If you’re challenged by employee motivation, engagement, or retention problems, this article is a must-read. Traditional employee motivation and recognition programs fail because companies and managers don’t understand Motivation 101.

Humans crave genuine appreciation and recognition. Since we’re all connected to each other, we immediately sense insincerity.

Token gestures backfire with the kick of a clogged exhaust pipe. I was once hired to extinguish a nasty internal combustion caused when managers gave out free Happy Meal Coupons designed for kids to exhausted, angry adult workers who longed for time off with their families.

KEYS TO CRITICAL CONNECTIONS

Prevention

It’s always the best cure. Heartfelt appreciation for good work — especially when a “Thank you” is spontaneous — is extraordinarily effective. Gratitude carries a price tag of zero. Studies show that people who give a sincere compliment also boost their own self-esteem.

Constructive coaching

Many clients say one of their biggest challenges is to minimize employee feelings of rejection during performance reviews. This sad fact prompted us to add a special field test during the National Happiness at Work Studies. After completing the interviews with over 650 employees and managers in 21 diverse organizations, we returned to field test what worked. It’s a relief to share a few of the proven strategies with you right now.

Build a positive feedback loop

This is a key component of every professional development program we implement. We begin with core groups of employees. Humor is an essential tool, whether we use “laughter yoga” or a technique like the one described below.

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As employees of Division 11 entered the training room, they randomly drew an item from a large bucket. Whether the object was a hat, costume, or a work tool, it was labeled with the name of the job it represented.

Employees took turns—often interrupted by chuckles and howls—explaining what they thought they would find most enjoyable and most annoying about someone else’s job.

A survey the next week determined that the exercise had created three important changes. A new understanding had made employees more compassionate regarding individuals they had previously disliked. They were also more aware of other workers’ strengths and challenges. Employees who had previously felt misunderstood and isolated reported they felt more connected to other workers.

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This was only a small piece of a dynamic, systematic training program we designed to enhance employee motivation and decrease employee retention problems. The employee motivation surveys we conducted proved that dramatic progress happened when we designed and asked “Empowering Questions” that made the process fun as well as meaningful.

ALIENATION AND ANGER AT WORK

What’s bad for the bee is bad for the hive. The current epidemic of workplace negativity is evidence that too many workers feel de-valued or alienated.

Anger and anxiety are symptoms of unmet needs, including a hunger for authentic relationships. Let’s face it. We all want to feel that we’re an essential member of a reference group. Centuries ago, as the human brain evolved, its chemical structure guaranteed survival of the species by programming us to crave meaningful connections with other people. We’re also hardwired to feel anxious when we’re rejected or isolated.

In spite of the innate human desire to bond with others, it’s difficult for many individuals to maintain a secure place within a familiar social group in today’s hurried, transient world. The attention of friends and loved ones is constantly drained by competing pressures such as mandatory overtime, shift work, and geographic mobility.

CONNECTIONS CURE

In the National Happiness at Work Studies, employees who felt valued by other people made comments like:

“Work is a safe place. There’s a purpose for the work I do, so my life has more meaning. I don’t have to prod myself to go to work. How do I motivate myself? When an assignment spotlights my talents, there’s no ‘have-to’.”

Human relationships rule just about every facet of our lives. That’s way my team constantly demonstrates real-life examples of how other companies and employees across the world have gained great benefits from healthy connections.

WHAT WORKS

Below are some of our guidelines when we work with clients.

• Structure constructive coaching and positive feedback programs that create intrinsic employee motivation.

• Establish internal job exchange programs that feed job satisfaction.

• Initiate formal company programs in which CEOs and employees give back to the community. (According to research, this increases employee productivity and loyalty.)

• Use play and humor as connectors.

• Initiate peer mentoring programs.

• Ensure confidential, timely behavioral health services.

• Value the truth and seek open communication, even when the content will provoke anxiety. Ensure that employees can speak their minds without fear of negative consequences.

• Use humor and the sharing of positive feelings to facilitate employee bonding.

• Train with the brain in mind. Design professional development programs that compensate for the brain’s natural tendency to allow emotions to trample logic.

Visit http://www.FreeJoyOnTheJobEbooks.com and GET YOUR FREE EBOOKS: “Secrets of Happiness at Work,” “Employee Engagement Made Easy,” and “Get the Respect & Appreciation You Deserve Now.” Doris Helge, Ph.D., is an executive coach & a corporate trainer for companies as large as Microsoft.

© 2008. This article was excerpted with permission from “Joy on the Job” by Doris Helge, Ph.D. Permission to reprint this article is granted if the article is in tact, with proper credit given. All reprints must state, “Reprinted with permission by Doris Helge, Ph.D. Originally published in “Joy on the Job,” see http://www.MoreJoyOnTheJob.com © 2008.

