What motivates you to get up and do your job every day? Is it the money, prestige or title you get along with all your responsibilities and duties? Or is it something more...knowing you make a difference, feeling like you are a part of something important, or perhaps challenging yourself to achieve at higher and higher levels?

Chances are that while some people are motivated primarily by money, most professionals in the massage, spa and healing arts industries are not wired quite that way. We want things to have meaning, purpose, impact. We want to leave a mark on the world, our clients or even just our workplace.

So why do owners and managers - yes I may be speaking to you if one of these titles appears on your business cards - seem so often to get caught up in the idea that employees are motivated by cold, hard cash? Beats me, but the ongoing challenge for many businesses is to find out how to motivate their team(s) to excel and make the company successful.

That's why I was so excited to run across this article about Employee Incentive Programs recently.  The first myth they debunk is that incentive programs boost morale. From the article:

"One of the biggest reasons companies use employee incentive programs is to boost morale (and hoping that the boosted morale would in turn boost productivity). This is a shortcut, and one that doesn't solve the underlying problem. Morale usually not low due to a lack of incentives. Typically, morale is low for reasons like bad management. Offering gifts or cash in exchange for extra work doesn't address this.

Companies often relate morale with compensation. The adage that more money means more happiness is pervasive in corporate culture. These programs are often thought of as "throwing a bone" to their workers so that they'll be happy and productive. It might create a short burst of increased productivity, but because the actual cause of bad morale is never addressed, the problem creeps up again and again. Over time, the company might blame the workers for being greedy and unreasonable when they're using the wrong remedy in the first place."

Click here to read the whole thing. And please, share your insights and ideas for motivating your own staff members. I'd love to hear them!

And if you find yourself needing a bigger solution to improving morale and performance than what you got from this article, please contact me at Felicia@spalutions.com to discuss a customized training or coaching solution for you and/or your staff.