Employing positive reinforcement with personnel
There are two kinds of reinforcement: positive reinforcement and negative
reinforcement.
Positive reinforcement is giving staff recognition for their contribution to the
company.
The contribution could be anything such as the completion of a project or
coming forth with a good idea.
The recognition or reward doesn't need to be tangible. Very often receiving
a pat on the back is even more effective, particularly if it is in front of the
staff's peers.
The purpose of using positive reinforcement is to encourage similar
employee behaviour in the future.The variety of rewards or incentives can be very diverse. The business owner or
manager must consider the person's individuality when designing an effective
incentive. What may be a strong incentive for one person could mean little
punishment to one person or as punishment to another.
Some examples
The approval of an employer or manager such as a nod of the head, a smile,
or someone saying good work
Letting the person know when they were right. This is sometimes
particularly effective if said in front of the person's peers
The privilege of working with greater autonomy
The opportunity to assist or take over a project from the business owner or
manager