With the semester wrapping up, I had one more discussion board to consider in my hospitality management class that required me to look into ways to motivate employees. So often, especially in the hospitality industry, it's hard to retain employees for long periods of time. Of course a big motivational factor for many is pay, and let's be honest, the food and lodging industry is cheap when it comes to hourly wages for employees. I'm sure many can relate to the server rate of $2.13 an hour + taxable tips. Whoever decided tips should be something other than a tip for good service? These horrible pay rates have led management to try to come up with ways to retain their employees and reduce higher turnover rates.

I am no expert by all means in the realm of management. I have, however, worked in several different departments as a team leader, for different companies, and have witnessed so many styles of management. Some have been excellent, and some have drawn me to seek employment elsewhere. Of course, managers are often held to a higher power and are required to expect more out of their employees than can actually be obtained by many. Not everyone works at the same level or can be motivated in the same ways.

In the past I was put in charge of a motivational program called Fish!, made mandatory at one of my jobs. This required an in-depth look into management styles. I had to find ways to retain employees and keep them happy. It's not easy, but motivating each person at an individual level can do wonders for an employee's self-esteem. Below are a few tips to figure out what will work for you if you decide to get into management.

Play at work

Bring something fun that makes employees smile and laugh. Something I was a part of at a previous job, involving the Fish! program, were squishy toys that could be thrown around the office. My old team had so much fun tossing these toys over each other's cubicles.

Another idea to incorporate is a game day or game hour. I've actually worked for a couple of departments that had game days. It's a great way to engage employees, and create a happy environment. On Fridays, if we had a little bit of downtime, we'd bring board games in and spend an hour or so in a conference room having fun.

Employee recognition

This is such an important thing to add as an employee motivation technique. People like to be told they're doing a good job. This is with work, school work, or basic home stuff. It boosts individual morale and can encourage them to strive to do better. Some people even like the recognition to extend outside of themselves individually, and be shared with the team.

Rewards

This varies depending on resources and management style, but people love receiving something for their hard work. This can include extra time off, a longer lunch break, free lunch or breakfast, a small bonus or raise, employee of the week, etc. This list is endless, with a lot of brainstorming opportunities. To compare employee rewards with school work motivational rewards, we get a good grade if we put in the hard work. I know I feel a higher level of encouragement for the next semester if I got an A in a class after putting in all of that hard work.

These tips for employee motivation can be translated into school motivation as well. Students want to play, get recognized by their professors, and be rewarded for their hard work. If the person doing the work isn't happy or encouraged in some way, remember to create something to boost a person up. The end result will pay off in a large way.