There is a lot that goes into a successful business, and employees are a huge part of that. A business with lazy, lacklustre and apathetic employees is less likely to succeed than one that’s composed of hard working, dedicated and passionate individuals. Of course, all of this relies on motivating your employees and driving them to finish tasks, work quickly and do what’s best for the business. If you’re wondering how to motivate employees, keep reading.
What it’s Important to Have Motivated Employees
According to a study by Motivates, a third of employees are not motivated at work. A lot of employers underestimate the importance of having motivated employees, even though it can have a significant impact on your business as a whole. Motivated employees are keen and willing to get the work done quickly, they are more effective and efficient in the workplace. Not only does this mean that tasks are rarely missed or delayed, but it also means that more gets done during the work day. Motivated employees are also less likely to take a sick day, as they are encouraged to work hard. They want to play their part within the team. This is a huge benefit for a business, as sick leave can slow down projects and put pressure on other members of the team to take on additional work.
Also, motivated employees are less likely to leave, making them a loyal and long term investment. Hiring someone new is time consuming and costly, and the onboarding process is rarely a quick one. As motivated employees are less likely to leave, staff retention is boosted and employees can become assets to the team. You can rely on them and train them, knowing that they are going to be around for a while.
Though salary is a huge reason for motivation, it’s not the only thing that motivates someone to work hard. According to respondents of the study mentioned previously, things such as a feeling of job satisfaction and general work enjoyment would help them to be more motivated at work. This is why knowing how to motivate employees is key.
Culture
Employees spend a lot of time at work, so make sure that you create an environment that people want to work in. Culture plays a huge part in happiness and job satisfaction, so do what you can to create a workplace where people thrive. Make sure work is somewhere that they want to be, rather than somewhere people tolerate being. Changes such as encouraging team bonding, organising team activities, providing impressive employee benefits and embracing inclusivity can make a big difference.
Supportive Management
It’s a lot easier to feel motivated at work when you feel valued, and this stems from having a supportive employer. Providing support for employees will make them feel taken care of professionally and like an irreplaceable part of the team. There are a range of ways to be supportive as management, but the key is to make employees feel as though they can come to you with problems, questions and challenges.
Rewards/Incentives
Adding financial incentives is an excellent way of motivating staff. Simply, people are happier to work hard when they know that they’re getting something out of it, and money is a great motivator. As well as financial incentives, you could consider offering additional holidays when certain milestones have been met. After all, who doesn’t want to have additional time off throughout the year? Another option is to treat employees to away days, activities and experiences when they reach a specific target. Rewards give employees an incentive to work hard and achieve their professional goals.
Recognise Good Work
A lot of the time, employees want to know that their hard work is being noticed, and that the effort they are putting in is paying off. This is where positive reinforcements come into things. Let employees know that you are recognising their good performance, hard work and dedication to the team. An employee is much more likely to be motivated if they know someone is paying attention.
Honest Feedback
You might be tempted to always offer employees positive reinforcements and though this is a key part of being a good employer, negative feedback is also useful. Employees recognise the benefits of negative feedback, as long as it’s necessary, rather than just positive comments. Negative feedback can come in the form of constructive criticism and guidance, which can motivate employees to try harder. If someone has a desire to come out on top and succeed amongst competing colleagues, they will be motivated to take honest feedback on board.
Opportunities to Grow
Employees need to know that there are opportunities to progress in the company, that they have the chance to develop themselves professionally or there’s a chance of earning more money as their career progresses. Highlight any opportunities to grow and encourage employees to go for promotions, to take on more responsibilities and to develop their career wherever possible. Not only does this benefit the individual’s career by boosting their experience and skills, but it benefits the business by reinforcing the importance of working hard.
As you can see, there are a range of ways to motivate your employees. Though you don’t have to do all of the suggestions listed above, they are all effective ways of encouraging employees to go above and beyond in the workplace.
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There is a lot that goes into a successful business, and employees are a huge part of that. A business with lazy, lacklustre and apathetic employees is less likely to succeed than one that’s composed of hard working, dedicated and passionate individuals. Of course, all of this relies on motivating your employees and driving them to finish tasks, work quickly and do what’s best for the business. If you’re wondering how to motivate employees, keep reading.
