3 motivating employees

8/6/2019 3 Motivating Employees

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3.1

SECTION 3: MOTIVATING EMPLOYEES

The role of motivationIf you employ staff or use volunteers, the performance of

your business is totally dependent on their performance.

Their motivation (or lack of it) has an substantial impact

on their performance, and on the performance of your

business. The ability to motivate your workforce is

therefore a key ingredient in your ability to manage peopleeffectively and in the future success of your business.

Motivating employees and volunteers is essential to

ensure that your business:

l gets the best from everyone working in the business

l achieves required results through the work of both

individuals and teams

l establishes and maintains high standards of

performance on a consistent basis

l avoids low employee morale

l achieves high staff retention rates

l provides first class customer service on a consistent

basis.

Needs and motivesUnderstanding what your employees (and any volunteers)

need and what motivates them is crucial to your ability topersuade them to act.

A need is an inner striving or urge to do or achieve

something, such as a urge to have something to eat or to

accomplish something worthwhile. A need can be

regarded as a biological or physiological requirement.

Maslows hierarchy of needsThe researcher Maslow identified five motivating

factors in his hierarchy of needs and considered that,

as each need was satisfied, others emerge.

These needs are:

1. Physiological: thirst, hunger, sleep.2. Safety: protection from danger, security.

3. Social: acceptance, belonging, friendship, love,

social life.

4. Self-esteem: recognition, self-respect,

achievement, status.

5. Self-actualisation: personal development,

accomplishment, growth.

A motive is an inner drive or desire that moves a person

to do something. Motives can be conscious, semi-

conscious or unconscious.

Needs and motives often function in the same way, and

the words are often used interchangeably. Motives can be

mixed, with several centred around a primary motive. An

employee can, of course, have many motivational needs

varying in importance.

The key to effective motivation is the ability of an owner or

manager to identify the true needs of the employee in the

absence of preconceived assumptions, and to act upon

these needs appropriately to the general satisfaction of

the whole workforce. Your task is therefore to detect these

needs and take appropriate action.


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3.2

Different people are motivated by different things. It is

estimated that 50% of a persons motivation comes from

within themselves, and 50% from the environment in

which they work.

What motivates people at work?Pay and other benefits do, of course, motivate people at

work most employees have to earn a living. However,

there are a number of other key motivating factors for

people at work, including:

l achievement: successfully completing tasks, finding

solutions to problems, seeing the results of work,improved results

l recognition: being noticed, appreciation, praise,

thanks, rewards, incentives

l development opportunities: opportunities to acquire

new knowledge, skills or qualifications, training

l advancement: promotion, enhanced status at work

l responsibility: being given new or additional

responsibilities for tasks or people, job enrichment

l the work itself: what is involved in the actual job

l working conditions: space, temperature, lighting,

working environment

l respect: being respected as an individual, trust.

Motivating your workforceThere are a variety of ways of motivating members of

your team, and successful techniques will varyconsiderably between different types and sizes of

business.

What is appropriate for a family or micro business with

two or three employees will probably be very different

from what would work well in a company employing 100+

people.

Demotivating factors at work1. Lack of clarity in objectives, policies or

procedures.2. Inaccessible or incompetent manager.

3. Being treated in a way that is perceived as

unfair, unreasonable or discriminatory.

4. Poor relations with colleagues, including

supervisor/manager.

5. Uncompetitive compensation package, including

salary, pension and other financially related

benefits.

6. Lack of status in the organisation.7. Fear of redundancy or an unwelcome change in

a job role or rewards.

8. Adverse impact of job on personal life, such as

stress or the need to work unsocial hours.

9. Poor working conditions.

10. Volume of work that cannot be undertaken to a

satisfactory standard in the time available with

the available resources.

The following are, however, likely to be key points for all

tourism organisations, whatever their size or sector of the

industry.

