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Meaning and value of stimulation Stimulation is an effort to create in the mind of an employe the desire to do his or her best. This result can not be accomplished thru fair pay alone nor can it be accomplished thru the use of hit or miss plans to get greater results out of the people. Getting employes to give their best can only be effected thru the adoption of a definite clear-cut policy which recognizes the fact that the welfare and happiness of the employes are inseparable from the success of the organization. With this policy as the basis of all action, there must result the building up of a spirit of mutual interest which stimulates every worth-while employe to give his best to the organization. It is obvious that
if employes have been properly selected and trained and that if the large majority
of them are giving their best to their work the organization possesses an important
asset. Stimulation tends to impress upon every employe that he or she is really
a valuable factor in the organization. It visualizes the responsibility entrusted
to each employe and thus acts to overcome the tendency toward carelessness, indifference
and thoughtlessness. These are the basic causes of inefficiency on the part of
the rank and file. |
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Principles of stimulation All successful methods of stimulation must operate with the employes' point of view constantly in mind. In other words it is not enough that the employer be convinced of the gospel of the square deal. He must also convince the employe of his sincerity. Employes are prone to judge with considerable shrewdness the motives underlying any move, and no insincere plan can have any lasting effect. It is also important that the methods of stimulation be entirely practical, that is, within the intelligence of those to whom they are to be applied. Furthermore, they must be explained and advocated on the basis of their advantage to all concerned. The methods described below will serve to illustrate clearly the scope and value of stimulation. It should operate to improve the attitude, the conduct, and the work of employes. It is important to realize that no one method will accomplish all these results. In fact, it is an important principle of successful stimulation that one must adopt a number of methods to meet each need. |
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Personal interest In an organization of any size there is always the danger that the rank-and-file workers will be looked upon as machines. Such a condition should be avoided. It is a decided incentive to the employe to do his best when there is that recognition of his presence which betokens an atmosphere of friendly cooperation. It is,
therefore, well worth while to devise means of bringing the officer manager in personal contact from time to
time with every individual under his jurisdiction. Here are some methods that
have been used successfully: |
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Monthly Interviews. In one large
organization where the office manager works thru department heads, accurate
records are kept showing the quality and quantity of work done by each
individual, the attendance record, the number of suggestions turned in, and
similar points. Ten of these individual records are brought to his attention
each morning. With all the facts in mind he casually interviews each of these
people, making it a point to encourage them and show them that he is in close
touch with what they are doing. |
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Personal Memoranda From time to time it has been found a good plan to send out personal memoranda to the members of the organization, touching upon some point on which it is desired to secure their cooperation. These memoranda can bring home the value of establishing a good attendance record, keeping the desk in proper shape, the importance of service, and many other points that make the individual realize the important part that he or she plays in the work of the organization. |
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Birthday Cards Another concern has found the sending out of birthday greetings from an executive very effective. The fact that the executive is thinking of the employe aside from the actual work he or she may be doing cannot help but indicate that the employe is not a mere machine. |
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Points of Contact Once the executive is convinced of the value of personal contact, it will be found that every day there are bound to be incidents occurring that give him a chance to come into contact with certain of his employes. It may be a case of sickness at home, some difficulty in the work, or a piece of good fortune. A systematic plan to keep in touch with these incidents should be followed and used as points of contact. The result of
this personal contact work will be that the employes will come to realize
that they are not mere cogs in the wheel and that the organization has a real
interest in them. Thru this realization they will be encouraged to give the
best they have. Experience has proved that there is a worth-while return for
such effort. |
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Inspirational methods of stimulation In endeavoring
to improve the attitude, conduct and work of employes inspirational methods
are effective. Human nature responds to inspiration. The constant tendency of
the rank-and-file worker is to sink into a rut. Inspirational methods
properly adopted and applied will prove exceedingly helpful in stimulating employes
to lift themselves above the lure of the rut. |
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Example Employes are easily stimulated to better work by example. This is frequently overlooked, yet it is a fundamental principle. Observe the employes under a department head who is thoughtless and indifferent in the conduct of his work. It will be seen that all employes who have been under his jurisdiction for any length of time will exhibit in a more or less pronounced degree a tendency to be thoughtless and indifferent in carrying out their duties. It is essential,
therefore, for an office manager to see to it that in every respect he sets
an example worthy of being followed. It is a great mistake for a man to feel
that he can successfully stimulate his people if he asks his people to do
things that he himself is not willing to do. |
