Motivating Food Service Workers: What Drives Behavioral Change
This blog has posted articles about the components of a successful training program. These are often summarized as what, why, how, who and when. What and why is there a problem, how should it be changed, who will need to do it and how often? This is the basic information.
It is one thing to require employees to attend a program and listen to the information. After the program is over, what factors motivate? (We’ll assume for the moment that the employee processes the information and wants to make the required changes – big assumptions which will take up another blog posting at least!.) Doing it right will create a positive work environment as well as increased productivity by as much as 12%(1).
Over a short time, there is always the threat of discipline to motivate proper behaviors. One food service manager told me the answer was easy. ‘If they don’t pay attention’, he told me, ‘I’ll fire them!’. This approach creates a strict army environment, a negative work environment and a higher employee turnover. While some employees may need discipline, many others will respond favorably to factors from the following approaches.
Recognition (taken from Herzberg’s factor theory of motivation): There are two aspects to consider here. The first is regular evaluation of employee work habits. Employee training must be an ongoing effort. Regularly tour the production area, reenforcing positive habits and stopping to correct negative ones. Always model the correct behavior and allow time for employees to practice. (It is estimated that employees may take 8 to 10 repetitions to gain mastery of a behavior; thus, practice in a neutral environment is essential.) Second, create competitive work programs where you reward long-term good behaviors by linking them to rewards. Examples are a company logo hat or jacket, a free parking space with the employee’s name or a large chart with the names of employees who are performing as required. Contrary to popular belief, monetary rewards are not always effective unless they are linked to required behaviors.
Work Environment: Employees are motivated to work in a well-maintained environment where their needs are recognized. Clean, spacious personal areas and restrooms would be an example. Also important would be recognizing an employee’s personal needs (disabilities, family, birthdate, personal interests).
Three Essential Parts of Motivation: There are three parts of motivation, activation, persistence and intensity, which are essential to start and continue the required behaviors. Activation depends on the training program structure and how well it addresses the employees’ concerns (see the Health Belief Model blog posting for more information on preexisting objections to change). Persistence will depend on how enthusiastic the employee is about making the required change. Intensity is the enthusiasm and energy the employee puts into making the change. Thus, while employees may initially follow the program requirements, that effort may lag if the manager does not monitor, reinforce and reward their efforts.
Causes of Low Motivation: Change can be difficult. Employees need to observe model behavior and practice it over time. If a change is complex, divide employee programs into several parts. An ideal program should take no more than fifteen minutes or the information will not be retained and used properly. Every employee will learn differently; some do well watching a videotape while others must see the required behavior for themselves. It is a good practice to present information in different ways. Posting signs is one way to remind employees of the correct behaviors, relieving them of the embarrassment of asking others or worse, copying the wrong behavior.
Empty Vessel Fallacy of Learning: Remember that adult learners have preexisting objections and concerns to change. Children learn easily by memorization; they are an empty vessel eager to receive information. Adults, however, want to know more about the change before they try it. They often have information about the change from their family or community (it might not work properly, it might be time-consuming, they might not be able to do it, it is expensive), which must be addressed.
References:
‘Top 5 motivation theories to use in the workplace’ Ed Stennett https://www.seenit.io/blog/top-5-motivation-theories-to-use-in-the-workplace/
‘Motivation: The Driving Force Behind Our Actions’ Kendra Cherry, MSEd, May 03, 2023 https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-motivation-2795378