1. Be motivated yourself.

2. Recruit and select highly motivated people.

3. Set challenging but realistic targets.

4. Have high expectations.5. Enable people to see progress.

6. Treat everyone as an individual.

7. Create a motivating environment.

8. Support and encourage the team.

9. Give recognition for good performance.

10. Provide fair rewards and incentives.


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3.3

Assessing your motivational skillsAssess your motivational skills by responding to each of the following statements and circling the response closest

to your experience, and then adding up your total score.

Key: 1 Never 2 Occasionally 3 Frequently 4 Always

1. I am well motivated.

2. I seek a balance between firm control and giving people independence.

3. I treat employees and volunteers as individuals.

4. I am honest with employees and keep them informed.

5. I make an effort to improve my motivational skills.

6. I give reasons for my decisions and actions.7. I have high expectations of my team.

8. I try to create a no-blame culture.

9. I involve employees in decisions.

10. I organise work so that one person can complete a whole task.

11. I thank people for good performance.

12. I consult before making changes to systems and procedures.

13. I set challenging but realistic targets.

14. I try to ensure that work is enjoyable for employees.

15. I ensure that work conditions are satisfactory.16. I congratulate the team when targets are met.

17. I keep everyone informed of progress.

18. I avoid accusations of favouritism.

19. I support and encourage individuals as well as teams.

20. I interview people who resign to find out why they are leaving.

21. I provide constructive feedback on performance.

22. I am positive about the role of my team.

23. I seek consensus and encourage others to do the same.

24. I look for opportunities to add variety to jobs.

25. I take motivation into account when recruiting.

25-49 You have generally poor motivational skills and your actions are likely to be demotivating your employees.

Review your behaviour and look for new ways to motivate your team.

50-79 You have generally good motivational skills. Look for opportunities to overcome motivational weaknesses.

80-100 You have excellent motivational skills. Take care not to become complacent.


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3.5

Setting challenging targetsWould you tell me please, which way I ought to go? said

Alice. That depends a good deal on where you want to

get to. said the cat.Lewis Carroll

If employees dont know what they should be doing at

work, or to what standards they are expected to perform,

it is hard to be motivated and effective. It is easy for them

to spend too much time on unimportant aspects of their

role, and to neglect vital tasks. It is also difficult for staff to

perform well if they do not understand why something has

to be done, or cannot see where tasks that they areundertaking fit into the larger picture of business

operations.

It is the role of the manager or owner to ensure that

everyone:

l can identify the objectives of the organisation

l understands their role and how it fits into the larger

pattern of business operations

l appreciates the standards to which tasks should beperformed

l has agreed objectives or targets to meet.

Employees are more likely to be well motivated if they

understand why tasks have to be undertaken and have an

good appreciation of how the organisation wishes the

tasks to be performed.

Clear and effective internal communication is vital. Share

your views on what the organisation or department istrying to achieve, and discuss with individuals or teams

how their role can help. Ensure that everyone, including

part-time and casual staff, is aware of the required

performance standards.

Whenever possible, give employees an opportunity to

contribute to the setting of objectives and targets, as this

can increase commitment to achieving them very

considerably.

Remember the concept of SMART targets. They should

be:l specific

l measurable

l achievable

l realistic

l time bound.

Aiming highMost people at work are keen to deliver what is expected

of them, and are likely to be better motivated if they feel

that they are succeeding in meeting expectations. So

more is likely to be achieved if you have high

expectations of your team, and of individuals within it.

If you let present performance standards become the

benchmark for success, then your team will never achieve

its full potential.

If you set the team a challenge and explain that you are

confident that they can rise to meet it, there is a high

likelihood of success. Giving the impression that an

individual or group is likely to fail can become a self-

fulfiling prophecy.

Always focus your expectations on goals that are of

significant business benefit. For example, on sales

achieved rather than on telephone calls made to potential

customers.

Your expectations do, of course, have to be realistic.

Communicating unreasonably high expectations that

employees are very unlikely to meet even if they make a

considerable effort will probably be demoralising.