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Internal house organ An inspirational means of welding employes into a homogeneous, enthusiastic whole is provided in the house organ. It offers a splendid method of keeping ahve the ideals and spirit of the organization as well as of making known the activities and achievements of the office workers. It gives the employes a chance to express themselves and to exchange ideas regarding their work. It is rarely practicable to have a house organ in small concerns, but in larger offices it is a real necessity. Thru it, employes of each department may know what other employes are doing, and thus obtain a knowledge of what the several departments and the organization as a whole are accomplishing. No ambitious clerk is content with knowing merely his own particular work. He desires to know more about the organization and about the people who are filling the positions to which he aspires. He wishes to know what is going on, so that he can do his part more intelligently. The house organ is a medium by which the office manager can develop the ideas of the organization and dispel suspicion and ignorance. It will be more successful if it is published by the employes under the guidance of the management than if it is published by the management itself. The latter plan tends to awaken the idea that the house organ is published in the interests of the employer instead of the interests of the employe. |
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Bulletin boards. Wliile the house organ is the chief means of inspiring employes thru written messages, bulletin boards may also be used to advantage. On bulletin boards may be posted notices, leaflets, pictures, inspirational mottoes and other suitable material. The bulletin board may also be used to give information about educational facilities in the neighborhood, about health hints, methods of accident prevention, efficiency hints, perhaps a few rules and regulations. It should be put in charge of some person whose duty it is to collect information, keep it in order and change the notices. Some offices use a "directory" board, such as is found in the vestibules of large buildings, upon which are posted the names of those who attain special distinction. In other offices graphic charts are published, showing the trend of output for the individual workers. There are service registers to indicate the length of time which each worker has spent in the company's service. |
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Comment hulletins. It would surprise the average employer to realize how little his employes know what customers think of the organization. Every organization that is rendering satisfactory service receives letters of commendation from time to time and in other ways is brought to realize that its work is appreciated. The officers of the company are eager for such comments and are often aroused thru them to greater enthusiasm for their work. In order that the rank and file may also get this same realization and thru this realization be inspired to do better work, it will prove worth while to send out little bulletins from time to time quoting these comments. One organization that is using this plan distributes comments of this kind once a week, and in order to keep its purpose constantly active in the minds of the employes, prints at the bottom of each bulletin "Xo. of a series of bulletins distributed in order that you may know what our customers think of the service you are helping to render." |
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Code of 'principles. An esprit de corps cannot be built thru individual achievement. It gathers its strengih thru the ideals of the firm the rendering of better service or the production of better goods than competitors. Employes may be inspired to better work thru a realization of what the organization stands for. Many organizations prepare a "Code of Principles" for distribution among their employes. The president of the Sherwin-Williams Paint Company sums up these factors in his "Code of Principles" which is given to every new man upon entering the concern : Our firsc principle
is : To win on our merits. This is the only way we want to win, and if anybody can beat us out on our merits, they are welcome to victory. Our next aim is
: To be the best and largest concern of the kind in the world. We say "best" first because we would rather be the best, if we can not be the largest or both. Next we say : To be broad and liberal, as well as aggressive, in our policy and methods. Our reason for this is that in developing a large business I think there is a tendency to be rather narrow, grasping and selfish ; so we try to keep that before us. The fourth principle
is : To take a pride in our institution. The fifth : To be loyal to the company and to each other. The sixth: To foster good
fellowship among ourselves, and to take pleasure as well as profit out of our
work. The seventh : To strive consciously for the improvement and advancement of the business and ourselves. Eighth : To be
considerate, polite and courteous within and without the company. Ninth: To be
high-toned in everything, everywhere. Tenth: To grow
in knowledge and character as in size. The keynote of
these principles in each case is efficiency ; and the men are told : "Make
the most of the business by making the most of yourself." |
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Environment. Another means of stimulating employes to better work may be found in improving the environment in which they work. If little or no attention is given to the appearance of the office there is no natural encouragement for employes to be neat and careful about their work. On the other hand, if everything is kept in spick and span shape there is an unconscious incentive to be more careful about the work done. Furniture should not be allowed to remain undusted or in need of repair, employes should not be allowed to permit the tops and interiors of their desks to remain in a disorderly condition, and the floors should be kept clear of scraps of papers, etc. In a room of any size where there are a number of desks and tables the appearance will be considerably improved if the equipment is fastened to the floor so that aisles of even width are maintained at all times. As often as once a month it is worth while to hold a thoro house cleaning, requiring each employe to clean out his desk and put things in order. Not only will this act as a periodic stimulus to be orderly but it will also eliminate the danger of valuable papers and records getting buried in the desks. Once a year, at
least, the office should be gone over and all necessary painting, calsomining
or carpentry work done. |
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Rewards. No office manager who understands human natm-e neglects the opportunity for rewarding meritorious work. The size or form of the reward is less important than the fact that it should be the result of a well contested competition or of steady devotion to duty. Where this is the case, the plan is successful even when the reward is limited to a mere announcement on the bulletin board or the bestowal of an inexpensive stick-pin. The important feature is that it is a distinction granted for merit, the details of which are known to alL It stimulates the recipient to increased effort and encourages those who have failed, to try again. For the less-paid
employes, cash rewards are always attractive, even when they are small. These
rewards are even more effective when accompanied by a grateful note and word of
encouragement. The superior value of a cash prize lies in its universal acceptability.
