We have reached a point where we are almost ‘dependent’ on technology. We access email on our PC, Notebook, Tablet or phone. In fact, we are that ‘connected’ we find it hard to see anyone not using one of their devices to ‘stay in touch’. The problem lies not with the technology, but with us, the users.

Have you as a business owner ever considered the cost of being able to constantly be ‘in touch’? Reality is that we do not just use these devices for work related matters. The temptation is too great to just quickly ‘jump’ onto one of the social media networks. (it will only take a minute)

Let’s start adding up these minutes:

Assume you are a service company with a charge-out rate of $55/hour and you employ 20 staff members.

Every staff member ‘loses’ 12 minutes every day being ‘connected’

This equates to 1 hour per week, per staff member.

Now put some figures to it:

1 hour/staff member x 20 staff members = 20 lost hours/week

20 x 55 = $1100 lost/week

1100 x 52 weeks = $57,200 lost/annum

Now ask yourself who is paying for it? Is it you, the employer, or your clients?

Bottom line is that even though we have grown accustomed to technology, it can cost us if not managed properly. The 12 minutes used as an example is generous.

We are not going to able to change this habit by simply banning phones, and to be honest, this is not what we want. It all comes down to having a motivated team that will ‘do the right thing’. This is where we need to focus our attention. Work with your team and keep them motivated, have two-way communication and be upfront with your expectations.

Quick Fix? Certainly not. It will be easier for some than it would be for others. It all depends on the status of motivation in your company, but it can be done. Motivation in the workplace is something too many of us avoid as the first thought is generally that it costs money to motivate people and that is where we go wrong. Motivation in the workplace is more than the financial reward. We need to understand the dynamics of our staff and develop our plan from there. There is no generic approach to motivation. The basics are the same, but the action plan depends on the makeup of your team.

Good Leaders understand this and that is why they generally have a great team that ‘fires on all cylinders’. They also know that you do not just have a one session fix. You need to constantly work on maintaining the motivation levels in your business. Does that mean you end up spending all your time on it? The answer is no, you simply adjust some of the things you would do in order to create the right environment.

Ready to work on your teams motivation in 2017?