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3.6

Identifying progressJust as it is important for employees to know what they

are trying to achieve, it is helpful for them to know what

progress they are making towards achieving a target orperforming to the standards required.

Feedback on progress (or even on the reasons for slow

progress or lack of it) can help to spur people on to

greater efforts or concentrate their minds on what still

needs to be achieved.

Its easy to worry that your team will slow down if you say

that good progress is being made or that everything is

going well, or that they will be disheartened if you

communicate a lack of progress. However, research has

shown that employees perform best if they receive

feedback on progress. Maintaining motivation depends on

informing (and preferably inspiring) your team.

Make sure that you praise good progress in a sincere way

that generates a positive response in the individual or

team. Dont forget that knowing you have succeeded at

something is a powerful motivator and a great source ofpersonal satisfaction and self-esteem. Knowing that they

are making progress can also make individuals and teams

more enthusiastic.

Dont be tempted to make grudging remarks or imply you

are surprised that they have managed to achieve

something. This will only undermine their efforts and is

likely to cause resentment.

Care, of course, needs to be taken when communicating

bad news, particularly if individuals or teams have tried

hard.

Be prepared to discuss the reasons for failure and to

make sure that everyone learns from them. Taking a

sympathetic and constructive attitude to failure can

motivate and encourage staff. In essence, you create a

no-blame culture. If you choose to punish failure and

motivate by fear, you are not likely to succeed in the

longer term. However, make it clear that your tolerance of

poor performance and mistakes is limited.

It can be necessary to remotivate the team by boosting

their self-confidence, clarifying the objectives and the

value of their work, and expressing optimism about their

ability to move forward. Always try to end on a positive

note.

If no progress is being made or things are going badly, it

is also important to review your own role and yourmotivation.

Treating everyone as anindividualYou do not just employ a team, you employ a collection of

individuals, with unique skills, knowledge, personalities

and motivations. So getting the best from a team meansgetting the best from every individual.

It is important to find out what motivates each individual,

and not to rely on general assumptions. This is complex

as there can be considerable differences between

individuals and between what motivates a person at

varying stages of their career.

For example, job security may be very important for some

staff, while others may be more concerned about

management development opportunities.

Remember that what motivates your staff may also be

very different from what motivates you.

Start by assessing the individuals in your team. Try to find

out enough about them to define their motivations (without


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3.7

being unnecessarily intrusive). Approach new members of

the team without preconceptions.

Remember that different people want their manager to

play different roles. For example, some may be seekingreassurance about their performance, others may not. It

is, however, necessary to ensure that everyone is treated

in a fair, consistent and non-discriminatory way.

Try to ensure that you strike a reasonable balance

between talking to teams or groups as a whole and to

individual employees or volunteers. You can then use a

appropriate management style for that particular person,

rather than one judged to appeal to the team as a whole.

Dont act in a way that could result in you being accused

of favouritism. It demotivates those who feel they are

unfavoured and can make the favourites unpopular with

their colleagues.

Appraisal schemes can, of course, provide an excellent

opportunity to focus on individual needs and expectations,

to recognise achievement and plan career development.

Obtaining feedback on an ongoing basis is also importantand can ensure that any required action is taken quickly.

Creating a motivatingenvironmentCertain working environments can boost the motivation of

employees and boost the morale of a team, others can

demotivate and demoralise.

Start by making sure that the physical environment in

which people have to work is satisfactory. It is nearly

impossible to work effectively if you are:

l frightened about your personal safety or the safety of

your personal possessions

l cold

Making it funJust as a leisure tourism experience should be

enjoyable, so should working in the tourism, leisure

and hospitality industry.

Employees want to:

l enjoy their jobs

l have fun at work

l have interesting and satisfying jobs

l have good working relationships with their

colleagues.

So always look for opportunities to make work fun

and enjoyable. Dont take things so seriously that you

cannot enjoy a joke, or develop a boring working

environment.

