This actually happened. I saw these notes that were facing the cashier at a mini-mart. The customer inside could not see them but everyone outside could see them while walking towards the entrance.
I had to do a double-take to see if my eyes were lying to me. Imagine being an employee and walking into work to see this note left for you. Pretty encouraging isn’t it – NOT!
Threatening employees as a form of motivation is generally counterproductive for several reasons:
- Fear and stress: Threats induce fear and stress in employees, which can negatively impact their performance. When people are anxious, they may have difficulty concentrating, making decisions, or thinking creatively, leading to reduced productivity and effectiveness.
- Undermining trust: Threats can damage the trust between employees and management. Trust is a crucial component of a healthy work environment, and when it’s eroded, collaboration and communication can suffer, ultimately affecting overall performance.
- Reduced morale: Threatening employees can lower their morale, making them less engaged and enthusiastic about their work. This can result in a decline in job satisfaction, which can lead to higher turnover and difficulty retaining top talent.
- Short-term focus: Threats may lead employees to focus on short-term goals and immediate results, rather than strategic thinking and long-term planning. This approach may yield some quick wins, but it can hurt the organization’s overall progress and innovation in the long run.
- Ethical concerns: Threatening employees is ethically questionable and can create a toxic work environment. This can harm the organization’s reputation, making it difficult to attract and retain high-quality employees.
- Intrinsic motivation: Relying on threats as motivation can undermine employees’ intrinsic motivation – the desire to perform well because they find the work meaningful and fulfilling. Intrinsic motivation is typically more sustainable and effective than extrinsic motivators like fear.
Instead of using threats, it’s better to focus on positive motivation techniques, such as recognizing and rewarding good work, providing opportunities for growth and development, and fostering a supportive, collaborative work environment. These strategies can help create an engaged and motivated workforce that is more likely to achieve long-term success.
What are your thoughts on this?
The Learning Leader 