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FAIRBANKS -- As the lazy days of summer come to an end, you might be wondering how to keep yourself motivated to give your best at work. If you’re a manager, you have the added burden of trying to get your employees motivated to work harder. In this economy, motivating employees through financial incentives might not be an option. Fortunately, study after study has shown that most employees are motivated by many things others than money.

There are some basic strategies you can use that will motivate your employees to perform better and find more satisfaction in their work.

Recognize outstanding performance

Quite often, the higher you go up the corporate ladder, the less praise and recognition you receive for your efforts. If you’re near the top of that ladder in your organization, I’d bet 50 bucks that your phone isn’t ringing off the hook from employees and directors calling to say “Hey, thanks for the great work.”

When you’re not used to receiving praise for your efforts, you can forget how important it is to give it to your employees. But showing appreciation for their achievements goes a long way toward motivating them to work harder.

When the opportunity presents itself, applaud an employee at a meeting, company event, end of a shift, social event or lunch break. Write an employee’s accomplishments in a newsletter. Send a card home to their family saying how valuable they are to the organization.

Create deadlines and a sense of importance

While most of us like to think we’re incredibly hard workers all of the time, the reality is we tend to work much harder and stay more focused when we have a deadline nipping at our heels.

When times are tough, most workers will do their fair share to contribute. Otherwise, they can slip into the habit of doing only what they absolutely have to.

To help them break out of this rut, help employees set deadlines for projects with measureable objectives. They should feel a sense of importance about what they need to accomplish each day.

When you have meetings, make sure everyone knows what they need to get done by a specific date.

Set the example

As a manager, your work ethic sets the standard for your employees. If you don’t set the bar high, it’s not reasonable to expect much from others. At one of my first jobs out of college, I worked for a manager who always had a great attitude and put in a solid eight hours every day. His energy and enthusiasm were contagious.

After about a year, he decided to leave the company for another job. When I learned who would take his position, I started looking for another job. His replacement was about as energetic as a sloth on valium. When she came into the office every morning, it was like she was on her way to have a root canal.

I was gone before the month was up.

Try to be impartial

You might not like everyone who works for you, but you better act like you do. When an employee is treated unfairly, this leads to bitterness and poor productivity.

If employees think you don’t respect them, you can bet they feel the same way about you. You might have a long list of reasons for disliking an employee, but dwelling on those reasons will never make work fun or boost productivity. Trying to build a good relationship with an employee you don’t care for might sound unappealing, but stay focused on the bottom line. When employees like you and respect you, they’re likely to work harder. And if they think you care about them, they’ll be inclined to reciprocate and take an interest in your success.

Melissa Brown is an associate professor of applied business at the University of Alaska Tanana Valley Campus. She can be reached at ffmcb@uaf.edu. This column is provided as a public service by the TVC Applied Business Department.