Hi,
I was reading this post and found the following article. It is fantastic..relevant!
Comes In Late
After a recent seminar, a storeowner asked me what he could do to get his bench jeweler to come to work on time. He had tried everything he could think of (including nagging), but nothing seemed to work.
Now I know there are a lot of dependable, conscientious, highly motivated bench jewelers. However, as I travel the country putting on seminars on shop management, I find this to be a growing problem. Whether it is showing up on time or some other job function, more and more storeowners are asking how they can get their bench jewelers to do what they want done, and in the manner they want it done.
First of all, my advice is to sit down and talk with your jeweler. (Actually sit down and have a conversation not just make comments when he comes in late) Two things need to be accomplished in this conversation.
1) Find out why he comes in late.
It maybe lack of interest, lack of motivation, or lack of responsibility. However, it also maybe a legitimate reason, such as he needs to drop off kids at school or he shares a ride with his wife to work and can not make it in sooner. If that is the case you can either adjust his work schedule or work out other arrangements for him to get to work.
2) You need to explain the importance of coming to work on time.
Often we expect things from our employees and have never fully explained what it is we want. Our Employees Can Not Do What We Want Done, If They Do Not Know What It Is We Want Them To Do!
You may find out that they do not come in on time because then they have to put jewelry out in the cases and they feel that is the salespeople's job. Knowing the reason they are habitually late will allow you to work out a solution with them. Maybe instead of putting out the jewelry, they can have other responsibilities, such as getting the shop ready (filling the steamer, etc.) or organizing the shop's work and filing the work-in-progress slips. Something that needs to be done and they feel is related to their job in the shop.
Don't assume they just lack the motivation to come to work on time, it maybe any number of other reasons. Talk with them to find out the reason, then you will be in a position to find a solution you both can live with.
If it comes down to lack of motivation, that they are just not interested in coming on time. You have your work cut out for you. But don't despair, there are thing you can do to help the situation.
First of all understand that you CANNOT motivate him. No one can motivate anyone but themselves. You have all heard the statement "You can lead a horse to water, but you can not make it drink. Well, I've coined a new phrase; "You Can Lead A Jeweler To A Bench, But You Can Not Make Them Work." The desire to work is just like the desire to drink. It must come from within the individual. You can not force anyone to work any more than you can force them to drink a glass of water.
Now, a long time ago, farmers learned that they can get their livestock to drink adequate water, if they feed them enough salt. By adding salt to their diet the livestock becomes thirsty and will want to drink.
In business it is no different. We need to find something to "feed" our employees to get them to want to work. Dwight Eisenhower said, "The key to leadership is to get people to do what WE want done, because THEY want to do it."
This "something to feed them" falls into two categories:
Negative Consequences
Positive Reinforcement
Negative Consequences is common in disciplining children. If they misbehave, they get a spanking, etc. Although not talked about as much, it is also effective in changing behavior in adults. It is what the police use to get motorist to obey the speed limit. If you break the speed limit, you will receive a ticket.
In business, you can do something similar. If an employee continues an undesirable behavior, such as coming in late, they will receive a negative consequence. These can range from reprimands, loss of pay, suspensions, and ultimately firings.
Although this can be effective in changing behavior, you need to be careful not to rely on these too often. You do not want to create a "firings will continue until the moral improves" atmosphere.
Often the better approach is to provide positive reinforcement by providing a reward when the desired behavior is received rather than punishing the undesired behavior. Putting your jewelers on commission is a form of positive reinforcement. When your jewelers perform their work to your standards (desired behavior), they are paid (reward).
However, commissions are far from the only means of providing positive reinforcement. There are many ways to provide incentives and they do not necessarily have to be monetary rewards either. I heard of one lady whose husband had a very well paying job. Money did not motivate her to perform at her job. However, her employer saw that she liked to give her opinion on how the store should be run. So, he told her if she meet certain weekly goals, he would give her 15 minutes of his undivided attention and she could express her ideas. She never missed a week.
For other ideas see the book "1001 way to reward employees" by Bob Nelson. (You can get it at your library or any bookstore) Be creative and find what incentives you can provide that your employees desire (if they do not desire it, they will not be motivated to receive it)
Both negative consequences and positive reinforcement can be used together effectively. For example, if the jeweler shows up on time every morning for a month, he will receive an incentive. If he receives the incentive three months in a row, a larger reward will be given. However, if he is late five or more mornings during a month, he will receive a warning. Three warnings in a 6-month period maybe ground for dismissal.
The fun thing about managing is there is no ONE right way to do things, and what works today may not work tomorrow because things change! Have fun, be creative, and most important of all sit down and talk with your jewelers. Find out their likes and dislikes. Remember: You Need To Work Together As A Team - Not As Adversaries.