7 Ways to Improve Employee Motivation
Did you know that employees are 12% more productive when they’re happy in their jobs? This is a remarkable statistic that could have far-reaching implications for businesses. After all, improving the working environment and connecting with their staff needs to be a key consideration.
But what are the best ways to boost employee motivation? Every worker is a unique individual, and it can be tricky to think of ideas that will give people the encouragement they need to produce their best work.
Fortunately, there are several excellent techniques you can use to delight your workers and lift their spirits.
Grab a coffee while we learn more.
1. Provide Employees With a Pleasant Working Space
Your staff should have a pleasing work setting when they come to work, and it can sap their enthusiasm if they are walking into a dull and dreary office.
To add a bit more life to your workplace, you could pay a contractor to give the walls a fresh lick of paint. Having a window cleaner come every week to ensure plenty of light can get into your building can also help boost the mood in your building without costing your company a fortune.
You can also decorate your office with plants to make people more in touch with nature while they sit at their desks. These are just a few of the simple things you can do to create a pleasant work setting for your staff, and they may even make you feel happier in the process!
2. Give Workers the Right Equipment
Workers will be more satisfied if they have the equipment required to do their jobs to the best of their abilities, rather than having to struggle to complete tasks.
Depending on the type of work your company does, this could mean providing staff with up-to-date computers, ergonomic chairs, and desks, or even just having enough pens and pencils available. Or you could add a water cooler so people can stay hydrated throughout the day, giving them more energy.
This will help boost employee productivity and keep motivation high.
3. Set the Tone From the Top
It’s one thing to tell your employees that you’d like them to be more motivated. It’s quite another and another to take the matter in hand and lead from the front. By showing leadership, you can encourage people to take action, with everyone coming together to work towards the same goal.
This should start at the very top of your company, and your management team should lead the way. It can help to set out your goals in an email for clarity. You should also ask all your managers to confirm they understand what you’re trying to achieve.
When employees see that supervisors have high energy levels and are working as hard as they can each day, they will feel encouraged and more motivated.
4. Give Praise Often
It can be demoralizing if staff members are reaching their goals, or even exceeding expectations, only for their efforts to be overlooked by their employer.
In contrast, it can be uplifting when a company owner recognizes great work and offers thanks. This may be in the form of a congratulatory email – or you could invite an employee to your office for a cup of coffee. If you want to give recognition that inspires everyone, you could even thank a worker at their desk in front of their colleagues.
You might also want to create an employee recognition program where workers can win awards. These could include a restaurant voucher or a weekend break at a fancy hotel. This can be a straightforward way to improve motivation and show appreciation to your staff.
5. Advocate Teamwork
You hire talented individuals to bring their specific abilities and knowledge to your company. However, the expectation is that they’ll work as a team, adapting their skill sets to fit in with others who have complementary talents.
Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. For example, perhaps there is a clash of personalities. Or maybe a staff member is letting their ambition get in the way of the bigger picture of team success.
To ensure your employees are working in a supportive environment, you should create a team-centered ethos that everyone can buy into. Make it clear that your primary aim is for the group to achieve its goals. Explain that this will result in the efforts of individuals being recognized and praised accordingly, with no one being left out.
When you have solid employee relationships within the workplace, each worker will feel like they are valued within your business.
6. Focus on Employee Health
An excellent way to motivate employees is to help them look after their mental and physical health. These are aspects that most people would like to improve, but they may not have the tools to get started and stay on track.
This is when introducing a corporate wellness platform can be hugely beneficial. Employees can take part in fitness challenges, learn how to eat more healthily, and even earn rewards.
This can lead to your staff becoming happier and fitter, allowing them to be more productive in the workplace.
7. Ask for Staff Feedback
Asking for constructive feedback can show employees that you are genuinely interested in what they have to say. This is also an effective way to gauge how motivated your workers are. You’ll find out what you can do to encourage them going forward and it will also help you to remove practices that aren’t working.
Sending out a survey to your entire staff once a month will provide you with a wealth of valuable information. You can then use it to keep motivation amongst your employees sky-high.
Supercharge Employee Motivation In Your Workplace
Raising employee motivation and keeping it high can have a transformative effect on your business. To get the best results, it’s important to have a delightful working environment and to praise staff when they reach your expected standards. It’s also good practice to look after the health of your staff and to regularly ask workers for their opinions.
This will help make your workplace a place that employees look forward to coming to every day.
We know you’ll be eager to put these motivational tips into practice, but check out more of our helpful blog posts before you go.