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You can quickly reduce stress without waiting for a weekend, vacation, or massage. You’ll feel empowered when you take action to meet your needs, and that automatically elevates your happiness at work. A few of the easy strategies described below require planning ahead so you have materials on hand. However, each tip will only take you a few minutes to implement once you’re set up. Less stress results in greater creativity, higher productivity, and fewer conflicts with “difficult people.” If you are a manager, tell your employees about these stress reduction techniques because they accelerate employee engagement.

GET IN THE GROOVE

A finger labyrinth can center your mind, calm anger and anxiety, stimulate creativity, and shift your perspective regarding a tough challenge. The power of a labyrinth is simple. It integrates physical movement with a challenge to your left brain. You stop perseverating about a stressful situation and allow creative solutions to emerge.

I discovered the power of a full-scale labyrinth at a progressive hospital that encouraged patients and their loved ones to explore a beautifully landscaped “puzzle” area (the labyrinth). Day after day, I watched distraught clients and their families enjoy their lives more even if their situations had not visibly improved.

On the job, use your nondominant hand to “walk” through a finger labyrinth because you stimulate different neural networks when you do this. This will provide easier access to your intuition. If you don’t already have a finger labyrinth in your desk, pocket, or purse, you can discover how to buy or create one by searching “labyrinth” on the World Wide Web.

ORCHESTRATE YOUR MIND

Certain types of music have been associated with relaxation because music can stimulate specific brain states. Companies such as Sound Health, The Relaxation Company, Inner Peace, New Earth, and Phillips, and composers such as Morry Zelcovitch offer outstanding collections of brain-entrainment music that induce specific levels of consciousness.

The strategy of using music to entrain your brain state is so successful that employees in many offices I work with cooperatively select the recordings they play as background music. We usually test the results, just as I have tested the effects of all of the “More Joy on the Job Strategies” I recommend to my clients.

Since the results are positive and measurable, I’m suggesting this strategy to you. You can also create your own private brainwave symphony by using an iPod or a portable CD player and headphones.

FOLLOW YOUR NOSE

Unique aromas produce distinct physiological effects and mood states. Essential oils and flower essences can dramatically affect your feelings because your olfactory sense is directly connected to the limbic area of your brain (the seat of your emotions).

Employees frequently use essential oils to elevate concentration and arouse feelings such as peace and joy. Some Japanese companies diffuse lemon and peppermint essential oils to increase productivity.

I’ve introduced sandalwood and nutmeg to organizations I’ve consulted with because they can decrease stress. A blend of rosemary and lemon improves focus. Other oils, such as ylang ylang and bergamot, stimulate the production of the feel-good neurotransmitter serotonin. Lavender triggers alpha and theta brain waves. Chamomile, rose, and orange blossom are calming. Jasmine is said to imbue confidence in dealing with difficult problems, which can elevate your self-esteem.

Once you experience the benefits of aromatherapy, you’ll probably keep vials in your car and home as well as at work. When purchasing essential oils or flower essences, keep in mind that the quality of the product will determine its effectiveness.

BONUS: FAST STRESS REDUCTION TIP

Rub a drop of peppermint or lavender essential oil into your wrists when you feel anxious. Breathe deep belly breaths while you enjoy the delicious smell. The lovely fragrance can refresh many parts of your body at once because the arteries in your wrists are close to the surface. Therefore, the benefits of the cooling, calming oils are quickly distributed throughout your body. This tip also works great behind your ear lobes because your ear lobes are saturated with reflexology points related to the physiology of stress.

A side benefit of using essential oils is that you smell good. This can trigger a subtle boost in charisma, customer satisfaction, and the subliminal perception that you’re a natural leader (a.k.a. “promotion material”).

Don’t have essential oils on hand? Substitute cold water for the oils, but make a note to buy essential oils because the side benefits are at least as much fun as the stress reduction.

THE REST IS YET TO COME

I also teach employees, managers, and entrepreneurs how to quickly induce a healthy state of laughter because deep belly laughter has been proven over and over again to reduce stress in the body and mind. We’ll cover this in another article, so sign up for the blog RSS feed if you haven’t already done so.

© 2008. This article was excerpted with permission from “Joy on the Job” by Doris Helge, Ph.D. Permission to reprint is granted by the author as long as the article is left in tact and proper attribution is given.