Where appropriate, encourage employees to interact

socially as this can build team cohesion and boost

morale.

Dont forget that staff parties and other social events

can help to motivate employees and recognise their

efforts.

l too hot

l struggling to work in poor light

l working in very cramped conditions

l using poorly sited equipment or sitting in an

uncomfortable chair for an extended period of timel thirsty

l hungry.

So make sure that:

l health, safety and security measures are appropriate

to your business circumstances and that employees

believe that they are working in a safe environment


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3.8

Job enrichmentThe composition of jobs and the amount of variety

they contain has a major impact on motivation. Few

people enjoy a very routine, monotonous role. The

level of interest in a job depends on the content of

the work, its complexity, and the sense of

achievement generated by successful completion.

So think hard about how you design jobs and allocate

tasks among different employees. Look for job

enrichment opportunities that add variety and

responsibility to front-line roles. These are likely to

stimulate enthusiasm and will enable individuals to

develop new skills to benefit the organisation as a

whole.

It is often preferable to make one individual

responsible for the whole of a task, rather thandividing different elements among a number of

people who cannot see the whole picture.

Encourage people to use their initiative to improve

efficiency, and allow as much flexibility as possible in

letting individuals decide how to perform a task.

l employees have a secure location in which to store

their personal possessions, such as a locker

l indoor temperatures are reasonable and that those

working outdoors are equipped with appropriate

outdoor clothing and footwear for the weatherconditions

l lighting is adequate for the tasks being undertaken

l equipment and furniture is appropriate and located in

a position that does not create problems

l employees are given breaks at appropriate intervals,

even during very busy periods.

Dont forget the old adage your staff will treat

customers like you treat them.

The way that you treat employees can also create a

motivating environment.l Try to avoid creating a restrictive environment with too

many or unnecessary controls or rules.

l Enable employees to contribute to decision making,

especially when the decision has a significant impact

on their job.

l Consult carefully before implementing any major

changes.

Supporting and encouragingyour teamThere are times when every team needs some support

and encouragement to produce their best, and it is the

role of the leader or manager to provide this.

Support can take the form of:

l providing information or advice

l encouraging open and constructive communication

and co-operation

l helping to resolve problems

l ensuring that appropriate resources are available

l helping out in busy periods or difficult situations

l taking action to remove bottlenecks and other barriers

to achievement of targets

l discussing potential changes at an early stage,

explaining why they are necessary and allowingindividuals to express their concerns.

Teams also need to be encouraged, especially during

peak periods and if any difficulties arise. Make sure that

everyone knows you appreciate their efforts and are

aware of the circumstances under which they working.


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3.9

Recognising good performanceAchievement is its own reward but it is never enough.

People also want recognition. Failing to recognise good

performance can make an individual feel unnoticed,unvalued and unrewarded. This can lead to a poor level

of motivation.

Recognition can be formal or informal, for an individual or

for a team as a whole. It can range from an informal thank

you, verbally or in writing, for a small task or some extra

help to Employee of the month or annual award

schemes. Some tourism organisations encourage

customers to nominate staff for awards or specialrecognition.

Never forget that praise can be an incredible motivator.

However, praise used in inappropriate circumstances can

simply re-inforce poor performance.

There are three key occasions to give praise:

l when work meets a standard for the first time, such as

when a new employee completes an unfamiliar task

correctlyl when work exceeds an agreed standard. Praising

those who shine encourages them to continue

l when work is satisfactory over a period of time. Solid

performance every day is praiseworthy.

When praising an employee, make sure to be specific

about what aspects of performance impressed you and, if

appropriate, mention personal effort and comment on how

the achievement has helped the team or organisationsoverall performance. Respond to peoples success as

soon as possible.

Providing fair rewards andincentivesBoth financially-based and non-financial rewards and

incentives are available to help motivate people, anddifferent types of reward can have different impacts on the

motivation of individual employees and teams.

Pay and benefits packages can include basic pay,

bonuses, commission payments, pension schemes, health

insurance and life assurance cover.

