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The recent economic climate has accentuated the need for finding and retaining top talent. Having a motivated workforce that is focused on executing your organization’s strategy is critical for achieving and sustaining a high-performance organization. Yet, recently we have been asked by numerous clients: “How can we keep employees motivated as our organization navigates through this turbulent economy?”

To answer this question, it is important to first point out that finding the right people is paramount to creating a motivated workforce. People who are doing work which aligns with their interests, desires, and skills provide the “fertile soil” in which strategy execution can thrive. But, what can be done to ensure that the right people are continuously motivated?

We offer four specific recommendations to organizations seeking to keep top talent motivated:

1. Get a pulse of your current organization.
   There has never been a better time to invest in resources that provide employees with the opportunity to share their perceptions of the current organizational pulse and enhancements that could be made to improve it. There are many instruments available in the marketplace; however, as you evaluate them, be sure to select an instrument that reports information in a clear and easily understood format so that immediate action can be determined. Additionally, it is critical to receive both quantitative (hard data) and qualitative (open comments) data. Oftentimes, it is the open comments area that provides the most valuable insight as to what employees would recommend to improve their organization and ultimately their level of motivation.
2. Objectively analyze the data.
   When you receive organizational data, it is important to analyze it objectively and without bias. Understand that when employees provide their input, they are anticipating direct action to be taken as a result of the time to share their feedback. Therefore, it is critical to commission a team of people to evaluate that information and seek additional clarifications as needed.
3. Take immediate action by confronting obstacles head-on.
   Once data has been analyzed, clear and measurable action plans must result. These action plans must define key responsibilities and milestones. More importantly, action plans must have executive sponsorship. Any meaningful change cannot be enacted without executive sponsorship and support. Every organization is different, and therefore, the actions which result will differ. Still, no matter what the plan is, it is important to deliver results quickly. To this end, as data is analyzed and plans are developed, it is important to tackle roadblocks that cause the greatest frustration, but it’s even more critical to determine solutions that be quickly implemented.
4. Reassess your organization frequently.
   The real value of any assessment process comes not from the initial assessment alone, but from frequent reassessments. By reassessing using the same criteria, an organization is able to monitor improvements made and identify any additional changes.

By implementing these recommendations, you will be able to get a firm understanding of employee motivation, and execute plans to remove roadblocks preventing high motivation.