Employees who are content and feel values are generally more productive than those who don’t enjoy many aspects of their job or feel they are being taken advantage of. Therefore it is important to keep your staff members motivated. How do you go about doing so? You don’t need to have huge creative flare or resources to do this. Follow these tips on how to motivate your employees.
Communication
Communication is the foundation to every strong relationship and this includes the relationship between employees and superiors. Whether you are a manager or a director it is important that you communicate well with your staff. If you are a faceless name in an email or even a face on a newsletter who is rarely seen in real life then your employees will not have a connection with you. How do you expect them to be motivated to achieve your goals? Communication in person and even getting to know a few people on first name basis as a director will make your staff feel valued. As a line manager you should try to get to know your team as well as professionally possible as it shows them you appreciate them.
Set an Example
Happiness is infectious, as is excitement. If you show your excitement and enthusiasm for your business and get involved where possible it will make an impact on your staff. Even if you are stressed or worried about something try not to show to your subordinates unless it is something that must be resolved by them directly. Unhappy management seem ungrateful and this leads to disgruntled employees. Lead by example by having a positive, can-do attitude. This will spread throughout your team and eventually the entire workplace.
Empower Your Employees
Ask for feedback and input from your staff and try to implement some of their suggestions. You will find many employees will have ideas about how to be more productive or ways to help others do well. By giving your staff a voice they will feel valued and respected. This gives their position meaning. By seeing staff suggestions being implemented is a massive reward and confidence boost.
Promote Internally
If positions become available, make application available for current employees. You will find that opportunity for progression breeds loyalty and hard work. The last thing you want is even one person considering your business as a “dead-end” job. Productivity will dwindle fast if your staff don’t see a future with your company. Avoid being a stop gap and produce opportunities.
Incentives
Incentives are a great motivation booster and also generate buzz and forge friendships in the work place. Ideas for incentives are an extra day paid holiday, gift cards, tickets to the cinema, Groupon Voucher or even a bonus! Incentives should be implemented on top of the other tips in this guide. A dead end job where you don’t feel valued but offers a free bottle of wine for outstanding work isn’t going to motivate staff to go the extra mile. Lay the foundations for creating an enjoyable and nurturing place to work and add the incentives as a bonus to really push star employees.