Managers attempting to create a productive and engaged workforce are unknowingly sabotaging their efforts.  Are you one of these managers?

Often their approaches are implemented with the best intentions, but research shows that they are back-firing when it comes to maintaining employee commitment, performance and satisfaction.  Three of these are outlined below - do any apply to your workplace practices?

1.        Providing too much autonomy

No one likes to be 'micro-managed', having the boss telling them exactly what to do and how to do it.  Perhaps in response to this, some managers take a hands-off approach that they feel gives their staff reassurance that they are trusted.  I've often heard managers say things like, "I set the boundaries for my staff, and then let them get on with their jobs".  The problem with this approach is that their leadership style becomes 'transactional'.  Transactional leadership is characterised by manager interaction or feedback that is driven by staff behaviour - when the employee performs well they are praised, when the employee performs poorly, they are corrected.  This results in performance by trial and error. 

Recommendation:  Employees need to be provided with your vision and expectations.  Sharing stories about the business culture and successes with staff members is a good way for them to understand what is expected of them when there is no detailed direction.  There is a distinction between overwhelming your staff with instructions and details, and empowering them with insight and inspiration.  Recognising the extra efforts or specific talents of individuals is also a great way of demonstrating that you are in touch with your team's operations.  Knowing the strengths of your team is essential if you are going to leverage their abilities to boost performance.

2.       Buying their commitment

A commonly used employee incentive involves financial bonuses.  This is an approach that has been used extensively in relation to employee retention schemes, where financial bonuses are provided to employees who agree to remain with the organisation for a specified period of time.  Similar commitments are often requested in return for providing valuable training to employees.  The cash bonuses and training incentives can be excellent ways of retaining personnel, however, the retention of employees should not be confused with employee performance.

By providing cash or training incentives for staff in return for commitment, the organisation is offering a carrot that becomes a stick as soon as it is accepted.  Employees who remain with an organisation out of obligation or because the cost of leaving is considered to be too high (eg. re-paying the bonus or training cost) are said to be experiencing "Continuous commitment".  Research has shown that continuous commitment is associated with staff retention, but this often comes with decreases in job satisfaction, employee performance and cooperation, and an increase in stress at work and at home.

Recommendation:  A more effective way to reward staff is to do something that promotes the organisation as a great place to work - surprise employees with a catered lunch once in a while, or arrange a regular Friday afternoon happy hour - during work hours.

3.       Setting overly ambitious goals

Be careful when setting team or individual targets.  You may be working off the principle: "Reach for the stars and they may get the moon", setting targets well above the expected or required level.  I appreciate the intention, and I'd like to remind managers that motivating staff and selling a car are two different things!  You cannot negotiate down on your team targets after your staff give you a counter-offer with their best efforts.  If you have a goal in mind of $100,000 in sales, but you tell your team the target is $150,000, they will not be able to celebrate their success if they reach $120,000.  They will still see this as falling short of their target, and providing praise at that point will only create confusion and undermine any future targets that are set.

Recommendation:  Success breeds success!  Start with a manageable target, even if it falls slightly below your desired goal.  Being able to achieve the first target will create stronger goal-focused-motivation to meet the next target.  Motivation that is generated by failure is often based on the desire to avoid future failure.  Whilst this can be a powerful motivator it is rarely sustained over the long term, and will likely result in "yo-yo" results.