The overall level of pay and benefits determines an

employees purchasing power and (in combination with

other household members income) their standard of

living. Employees are rarely entirely satisfied with their

pay and small pay rises do little to enhance satisfaction.

Enhanced satisfaction (and perhaps enhanced motivation)

only occurs when a pay rise is given which surpasses

expectations.

Perhaps more importantly in terms of motivation, every

employee has an opinion on whether their pay is fair.

The employee who feels underpaid, either for the job itself

or in relation to others in the organisation or local area, is

likely to be demotivated. They perceive that their

contribution is not recognised or valued by the

organisation.

It is, of course, essential to ensure that you meet all legal

requirements relating to equal pay for men and women

(see section 6 for more information). It is also important to

ensure that pay is perceived as fair and reasonable.

You do not have to pay the highest rates in the area to

have well motivated employees, but it can be difficult to

attract and retain well motivated people if your pay and

benefits packages are viewed as unfair and

uncompetitive.


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3.10

Bonus schemesl Bonus schemes can play an important part in

motivating employees and achieving targets.However, they must be devised and implemented

in a way that ensures compliance with equal pay

legislation.

l Bonuses linked to clear targets for individual

performance encourages individual effort, but not

teamwork. Each person should have only one or

two immediate targets to aim for, such as those

related to sales performance. It is also possible to

offer a bonus for innovative ideas that boost

productivity.

l Bonuses linked to company profits can promote

teamwork, as long as individuals can see how

they can affect the figures. Team goals can

include sales, margins, costs or customer

satisfaction levels.

l Bonus targets should normally be set monthly, sothat results can be monitored immediately. You

can target a key area for one month only, to focus

on something that would otherwise be neglected.

l It is worth remembering that bonuses based on

short-term targets can damage long-term

profitability. For example, employees can focus

on sales and neglect customer service.

l Reducing basic pay in order to fund bonuses cando more harm than good.

l Bonuses do not need to be large to be effective

as a motivator. However, they do need to be

perceived as fair and reasonable if they are not to

demoralise employees.

Bonus and incentive schemes linked to individual and/or

team performance are far more likely to have a

motivational impact than basic pay rates.

Whether or not you are in a position to improve pay levels

or provide bonuses for employees, it is well worth

considering the motivational impact of other rewards and

incentives. These include the following.

l Time off

Extra days holiday, other time-off or opportunities for

unpaid leave, extra leave entitlement for long service.

l Privileges

Car parking spaces (especially in areas where parkingis difficult) or opportunities to use guest services.

l Small gifts or other tokens of appreciation

Flowers, chocolates, Christmas gifts, birthday cards or

other small gifts.

l Social events

Staff parties, away-days, visits to attractions or events,

restaurant meals or family events.

l Discounts

Discounts in retail or catering outlets for employees

and family members.

l Subsidised or free meals

Staff restaurants, free drinks, free or subsidised meals

on duty.

l Cars and equipment

Company cars, car financing schemes, laptopcomputers for home use.

l Incentive schemes

Reward schemes offering vouchers, experiences or

travel opportunities, either run in-house or through a

incentive company.


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Always make sure that any rewards and incentives are

available to employees in way that does not discriminate

against any members of staff. For example, think about

whether they can be achieved by part-time as well as full-

time employees.

Training and development opportunities can also make

employees feel valued and therefore be viewed as a

reward or incentive, leading to improved motivation.

An off-site management development programme is,

however, more likely to be viewed as an incentive than a

mandatory food hygiene training course or similar.

Developing your motivationskillsIf you consider that your motivational skills could be

improved, it could be worthwhile taking part in a

motivation training programme. Motivation training could

also help to develop the skills of team leaders,

supervisors and managers.

Learndirect offers courses entitled Motivationand

Motivating yourself and others. Further information is

available on their website: www.learndirect.co.uk.

