Best and Worst Ways to Motivate Staff in Community Agencies: A Brief Survey of Supervisors

Supervisors in community agencies were surveyed regarding the best and worst ways to motivate staff to work diligently and enjoy work. Most respondents (88%) reported that it was very or extremely important for supervisors to motivate their staff, although only 53% reported that supervisors performed well in this regard. Concerning the best way to motivate staff, the most common response category was interacting positively and providing positive feedback for work performance. Regarding the worst way to motivate, the most common response category was interacting negatively with staff and providing negative feedback. Results are discussed in terms of emphasizing positive interaction styles and feedback by supervisors to help ensure that community support staff experience a motivating work environment.