Dr. Tony Vercillo

Link: http://www.ifmc-consultants.com/shop

Recently I posted on a LinkedIn Group that asked the question, When the longevity of your drivers are the backbone of this industry, why on Earth are you "Throwing the baby out with the bathwater" by treating them as extensions of their machines? I posted some information on the subject, but I wanted to expand on it in regards to the 5 S’s of motivation.

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Drivers are not only the backbone, but they exude the pulse of the company. When I perform supply chain consulting work, I always demand a route ride with a driver and a meeting with the driver supervisor. Drivers, like managers, love the 5 S's of motivation:

Sense of Affiliation: People like to be a part of a team. The sense of comradery and that feeling of belonging have an enormous effect on an individual’s sense of loyalty. The more an employee feels like they are part of a team, the more they are willing to contribute themselves to help preserve that team.

Sense of Self-Worth: People want to know that what they do adds value. For many, it’s not just about sitting at a desk and pushing through bureaucratic information. Even if it’s that one guy on the assembly line responsible for inserting that one bolt, they want to know that the work they do is for the greater good of the company. It doesn’t matter how big or how small the job may be.

Sense of Respect: People want to know that you respect what they do and value their opinion. So, that same guy inserts that one bolt? It’s all about the boss ALSO knowing that what they do is important. And if said employee – who is working the assembly line for YOU – has a good idea about how to improve the job, listen. He spends all day there and sees the ins and outs. His opinion on how to improve the assembly should be as important, if not more so, than your opinion on how to improve the bottom line.

Sense of Advancement : People want to know that, if they choose to aspire to be a senior level manager, that you’ll support their move through the organization. Back to the bolt guy. If he is happy in his position, you should be happy to have someone like that. But if he aspires to be something more, you must always support that. You never know where your next great manager may come from and better to mentor him at your company than see him head off to your competition.

Sense of Achievement: Different than self-worth, this is more about the greater product. People want to know that, fundamentally, what they do makes a difference. They want to see the tangible results of the work they put in. While your bolt man may know that his job is important, it will never be fully realized if he never sees how his work ends up. Employees should see and experience the greater result of the work that they do. If your employees are responsible for building cars, they should see those cars come off the assembly line. It may sound minor, but there’s no greater feeling than looking at that polished 2011 Mustang GT convertible and knowing, “I helped BUILD that.”

Well, as long as it’s black, with two-tone interior, a Shaker-1000 sound system, 412 hp, 390 lb-ft of unadulterated, blow the doors off, torque… Wait, what was I talking about?