Employers are 'unsure what motivates staff'

Date: 20/09/2010

Many employers are unsure how best to boost employee motivation and staff retention.

According to new research from Ranstad, experts in the recruitment industry, there is a distinct mismatch between what employers think will boost morale and the sales incentive programmes that actually work.

The firm, which surveyed 800 people, said that many employees felt their skills and talents were being under-utilised despite ongoing training and incentivised improvement programmes.

Brian Wilkinson, head of Randstad UK, told the Financial Times: "Our report highlights that there is a gap between what organisations think will motivate their key talent to stay with them and what their employees actually say will retain them."

Mr Wilkinson said that companies have to juggle the cost of implementing sales incentive programmes with the subsequent benefits - such as being able to hold onto good staff members.

He suggested that flexible working practices were a key way to motivate both new and existing staff members.

Last week, Peter Baker, chief executive of the Men's Health Forum, claimed that ensuring staff take a full lunch break can boost employee motivation.

Written by Michael Ewing

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