Useful publications on motivation include;

l Bringing Out the Best in People, Aubrey Daniels,

McGraw-Hill

l Effective Motivation, John Adair, Pan

l Essential Managers Manual, Robert Heller & Tim

Hindle, Dorling Kindersley

l How to Motivate Every Employee, Anne Bruce,

McGraw-Hill.

The website www.yourpeoplemanager.com includes some

useful articles on motivation. There is also an article on

how to motivate your staff on the People Management

section of www.caterer.com.


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MOTIVATING AN ATTRACTION TEAM

FOLLY FARM, BEGELLY, PEMBROKESHIRE

Family adventure

Folly Farm in Pembrokeshire is an all-weather, family

adventure park, which was started in 1988 as a farm-

based educational attraction. Today it is a Wales Tourist

Board Star Attraction and features:

G the Jolly Barn, where guests can meet a huge variety

of farm animals including many rare breeds, and a

Pet Centre

G a vintage funfair, the largest undercover fairground in

Europe, with a large collection of rides and stalls

G Ziggys Childrens Zoo, which is home to over 100

exotic animals from Arabian oryx and mountain bongo

to zebra

G a 700-seat theatre

G a go-kart racetrack

G catering facilities including Henrys Coffee Shop, the

Ploughmans Restaurant, a Burger Bar, a licensed bar,

the Dog and Duck, kiosks throughout the park and

picnic tables

G the on-site Folly Farm Shop and a shop on the High

Street in Tenby.

A sustainable attraction

The main objective of Folly Farm is to create a

sustainable company for future generations offering

employment opportunities for local people, with a

management attitude to business demands of total

flexibility.

Folly Farm is also dedicated to promoting the

conservation of our wildlife heritage, both locally and

globally.

This aim is incorporated into a conservation and

education strategy, whereby Folly Farm contributes to the

conservation of wildlife while also teaching guests about

animals and the environment.

Working at Folly FarmThe attraction employs up to 150 full and part-time

employees across the various departments. These

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include 50 core staff all-year around and 100 seasonal

employees, some of whom work from February to

October.

The company is committed to internal promotion wherever

possible. When a vacancy arises, the directors first look to

recruit from their existing workforce.

Other recruitment methods used include the company

website, the local press (and national/trade press for

managers) and Jobcentre Plus. Representatives of Folly

Farm attend job fairs and make presentations at local

secondary schools and at Pembrokeshire College, and

the attraction also participates in work experience

initiatives.

Motivating the Folly Farmworkforce

Folly Farm is an equal opportunities employer and has

achieved the Investors in People award. The company is

dedicated to developing the skills and potential of all

employees.

Training opportunities include NVQ qualifications in

catering, customer service and team leadership, and

Welcome Host customer service courses.

Training is discussed during every induction and

employees are encouraged to come forward and ask for

additional training at any time.

Folly Farm is very good at identifying the skills of peoplewithin the organisation and utilising them. Within 18

months, I progressed from General Supervisor to

Manager. Its a fun place to work and there is plenty to

keep you busy.

Paul Harries, Human Resources Manager

All employees have two days off a week, receive family

passes to the attraction and a discount on retail goods.

Flexible working arrangements are available for

example, some members of staff work at weekends,

others dont.

Making it fun

The directors of Folly Farm are keen not just to make the

attraction fun for guests, but also to make it a fun place to

work.

It's great fun every day, so I feel like Im getting paid to

have fun.

Sarah Parry, Entertainment Staff

There is a vibrant social life within the organisation,

co-ordinated by a staff-run social committee. Recent

social events have included beach parties, regular staff

nights out, football matches, end of season parties,

employee visits to other attractions in Pembrokeshire, and

department meals.

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Ive been working at Folly Farm since I was 18 and Ireally enjoy it here. I worked at Folly Farm during the

holidays while I was at university studying theatre design.

My job now incorporates all that I learned during my

degree, as Im involved in entertainment and park

theming. Im using my artistic skills every day. The best

part of the job is the people I work with and the social life.

