Motivating Engineers to Track Project Payments: What Desk Reminders Work Best?

Hi All, I need to motivate the engineering staff to follow up on project payments. Something like setting an item on their desk as an everyday reminder. Please suggest.

Thanks.

Understanding the Process and Its Impact on Engineers

What is the process, and why does it repel the engineers? How was the relationship between the engineers during the project completion and the client?

Motivation Through Monetary Benefits

The easiest way to motivate is to offer them a monetary benefit each time the client makes a payment since they communicated. This is fairly easy to manage as you can quantify the number of times the engineer communicates, resulting in payment. However, this will have a backlash with engineers competing on communication rather than the product or services. You surely don't want to change the focus.

Incorporating Communication in KRA

You can alternatively include this in their KRA. However, offer them some benefits as you increase their responsibilities. Identify the scope for failure and offer support if you are officially making it a part of their performance.

Career Path Development

Find a career path rather. Identify the skill required to get the amount with Business Development, hence groom engineers to become Business Managers, eventually.

Seeking Team Support

If you are not in a position to bring in any changes, be honest with your team and call for their support. Humanly seeking help will work; however, you too need to acknowledge their concerns and answer them.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you, (Cite Contribution), for your detailed reply. I appreciate it. Since the engineers are in good rapport, we want to involve them in this process. So, I need something that acts as a reminder as well as a motivational factor.

In that case, can you get the engineer to plan for a strategy? Treat this as a business project. They would be far more engaged if they find themselves in charge of the situation. Plan for an outing or even a potluck to celebrate at the end of this.

Design posters or even banners to keep the environment light. Run it as a campaign to try out a new skill. Include this as a supportive initiative in their performance report. Bring in leader's support and create visibility for the team.

None of these are monetary benefits. Psychological support acts much greater than that. Please consider the message shared by Daniel Pink in this video [What motivates us](http://youtu.be/u6XAPnuFjJc).

Most engineers and techies think it is none of their business to get involved in business activities. Moreover, payment and market-related work are not liked by them; they also fear that if they get involved in such work, their technical profile could be molded into marketing.

Encouraging Short-Term Market Involvement

I think you should make them aware that there is nothing wrong with getting involved in the market for some time for the company's sake. You should make it very clear that the company is just looking for their short-term help, and it doesn’t mean their profile will be considered for market-related work. You will have to remove the fear of 'getting permanently rerouted in their career in marketing' from their minds. Just tell them this is a favor the company wants from them.

You can also offer the 'best project or best position in the project' to whoever helps the most in getting the payment. Hope it helps.

Thanks