Motivation is a buzzword in today's resource driven workplace. It is increasingly becoming a challenge to retain star performers. In context of long-term projects where the level of stress and expectation is more concentrated, this becomes an added challenge. The basic nature of projects is that they are time-bound with a fixed objective. This necessitates significant drive in project team and requires motivation at both hygiene and motivator factor levels.
Typical motivator factors include a clear role, key performance indicators (KPIs) and aligned rewards. Project charters should have specific roles defined for each resource which is different from their line role. Focused project driven Job Descriptions needs to be developed which include KPIs linked to project milestones. It is critical that the project role is not linked to line roles or targets to ensure project driven performance evaluation.
Project rewards needs to be closely linked to the project KPIs. Like the project, compensation needs to be linked to clearly defined milestones. There needs to be an agreed exit criteria to ensure clarity. The quantum of compensation needs to have a scientific basis deriving from contribution to project.
A simplistic multiple of monthly salary is the least recommended model. Instead, concepts like Earned Value Management may be used as an input to reward the resource based on the value they have saved the project by successful completion of milestones. It is critical that there are injections of milestone bonuses as end of the rainbow bonus may not drive daily motivation in a project context.
Leave management of project resources is tricky as projects tend to be dynamic and planned breaks are difficult to implement. A flexible and staggered leave calendar needs to be finalised for each resource with a caveat to allow for a change if the project mandates it. Organisational policy of leave carry-forward and encashment need to be tweaked to accommodate the dynamic and unpredictable nature of projects.
Finally, career progression after the closure of the project should be defined. The resources have the opportunity to move to other projects or get injected in to the organisation at an appropriate level to leverage their project experiences. The career path post project needs to be clearly agreed at project initiation itself to avoid future disappointments.
Hygiene factors
Projects being transient in nature make team building a challenge as the same resources may not work on more than one project at a time.
Hygiene factors that foster teamwork include the formation of a core team that works on the project. This team needs to sit together in one project office to enable team work and visibility to all project members.
The team needs to be encouraged to organise offsites and other team building exercises.
An internal project newsletter further promotes communication and also allows a creative outlet to project team members to share updates on non-project activities.
In addition to these project specific motivators, a pat in the back by the project chairman or sponsor will go miles in motivating a project team to deliver.
- Sanjiv Anand is the managing director and Abhishek VS a principal consultant at Cedar Management Consulting International.
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