Rebecca Rees, Entertainment Supervisor

The directors approach to employee motivation and

development has resulted in very low staff turnover with

many seasonal employees returning to work at the

attraction each season.

It is vital for staff to believe in our product quality and

have the confidence and ability to deliver the Folly Farmexperience to all our guests to a level that exceeds their

expectations.

Chris Ebsworth, Director

Contact

Chris Ebsworth

DirectorFolly Farm

Begelly

Kilgetty

Pembrokeshire SA68 0XA

Tel: 01834 812731

Fax: 01834 813148

E-mail: [email protected]

URL: www.folly-farm.co.uk

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DEVELOPING A WELL MOTIVATED TEAM

CAERELWAN PARK, TALYBONT, GWYNEDD

A holiday in SnowdoniaParc Caerelwan has operated as a caravan park since

1932. It borders five miles of sandy beaches in the

Snowdonia National Park at Talybont near to Barmouth.

The park has received a Four Star Holiday Park grading

from the Wales Tourist Board. |t has approximately 100

high-quality static units in a carefully-tended landscaped

parkland, as well as touring pitches. They all feature

showers, colour television, videos and microwaves.

Park facilities include:

l indoor heated

swimming pool

l sauna

l steam room

l multi-gym

l games room

l on-site shop and off-

licence

l childrens play area

l laundry.

There is a strong emphasis at the park on meeting the

needs of family holidaymakers. Many visitors return year

after year, and some have chosen to purchase a holiday

home at Parc Caerelwan.

A sustainable attraction

The owners, Trevor and Val Smedley, started work ascamp housekeepers in 1977 and purchased the Parc

Caerelwan lease in 1991. They have since developed the

park, building a new laundry, solarium and multi-gym in

1991 and an indoor swimming pool in 1999.

They now employ seven full-time and 11 part-time staff.

These staff are employed on year-round contracts as job

security is viewed as a top priority by the owners.

The owners daughter is also involved in the business andis gradually taking over responsibility for more aspects of

operating the park.

Motivating the park workforceThe owners devote

considerable time and

energy to leading andmotivating their team.

They are committed to

llistening to the views

of all employees and

hold regular staff

meetings at the park.

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All staff have clear and accurate job descriptions, and the

owners explain the objectives of the park to the workforce.

Targets, such as the sales of new caravans, are also

communicated to the staff.

Trevor and Val Smedley believe that it is important to

deploy staff effectively to have the right people doing

the right jobs and consider that this aids both

motivation and performance.

They also think that it is crucial to trust their workforce,

and to encourage staff members to take on new

responsibilities.

If mistakes are made the owners stand by theiremployees and they have created a no-blame culture.

Training and developmentTraining is given a high priority, both to ensure that the

park conforms with all relevant legislation and to extend

the skills of both the owners and the workforce.

The Smedleys believe that it is essential for employees to

be provided with opportunities to acquire recognised

qualifications to back up experience gained by working at

the park. For example, the nationally-recognised British

Institute of Innkeeping National Certificate for Personal

Licence Holders.

Recent training linked to legislative requirements has

related to:

l health and safety, including swimming pool safety andfirst aid

l food hygiene

l portable appliance testing

l door management.

Other training has included:

l Welcome Hostand Managing your Welcomecustomer

service courses

l sales skills

l leadership and supervisory skillsl the Caravan Industry Training Organisation Park

Managementprogramme.

The range and quality of training at Parc Caerelwan has

helped to motivate the workforce and led to the park

winning the Wales Tourist Board Laura Ashley Training

Award in 1998. New skills have also helped the owners to

delegate more responsibilities to front-line employees.

ContactVal and Trevor Smedley

Proprietors

Parc Caerelwan

Talybont

Barmouth

Gwynedd LL43 2AX

Tel: 01341 247236

Fax: 01341 247711

E-mail: [email protected]

URL: www.porthmadog.co.uk/parc

3.16

3 motivating employees

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