Satisfy the basics. No one is motivated by poor work conditions and salary. The American psychologist Frederick Herzberg first described human beings as being subject to two different sets of factors at work in the 1960s. Those leading to job satisfaction are ‘motivational’ factors; those leading to dissatisfaction he called ‘hygiene’ factors.

In the workplace, hygiene factors include salary, work policies, work environment, security and status level. If we get these wrong, Herzberg suggests that motivation is not possible. An employee who is subjected to a poor salary, burdensome policies and a continual feeling of insecurity or lack of status is unlikely to be open to new ideas. According to the Herzberg theory, addressing hygiene factors will create peace. Employees will no longer be dissatisfied, but if you want to motivate your team, you have to focus on satisfaction factors that affect the ‘person’.

These include achievement, responsibility, advancement and personal growth.

Manage well. Respect has to be earned. A good manager can adapt to a range of scenarios and communicate clearly with staff. They actively listen and reward effectively. They are approachable, but strict and fair when required. Managing well feeds team motivation.

Challenge and delegate. No surprise, but monotony does not feed motivation. No one really gets excited about doing the same task over and over again – even the nine to five people. You should constantly review how you can present challenging work for your team.

Create clear roles and responsibilities. A clearly defined role is a basic requirement for any employee. It is essential to review responsibilities and ensure that your employees understand what is expected of them.

Develop your staff. There is nothing more rewarding. This could be something as simple as showing an employee how to undertake a new task. Gaining relevant qualifications will aid those who aspire to a career pathway, such as becoming a pharmacy technician. Never impose a training and development course though. Some positions require mandatory programmes, but this should be discussed with a team member before starting a new position or before a new Government policy or regulation.

Be fair. When you demonstrate fairness, employees will know what to expect. This feeds a healthy respect for you as a manager and motivates the employee to provide the best level of performance.

Celebrate even the small wins. It is very important to celebrate milestones, no matter how small they may appear. Small or quick successes – a customer thank you, or the first request for a new service – can reignite a workplace and are essential to enhancing the team mood and belief in your pharmacy.