics in performance. I work in a call center and we measure performance thru metrics (average handling time, talk time, and call work). I need to find some ways to inspire my employees to perform better. I also need ways to promote contests to build an awareness on teamwork. Once the performance has improved, I need to show ways to reward the agents. What do employees want as a reward(no monies), that would excite them enough to wanna peform better? If performance is not improved, the agents will be placed on disclipinary actions and this could hurt the efforts. I would like to avoid this if possible.

Answer 1

I don't know anybody who does not like to hear that they are doing a good job. To that end, maybe a plaque with the top performer of the week or month hung where everyone can see it could be a great motivator (especially if it comes with a 1/2 day off, but still paid!)

Perhaps gift certificates for nice dinners or weekend getaways or something along that line. Call center work sounds stressful to me, so maybe the reward should be focused on relaxation.

Bonus points for you for caring.

Answer 2

How about an employee of the month scheme with the prize being an extra vacation day?

Some things that might improve morale is a better regulated break time, a company walking club (when ppl exercise they feel more energetic - perhaps with free pedometers and a daily challenge for #s of steps) employees could keep track on a roster and a small prize could be given at the end of the week for the person with the most steps.... it also wouldn't hurt to throw some gestures of thanks at them every now and then like a round of coffee, or possibly a big tray of veggies and dip or fruit (snack foods from a caterer). Words of encouragement usually go a lot further than criticisms, so if you can find something encouraging to say about each individual's work (even if their overall performance is lacking) it might inspire them to work harder if they know they're appreciated.

Perhaps a support meeting could be held each week where the employees could voice their concerns or have questions answered. Call centres can be stressful, so I would imagine the top priority is to de-stress.

Here are a few websites that might be of help:

Answer 3

Give rewards for meeting performance goals. Something like taking them out to lunch or ordering in pizza is always a welcome surprise. Maybe a paid day off or other such incentive. You need to reward the top performers and make the others strive to improve to get the benefits they see others getting.

Also, have group meetings to discuss the lack of performance. maybe the employees do not feel they are being measured by an accurate metric. Maybe there are prodedural or systemic issues that are leading to the lower performance. You need to explain to them what they are being judged on and ask them if there is something that is happening that they do not have control over that is leading to the lower performance. For example...as a previous job my performance was being judged on how long it took me to perform a certain task. Part of the task involved waiting on others to perform a task before I could complete my task. If the other person i was waiting on was either slow or doing a poor job, it negatively affected me. There was nothing I could do about it but my performance was still being judged on it despite the issue being a 3rd party.

Answer 4

You really want to go the extra mile for your team..excellent

On the average handling time, when monitoring a call obviously you provide feedback to your team members (TM), you must find the weakness of your TM and translate such weakness in to an opportunity.
Eg:
1- Listening skills so proper questions can be asked to clarify any doubts that your TM might have
2-Problem solving skills are escential to identify quickly the situation in hand or a need from the caller.
3- your TM must be resourceful and a quick thinker to find ways to solve a need or a situation right away
4-make sure you are available for your team members when they need extra help or run into a unpredictable situation.
5- make sure your team is fully knowleageble about your products or services.
6-work close with your team, delegate responsabilities (if you can) so they feel part of a team.
7- make your team listen to calls from another team member.

I do not what type of products or services you offer but is almost the same in every call centre.

To motivate your team you should offer little perks EG:
1-movie passes for the 3 best performers-
2-free lunch (tomorrow)for todays best perfomer
3-Gift certificates for a park, clothing store, even phone cards.
4. for the ladies, facials, for the guys perhaps a massage.
(for the record...just a massage from well recognized place.)

Just ideas but you really should get toghether with your team and ask them what would really motivate them so you can get ideas as well as your team get to participate on the iniciative.

Call centers are very demanding but you must be firm about you and your team. You must help the ones that are comitted, responsible and want to excel. You better than anyone should know that not all the people in your team are cut out for the job in question.

I hope this helps a little.

Answer 5

Let me begin with a quote from Albert Einstein who said: "The significant problems we face today cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them." We find the first part ofyour answer in the three concepts revealed in that quote. First, this is a significant problem; second you and your employees created it; and third the source of this problem is the way you and your employees think. This quote also provides the answer, albeit stated in the reverse. You see: "We can solve the significant problems we face today when we elevate our thinking." I suggest, then, that the next stage of your thinking is to grow into enlightened leadership. In their book Enlightened Leadership--Getting to the Heart of Change, Ed Oakley and Doug Krug wrote the following: "What is needed is enlightened leadership--leaders who not only have the vision but who have the ability to get the members of the organizaiton to accept ownership for that vision as their own, thus developing commitment to carry it through to completion . . .Enlightened Leaders nurture and encourage their people to be open, creative, and innovative and find what it takes to achieve their shared objectives. . . Enlightened leadership is not so much about things to do as it is a place leaders come from with whatever they do. It actually is a state of being."
Then Thomas K. Connellan, in his book "Bringing Out the Best in People," wrote:" . . .Not everyone can be great, but most can be better than they are . . .Can we identify environmental factors that tend to lead to higher levels of performance . . .And can we use these factors to make a top performer--or at least a significantly better performer?" He boiled the answer down to three factors: Expectations, responsibility and feedback.
Without going into detail here, I recommend this book as a source for useful concepts for your challenge.
Have a nice day

Answer 6

You sound like a great manager, who really cares about his/her people. Kudos!

As far as motivation goes, studies these days favor non-money rewards anyway. More break time, first choice of vacation days, cubicle by the window, casual attire days, etc. would be good.