Peer pressure 'powerful motivator'

Date: 07/07/2009

Peer pressure can be a useful tool in motivating employees, one business expert suggests.

Author Harvey Mackay points out that motivating employees through peer pressure has a powerful impact and gives the example of it being used to motivate young soldiers in a regiment.

This sort of motivation works best on young people, "because their personal set of values is not yet fully formed and are more easily influenced by others," he writes for an article in the Post Bulletin.

Peer-to-peer motivation has also been highlighted this week, with Personnel Today saying recognition programmes involving votes from colleagues can boost morale.

Recognition is another good way of motivating employees, Mr Mackay continues, and encourages workers to achieve more than they thought possible.

However, he warns that motivating with threats is "overrated and misunderstood" and points out that fear as a motivator only works "for a while".

Written by Michelle Fry. ADNFCR-2060-ID-19254498-ADNFCR