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Southwest also has a personal touch. In 1966, the airline dedicated a plane to its 25,000 employees, listing all their names on the overhead bins. At corporate headquarters, employees’ pictures line the walls. Every employee gets a birthday card as well as a card commemorating their anniversary with the airline.

It’s all part of Kelleher’s simple yet powerful philosophy: “We constantly do things that show our dedication and our gratitude to our people.”

SOURCE: “Have Fun, Make Money” by Stephanie L. Gruner, Inc. Magazine (May 1998).

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“Nothing is worse for morale than a lack of information down in the ranks. I call it NETMA—Nobody Ever Tells me Anything.”

—Ed Carlson, former CEO of United Airlines (1971–1990)

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What is startling about Sirota, Mischkind, and Meltzer’s study is their finding that to maintain motivation among employees, all three goals must be met. In the absence of just one of them, motivation wanes dramatically. Although motivation is high for most employees when they start a new job, the study reveals, it drops dramatically after just six months and keeps dropping after that.

In other words, the stakes are high. If you don’t address these three motivational issues right away, you will face consequences.

MOTIVATION IS MANAGEMENT’S ROLE

So what can a manager do to maintain a motivated workforce?

First, pay your people as well as you can. Do what it takes to provide benefits. Too expensive? Before you jump to that conclusion, weigh in the cost of hiring and training the constant round of new employees required to replace those who decide to leave.

Workers are frustrated by a lack of communication from management. Give them enough information to do their jobs properly and to make them feel respected and included.

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POWER POINTS

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WHAT EMPLOYEES WANT

Keeping in mind what motivates most employees is essential. Failing to address even one of these three factors will negatively affect morale:

Fair treatment in pay, benefits, and job security

The opportunity to achieve and take pride in one’s work

Good relations with coworkers

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Run an equitable workplace. Don’t continue to pay people who don’t pull their weight. Consider reward systems such as profit sharing based on individual and company performance. In some companies, employees are given stock options; ownership provides a sense of responsibility that in itself can be self-motivating. In addition, don’t forget intangible benefits, which don’t cost you a cent, such as providing a bit of flexibility for a parent who needs to take two hours off to see a child in a school play.

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Dos & Don’ts

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HOW TO GET RESULTS

Motivating people takes work, but your efforts will be repaid with a more dedicated and loyal workforce, lower turnover rate, and higher productivity.

Do create an environment of trust.

Don’t assume employees are naturally motivated.

Do identify each employee’s individual motivators.

Do acknowledge good work often.

Do make a big deal of special achievements and accomplishments.

Don’t let a new employee’s enthusiasm wane.

Don’t restrict an employee to mundane tasks without responsibility.

Don’t keep an employee in the same job for too long.

Do offer opportunities for learning and advancement.

Do take every opportunity to broaden employees’ jobs.

Don’t keep all the decision-making authority for yourself.

Don’t assume competitive pay solves motivational problems.

Do make employees part of a team and foster cooperation.

Do build employees’ self-esteem by using praise instead of criticism.

Do look for ways to have fun.

Don’t minimize the importance of good relationships with coworkers.

Don’t structure a rewards system that is inequitable.

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Second, don’t treat employees as if they were disposable. Tread carefully around layoffs and reorganizations. Avoid them or handle them carefully if you can’t: Remember that workers who remain with the organization will feel