Visit http://MoreJoyOnTheJob.com now and get more free tips, podcasts, & special reports. Sign up for the free “Joy On the Job Ezine.” Doris Helge, Ph.D., is a coach, corporate trainer, and speaker. She is author of “Joy on the Job,” “Transforming Pain Into Power,” and other books. Dr. Helge hosts the “More Joy on the Job” radio show. Download sample chapters from Doris’ books at http://www.MoreJoyOnTheJob.com

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Are you ever challenged by disrespect at work? This article includes simple techniques for gaining more respect so you can get your needs met and do your best work. My goals are for you to transform negative emotions at work into positive recognition of talent and accomplishments, more easily resolve conflicts, and divorce yourself from the “difficult people syndrome.” If you are a manager, employee engagement escalates when employees have these tools.

Below is an example from a case study in the original “Happiness at Work Studies” that led to publishing the book, “Joy on the Job.” (In case you don’t know, I interviewed over 650 employees, managers, and entrepreneurs in 21 diverse companies.)

Even though Jan and Nan are both very talented, Jan’s contributions are applauded while Nan’s gifts are unnoticed. What’s Jan’s secret? Jan has discovered that we are constantly training other people how to treat us. When Jan is treated with disrespect, she politely says, “No thank you” by using the technique in this article. Even though Jan knows we can’t change other people, she knows how to set up situations in which she’s treated well and her needs are met.

The following is an example of how you can gain peace of mind when someone else’s behavior rubs you the wrong way. My coaching clients call it The Get Respect Now Technique.

DON’T BE AN OSTRICH

Nan tries to ignore her problems like an ostrich that hides its head in the sand. Then Nan moans that life presents her with the same snarly packages over and over. Jan’s approach is very different. She meets a challenge with, “Hmmm . . . I wonder what I’ll learn from this experience?”

Denying an unpleasant situation breeds more of the same. The challenge magnifies until we finally say, “Alright, already . . . I’ll deal with this.” Avoid getting hit over the head by a 2×4 by standing up for yourself when a toothpick jabs you. Perceive situations as accurately as possible. A rope is a rope and a snake is a snake. The simple act of acknowledging what exists initiates the potential for positive change. Why? You signal your mind to search for solutions.

AIM FOR RESULTS INSTEAD OF TRYING TO BE “RIGHT”

When you’ve been treated with disrespect, pause a moment and ponder. How can you express what you’re entitled to in a factual way? The other person may never acknowledge that you’re right because all of us have erroneous perceptions. They’ve been formed by decades of experiences and faulty beliefs. Do you ever watch a “sunset” even though the sun never sets? Do you ever instantly like or dislike a person you’ve never met?

When treated with disregard, your goal is to be heard and get your needs met. We can’t force other adults to change their opinions or behavior. However, we are in total control of how we respond to every situation. We can say what we need to and transform anxiety into peace of mind.

EXAMPLES

Here’s an example you might use at work. “I felt hurt when his contributions were recognized and mine weren’t noticed. I need for my work to be acknowledged.” An example at home is, “When you didn’t call and tell me you changed your plans, I worried about you. I need to know when you’ll be late so I can arrange my own schedule.”

Notice: These statements are not drenched with negative emotions or accusations that trigger defensiveness and counter attacks. You gain positive results faster by using “I statements” that acknowledge your emotions. Using the minimum amount of words possible, say what you need. Know you deserve it. This approach will empower you to breathe a big sigh of relief and go on with your next step in life.

THE FINAL OUTCOME

No matter what the final outcome of the particular situation, you’ll meet your personal growth challenge, so this type of situation will occur less frequently. Just use the technique I’ve outlined so you can easily resolve conflicts with “difficult people.” Soon, an effective response to disrespectful behavior will become easy and automatic because you’ll be clear what you deserve. Enjoy knowing you are so powerful that you can infinitely reshape your life. You deserve happiness. Turn every unpleasant experience into a rich opportunity for personal growth.

© 2008. This article was excerpted with permission from “Joy on the Job.” by Doris Helge, Ph.D. Permission to reprint is granted by the author as long as the article is left in tact and proper attribution is given.

Visit http://MoreJoyOnTheJob.com now and get more free tips, podcasts, & special reports. Sign up for the free “Joy On the Job Ezine.” Doris Helge, Ph.D., is a coach, corporate trainer, and speaker. She is author of “Joy on the Job,” “Transforming Pain Into Power,” and other books. Dr. Helge hosts the “More Joy on the Job” radio show. Download sample chapters of Doris’ books at http://www.JoyOnTheJob.info

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Fear of failure? Ms. Renhard will help you quiet your inner critic and boost your self esteem and success by taking a leap of faith.

Interviewer: Doris Helge, Ph.D., http://www.MoreJoyOnTheJob.com

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