The task of finding suitable prizes other than money is not usually relished by
the busy office executive. Some office managers award medals every month A gold medal for the best worker, a silver medal for the best attendance, a bronze medal for the best suggestion. The effectiveness
of rewards as a means of stimulation has given impetus to the formulation of definite
systems based on the idea of rewarding extra effort. The merit and demerit system
and the suggestion system are good examples of successful methods of stimulation. |
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Merit and demerit systems Merit and demerit systems are designed to give credit or discredit to the individual employe, to apply upon future rewards or promotions. The merit and demerit system is best illustrated by a practical example, in force in a large office. It is described as follows : All the employes under the supervision of the office manager, with the exception of the chief and assistant chief clerks, who have been in the company's Employ three weeks or more, are included under this system. The merit system has been established to encourage and reward good work, and to discourage and penalize everything that interferes with good work. Under this system
an employe earns a merit for each day that he or she comes in on time, morning
and noon, does not make careless errors or turn out a low quantity of work during
the day, and leaves his or her desk in good condition at night. Furthermore an employe has a chance to earn an extra half merit or a merit for showing thought in any way. For instance, by catching an error that has been made by some one else. Extra merits can also be earned for extra effort put forth. Merits are offset
by demerits. Demerits are given
for four main faults. |
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Lack
of punctuality, and absence. |
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Errors. |
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Lack of general
neatness and cleanliness of desks, machines and files. |
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4). |
Insubordination
or discourtesy. |
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(1). |
Under this head comes tardiness. One half demerit is given for being late up to two
minutes; one demerit for from two to ten minutes, and one and one half demerits
for more than ten minutes. Two demerits are given for a half day's absence, and
three demerits are given for an entire period of absence, whether that is one
day or one week, when an employe is ill or thru some other cause is unable to
attend the office. One demerit or more (according to the time out) is given for
time allowed off during office hours. In all the cases above, the merit for
the day is lost. |
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(2). |
A demerit is given for any error due to carelessness on any employe's part, or if work assigned for the day is not completed before going home. In the transcribing department, for instance, the quality and quantity of the daily work is taken into consideration. For instance, if a typist without justifiable cause has fallen below the standard by typing less than nine hundred lines on week days and less than four hundred and fifty lines on Saturdays, she receives One half demerit. For less than eight hundred lines on week days and four hundred lines on Saturday, she receives a full demerit. And if the records show that more than 20 per cent of her letters were returned for correction, a half demerit is given her for that day ; if more than 30 per cent, a full demerit. In the same way, if a typist turns out eleven hundred or more lines on week days and six hundred or more lines on Saturday, she receives an additional half merit. And for twelve hundred or more lines on week days and six hundred and fifty or more lines on Saturday she receives a full merit. Similar standards for quantity and quality of work have been established in the other clerical departments. |
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(3). |
A half demerit
is given if all papers are not cleared from each desk at night and if the drawers
of the desks are not shut tight. The same applies to all files and to the covering
of machines, such as typewriters, dictaphones, multigraphs, adding machines, etc.,
before leaving for the day. |
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One or more demerits at the discretion of the office manager are given for discourtesy, insubordination or the infraction of any established rule, when the offense is not serious enough to deserve dismissal. All those earning a surplus of twenty merits over demerits in any one month receive a quota prize of $3.00. Those who earn an average of one merit over demerits for each working day in the month receive an extra quota prize of $5.00. It is the duty of the senior clerk of each department to keep a record of the actions meriting merits or demerits, and to hand in a detailed report each night to the office manager or his assistant. From these reports the weekly merit and demerit records are compiled. Each employe receives a card every Monday showing the number of merits or demerits given the previous week. Any one wishing an explanation of his merits or demerits should consult the office manager or his assistant, who will be pleased to give the information desired. All merits and
demerits are put against each employe's record and have a strong bearing in promotions
to higher positions and advances in salary. |
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Suggestions. Giving employes opportunity to make suggestions for the improvement of work and service is now recognized as a valuable means of discovering originality and developing better methods of work. Even comparatively inexperienced clerks may make suggestions that are of real value to the organization. Efforts are therefore made to encourage them to seek and suggest improvements. In such well known concerns as the National Cash Register Company and the Eastman Kodak Company, elaborate plans have been made to obtain suggestions for improvements. Substantial prizes are given and periodical announcement is made of the winners. There is a difference of opinion as to the value of monetary reward, but there is a general agi*eement that publicity is a convincing incentive to good suggestions. The following is an outline of a successful suggestion system taken from actual practice and indicates the scope and operation of such a system Prizes are offered each month for the best suggestions with regard to the conduct of its business. There is a first prize of $10, a second prize of $5, and prizes of $3, $2 and $1 for minor suggestions. These prizes are intended not merely as compensation for the suggestions turned in, but also as an expression of appreciation of the constructive thought of the employes. In addition to
the above rewards, a first prize of $50, a second prize of $35 and a third prize
of $25 are offered to the three employes who, during the current year, earn the
most prize money for suggestions.
