Bob Nelson, Ph.D, the author of 1,001 Ways to Reward Employees, has a new book filled with 1,001 ways to engage employees. Prevue got a sneak peek.
Dr. Bob Nelson’s newest book, 1,001 Ways to Engage Employees, is an extensive list of the research-based techniques that create a Culture of Engagement, and includes many real-life examples from companies who have used them. Dr. Nelson, a thought leader in the area of employee rewards and recognition and a popular keynoter, has sold 1.4 million copies of his award-winning book, 1,001 Ways to Reward Employees.
Here are 20 tips from his new book:
1) Thank people for a job well done
2) Thank them in person, in writing, electronically and in public (each has a different impact)
3) Thank them when they’re not around (knowing they’ll most likely hear you did so)
4) Practice two-way communication
5) If they wanted to speak with you but you were busy, seek them out to find out what they needed
6) If you’re asked a question & don’t know the answer, get back to them when you do
7) Start with listening; try to listen more than you speak
8) Ask them for their ideas & opinions
9) If they have a good idea, encourage them to pursue it
10) Allow them autonomy & flexibility to get their work done
11) Ask them how you can help them with their work
12) Involve them in decision making — especially if the decision impacts them
13) If they don’t have input about something that’s important, ask them to think about it and you will ask again later
14) Always be experimenting, trying new things to see what might work better–ask them to do the same
15) Ask a magic question: “If we could do something about (blank), what would that look like?”
16) Be quick to own the mistakes you make and equally as quick to credit others for successes
17) When they make a mistake, focus on what they learned from it instead of blame
18) Realize most learning opportunities happen in the person’s current job
19) Ask them where they want to be in five years; show them how you can help them get there
20) Pause before you react. Think of the long-term impact of your actions on your relationships, ie, “Imagine you’ll have to spend the rest of your life with the person in a very small room.”
You can order the book at Dr. Nelson’s online store, and bulk copies are available for a discount.
