Whether we’re talking customers or employees, your key to success with both is to know exactly what it is they want.
Dollars to donuts, the things that are important to you aren’t on their lists. Here is a case in point…
We vacationed in Cancun over the Christmas holidays and our room was not “as advertised.” When my wife pointed this out to management, their response was to give her a credit for a free massage. Problem is, Roberta doesn’t like massages!
How to find out what their preferences are
If your goal is to motivate your employees, instead of offering something you only think or hope they would like, find out what their personal preferences are.
Have new hires complete something like our suggested Employee Data Sheet during their orientation. It’s actually fun to fill out because it asks people things like: “What’s your favorite kind of candy, music, pastime,” etc.
Then, when you want to reward outstanding performance, you can be sure that what you give will truly be appreciated.
This was originally published on Mel Kleiman’s Humetrics blog.