All companies require a motivated and productive staff. Simply hiring the best and brightest does not ensure they will remain dedicated to the mission and goal of making your organization excel. Money is important, but it is not the only factor that keeps employees satisfied and performing at optimal levels. Here are eight effective ways to encourage strong employee morale and motivation.
Presenting employees with a trip in exchange for reaching goals is one of the best ways to encourage motivation. You can offer the reward to individuals, teams, or companywide. This incentive will inspire creativity, teamwork, and healthy competition as everyone strives to achieve the necessary metrics. The trip does not need to be elaborate. Likely the staff will work just as hard for the opportunity to win a winter escape to Florida as they would an extravagant Panama Canal cruise trip.
Comfortable work surroundings are another way to keep employee morale high. An office space that is clean, nicely furnished, and pleasantly decorated creates an environment that workers will appreciate and enjoy. Ample natural lighting and a comfortable temperature are also important motivational tools. A well-stocked lunch and snack room or a break area with games and comfortable seating are other work environment incentives that can help inspire creativity and productivity.
As a valuable company asset, your employees deserve to know what is going on with the business. Workers will be more invested in making a difference if you keep them updated about how the company is performing. Open communication makes them feel proud of their accomplishments during good times. In tough times it keeps them motivated to help improve the bottom line.
Be understanding and supportive of the need for work-life balance. While technology makes it easier to be on-call for work at off-duty hours, you should recognize and encourage a healthy balance between personal and work obligations. An employee who realizes they can take time off if they need to address personal business is more likely to be focused and productive when working. Flexibility and appropriate boundaries are a solution where everyone benefits.
Offering professional development and career path opportunities keeps staff engaged and motivated. You can offer incentives for learning new skills. Set objectives for each individual so they remain committed to their goals and the future of the company. Recognizing that hard work and achievement can lead to career advancement encourages employees to remain with the company and strive for their best performance level.
A good manager understands their team’s capabilities and allows them to complete tasks without scrutinizing everything they do. Hire good managers that provide guidance and support, communicate expectations, and command respect. In return, employees will appear motivated and confident. A good manager may just keep your staff working for the company.
Recognizing staff effort is an easy path to raising morale and motivation. Whether it is for the extra time dedicated to a project, stepping up to help when a department is short-handed, or developing a solution to a problem, expressing gratitude goes a long way towards making your workers feel appreciated. A simple thank you works well, but a regular recognition program that highlights the achievements of outstanding employees is even more effective. The more your workforce sees their efforts matter, the harder they will work for the organization.
Providing employees with opportunities to socialize in informal settings outside the office shows you want them to bond and establish connections. This support of team culture inspires knowledge sharing and trust-building, which contributes to a motivation and productivity boost. With the numerous team-building activities to choose from, pick what best fits your team or let them decide.
Keeping your staff happy and motivated is essential to running a profitable company. These and other incentives that recognize and reward their efforts are guaranteed ways to enhance employee morale, performance, and loyalty.
