There’s a difference between doing a job and doing a job with pride. Supervisors should occasionally audit the work that technicians complete.
There were no Saturday morning cartoons in my house as a kid. Saturday was chore day. Even now, I still hear my dad say, “Get out of bed and get to work!” Saturdays were lawn-cutting days, and because my dad was a Marine, the chore had to be done a certain way.
I mowed the lawn north and south on even weeks and mowed it east and west on odd weeks. Once the lawn was cut, then it was time for trimming. If the lawn was too long, there was raking, bagging, and clean-up. Clean-up included washing the mower and putting the rake and other tools back where they belonged. As he often said:
“The job isn’t complete until the work area is left better than when you found it.”
Because of my childhood lawn care experiences, I want a nice yard to this day. I want to be proud of my hard work. I want the neighbors to have lawn envy.
Just like the pride I take in my yard, maintenance, and engineering managers should take pride in the operations of their facilities. We want managers and front-line technicians to be proud of their ability and to work hard. The most successful facilities are those where the occupants don’t realize how nice they have it and where others envy the beauty and operation of the facility.
There’s a difference between doing a job and doing a job with pride. What is the difference between doing the right job and doing the job right?
My neighbor, a couple of doors down, has an ugly lawn. Yes, he cuts it, but it’s mostly weeds and dry patches. Is this an example of getting the right job done or doing the job right? I’m unsure if he takes pride in his work or just gets the job done.
The same goes for services throughout institutional and commercial facilities. Technicians must take personal pride in their work each day, and supervisors occasionally should audit the work that technicians complete.
Maintenance planners support the process and review work orders for completeness, actual time spent on the job, materials, and tools accounted for, and feedback from the technician doing the work.
But how do managers motivate their staff to take pride in their work and do it right? Here are my suggestions.
Build Trust
The top motivator for employees is trust. Do they trust their supervisor or manager to have their backs? Too many people believe money is a motivator. It’s not. Money is only a stimulator — a short-term gain that creates no lasting results.
The top motivator for employees is trust, not money.
One of the most influential people in my career was a man who started a company in his garage and built it into a business with 600-plus employees. Every Thursday, he walked around and personally handed out each paycheck to get face time with every employee.
Communicate Effectively
Many maintenance and engineering managers might think they are communicating effectively and believe they are natural-born communicators. In reality, communication problems with front-line technicians are often caused by supervisors’ or managers’ assumptions, opinions, and biases, the lack of a clear strategy and objectives, information overload, and limited or ineffective feedback.
Lack of communication is not expressing yourself fully or omitting crucial information. It also can affect areas such as employee productivity and work relationships. Communicating effectively in the workplace is more than just exchanging information. Proper communication can motivate the organization and engage employees in a collaboration that supports the facility’s expectations, goals, and objectives.
Communicating effectively in the workplace is more than just exchanging information.
Leaders who consistently communicate effectively and use it as a tool to relate the organization’s initiatives and progress can inspire and motivate employees, keeping them focused and working together toward success.
There are four primary forms of communication — verbal, nonverbal, visual, and written. One communication skill managers must have is active listening, which involves paying close attention to the person being communicated by engaging with them, asking questions, and rephrasing.
Active listening can build respect with colleagues and increase understanding in the workplace. Active listening Managers focus on the speaker and avoid distractions like cell phones and laptops.
Using the proper method of communication is critical. There are benefits and disadvantages to communicating through emails, texts, and phone calls. Communication is more effective when managers consider the audience, the information being shared, and the best way to share it.
What is the best method of effective communication? Face to face. Employees who feel genuine, open, two-way communication will take more pride in their work and not want to disappoint.
Acknowledge Contributions
Based on industry research and my own experience, employees are motivated when they feel a part of and contribute to an organization. Managers must believe that employees make an organization outstanding and want to do a quality job.
Supervisors must reinforce the sense that team members are contributing and doing a job well. As children, we all wanted positive feedback from our parents. I felt great when my dad said, “The lawn looks great!” If you want to kill someone’s motivation, point out their failures.
Acknowledge each team member’s hard work and talent to keep them motivated. The recognition shows your employees that you noticed their efforts and encourages them to do more of the same. If you have corrective feedback, end the meeting positively to show that you also saw the employee’s efforts. This will also build trust. Remember, praise in public, reprimand in private.
By taking the time to acknowledge employees’ daily efforts, managers can help them feel valued, build their sense of contributing, and encourage them to continue doing quality work. Having them take pride in their work leads to a positive impact on the organization. Reward that behavior, and they will do everything they can not to disappoint.
Now, wake up and get to work!
Andrew Gager, CEO of AMG International Consulting, Inc., is an industry-leading expert in manufacturing best practices, maintenance systems, and supply chain optimization, with over 20 years of Operations Leadership experience spanning from shop floor operations to plant management. The last 20+ years working with M&R organizations across industries such as manufacturing, oil & gas, food & beverage, pharma, and transportation, specializing in OpEx, reliability-based solutions and materials management. A Certified Maintenance Reliability Professional (CMRP), Certified in Planning & Inventory Management (CPIM) and Six Sigma Green Belt (CSSGB), Andrew is a sought-after speaker and trainer, known for his dynamic presentation style. He is regularly published in multiple trade periodicals. He holds a BS in Business & Operations Management from Rochester Institute of Technology.
