Shell-shocked survivors: revive employees after the downsizing smoke clears.

If you were to list characteristics describing today's worker, "motivated" probably wouldn't leap to mind--and for good reason. American employees are angry, shell shocked and distrustful. They are traumatized survivors of an economic restructuring never before seen in this country. Their jobs are constantly being redefined; they are expected to do more work in less time and the notion of job security is obsolete.

If you're a manager struggling to motivate today's burnt-out employees, forget yesterday's techniques. Company picnics and holiday turkeys may have made people feel good when times were good, but now, jaded workers require a back-to-basics approach.

"Motivation is a process, not an event," says Kathleen M. Cook, assistant vice president of crew development and education for The Vanguard Group in Valley Forge, Pa. To motivate today's insecure workers, managers should:

* Create a high-involvement workplace To do this, "involve employees in decisions that affect their jobs," suggests Cook. Employees are the experts on the work they do. Nothing is more flattering or generates greater "buy-in" than being asked your opinion.

* Give employees the information they need to do a good job. Share business goals and objectives. Show employees how their work fits into the big picture, and tell them the truth about today's business environment. "You'd be surprised how people will rally around an organization in crisis," says Frederick A. Miller, president and CEO of the Kaleel Jamison Consulting Group in Cincinnati.

* Provide ongoing feedback--both positive and negative. You can't expect employees to improve their performance unless they know how they're doing. Besides, nothing is more demoralizing than learning what a bad job you did after a project is completed.

* Praise people for good work. A 1992 study by Gerald Graham, Ph.D., of Wichita State University, reveals that employees consider personal, immediate recognition by their managers to be one of the most powerful workplace motivators.

* Publicly recognize extraordinary accomplishment. Why? Because giving employees public praise tells them that their achievements are worth everyone's attention.

* Don't underestimate the power of your physical presence. Employees like frequent contact with their managers, however brief, because it subtly indicates that the manager recognizes the importance of their work.

* Provide monetary incentives such as competitive pay and benefits that include work/family programs. Offer employees a share of the profits. "Don't expect them to sacrifice during hard times if they can't benefit from good times," Miller says.

* Set a good example. Don't expect employees to be positive, motivated and committed to their work unless you are. Set the pace by modeling those qualities yourself.

* Finally, forget the notion that one person can't really motivate another. Sure, we're all driven by internal motivators, but most of us can remember when someone believed in us so strongly that we were inspired to new heights.

As a manager you can motivate your employees. You can be the general that leads them into battle, the coach that helps them break records and the teacher that opens their eyes. Treat them like intelligent human beings and they'll be motivated, energized and committed.

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A GEM of a degree

If you're considering a graduate degree in engineering or science, The National Consortium for Graduate Degreees for Minorities in Engineering and Science Inc. (GEM) is providing fellowships to minorities pursuing these areas. Fellowships include tuition, fees, stipends and employment opportunities. The application deadline is December 1.

For more information write to: GEM Central Office, P.O. Box 537, Notre Dame, IN 46556, or call 219-287-1097. The fax number is 219-287-1486. --C.H.