Force – it is what keeps employees in line. In the workplace, employers often find it necessary to use force to ensure efficiency and productivity. But the use of force does not really end up well especially if it is not use the right way.
Positive versus negative reinforcement
There are two ways to use force – negatively and positively. Whenever employers usually think of force, they think of its negative aspect. Thus, you will find a lot of employers who rule with an iron fist. There are those employers who would restrict coffee breaks to three minutes and not any second more. There are those who will threaten to fire you quickly upon very minor failures. There are also those who love to use punishment programs with the goal of making sure that employees do what they are being paid to do.
Well, negative reinforcement promotes discipline. But in the workplace, one does not have to stick with an iron rule just to keep employees in line. In fact, too much of negative reinforcement can cause negative results. Yes, with it, you might find that employees do not slack off. But what you do not know is that they really hate you and that they talk about you behind their back. Negative reinforcement also forces some of the best employees to resign and look for other working places.
Why positive reinforcement is a lot better
Because of the negative effects of negative reinforcement, a lot of employers have shifted to positive reinforcement when it comes to employee management. Positive reinforcement can really help produce phenomenal results. Here are the ways on how you can benefit from positive reinforcement.
• Happy employees – Without all the negative vibes and without making your workplace look like a sweatshop, you would be able to produce happy employees. With that, there would definitely positive vibe all around the workplace. Happy employees are efficient employees. You can ensure that they would do their task really well.
• Motivated employees – Positive reinforcement also produces motivated employees. You can always opt for a good rewards system wherein employees would be rewarded for various aspects. Such aspects include hard-work, loyalty, productivity, excellent management, and a whole lot more. Dangling a carrot over a donkey to make him run is a lot better than whipping it.
• Loyal employees – Positive reinforcement also produces loyal employees. You have to make sure that your workplace is a conducive environment wherein workers will have fun doing whatever they are doing. It should also be a place wherein they can explore and make use of their skills so that they can experience a good career. Positive reinforcement can make sure that your employees, most especially the best ones, will continue to be loyal to your company. You would not want to lose your best assets, do you?
As mentioned earlier, having a good rewards system is one of the ways wherein you can impose positive reinforcement at the workplace. Crystal Plus can help you with that. We provide trophies and plaques of recognition made of all sorts of materials.