Consideration is
given the following points in determining the awards :
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The money-making
or money saving value of the suggestion |
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Its
practicability under present conditions. |
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Its
originality |
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The completeness and clearness with which the details of its actual operation have been thought out and explained. |
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The names of all suggestion prize winners are posted upon each department bulletin board and in the house organ so that the names of those who are striving to get ahead will be brought to the attention of all. The suggestion contest is open to all employes with the exception of the department heads. There is no limitation to the number or scope of the suggestions which may be submitted by each individual. They may relate to the general policy of the organization, to the literature, to the departmental equipment and routing, or to any other feature of the office work. Any constructive complaint or criticism from members of the force is also welcome. All suggestions are turned in on a special suggestion form. This is numbered and has a stub bearing a similar number. After the suggestion is written, the author writes his name on the stub, tears it off, places it inside of one of the small envelops provided for the purpose, and retains the stub in his possession. The suggestion is folded and dropped into the suggestion box. On the day of the meeting held to announce suggestion prize winners, the envelops containing the suggestion stubs are dropped into one of the suggestion boxes. Just before the meeting the suggestion boxes are opened, the stub envelops are taken out and arranged in numerical order. Then as the number of each prize winner is announced, the corresponding envelop is opened and the stub shows who is the winner of theprize. Suggestions are considered once a week by the suggestion committee in order that they may give suggestions full consideration and put into operation immediately those that can be used to advantage. Every suggestion that is not awarded a prize is returned to the author with the reason for its rejection. Under this plan employes know why their suggestions are not accepted, and also can discuss the matter with the suggestion committee if they feel that the suggestionhas not been properly interpreted. All department heads are ex-officio members of the suggestion committee in considering suggestions affecting their departments. Under this plan, an employe will know that his suggestion has been carefully gone over, not only by the members of the suggestion committee but also by the department head of the department affected. From time to time
examples of good suggestions and examples of suggestions that can not be awarded
prizes are discussed in the house organ. This serves as a means of helping employes
to learn the principles that underlie successful suggestions. A record of all
employes who submit suggestions is kept so that each department head may know
which employes under his jurisdiction are
thinking about their work. Whether an employe wins a prize or not, the concern
in deciding upon recommendations for increases in salary or for promotion, will
consider more favorably those who are doing constructive thinking.
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Promotions. Providing an opportunity for employes to earn increased responsibility is a very effective method of stimulation. Too often promotions go by favor. The result is a marked discontent among the rank and file of employes. The lack of a just system of promotion deprives many an organization of the services of menwhose ambitions, they feel, are balked. Recent studies in labor turnover show that the lack of opportunity for advancement is a frequent cause for men leaving their jobs just at the time when their experience is becoming a real asset to the firm. A knowledge that they are being watched with a view to promotion, is a strong factor in stimulating employes to do more than their ordinary routine duties. The system of promotion should include a carefully thought out plan wherein the line of promotion is defined and charted and where men are shown the specific steps which their progress is likely to take if they display those qualities which their present position demands. Promotion in such cases generally depends upon application to work, avoidance of mistakes, good behavior, regular attendance and punctuality. The National City
Bank of New York has an established policy of filling, whenever possible, all
important positions by promotion, and it is only on rare occasions that this rule
is broken. In the National Cloak and Suit Company, employes are promoted on the
basis of examinations, and a record is kept showing the length of time spent in
preparation and the mark obtained. Such systems help to develop ambitious office
boys into clerks and clerks into executives, when eveiy one in the office knows
that his interest and good conduct will receive a proper reward. Promotions are
important events in the lives of employes, and these should be made known to others
so that they may act as a stimulus to them. |
