Tips to keep your staff motivated
Sarah Corcoran
Blog Writer
While money is a motivator for many employees, not every company can afford to offer regular bonuses to keep employees motivated. Besides, every good company knows that money should not be the sole motivating factor for staff. A true passion for the work and excellent job satisfaction should far outweigh the monetary gain. Employers, here are some tips to keep your staff motivated that cost next to nothing.
Provide Support.
Leadership is one of the key factors in employee motivation. Supportive leaders should be the backbone of your company, providing a sympathetic ear, building mutual trust and relationships between staff members and working closely with employees to create a supportive workplace. They should aim to keep current employees satisfied and motivated while encouraging and developing the skills of new hires. Supportive leaders often teach by example, showing the traits of the type of employee they want to attract. Supported staff are motivated to do better.
Empower the individual
Every staff member, from the boss to the intern, deserves to feel valued as a member of the team. That means giving everyone the opportunity to express themselves and taking everyone’s opinions and suggestions seriously. This doesn’t mean you need to act on every suggestion, it just shows that you are willing to listen and give feedback to each one. Listening to employees in both good and bad times also builds trust. If your employee is losing motivation, they know they can approach you to discuss the problem.
Recognise and Reward
When it comes to company-wide achievements, remember to recognise the people who have helped you come so far. Awards, goals and targets don’t reach themselves and it is important to acknowledge the hard work of the team members who helped get your company to where it is today. Recognition and rewards on a regular basis reminds employees that they are appreciated and valued and makes coming to work a pleasure rather than a chore. A reward doesn’t have to be something expensive; Sharing a cake in the break room, an employee of the month plaque or a round of coffees for a high-performing team will suffice.
Encourage Teamwork
Nothing motivates a colleague quite like the fear letting someone else down. Most people will work harder, support the team better and encourage their colleagues if they are part of a team. When working cooperatively, individuals find their place within the team, learn to trust themselves and others more and look beyond their individual work. As an employer, creating competition between teams and team members can also encourage staff to stay motivated.
Positive Work Environment
Nothing demotivates staff more than an unsupportive, negative work environment which can be caused by colleagues, management or outdated policies. Working toward making it a positive place and continually improving your work environment will have a huge effect on your employee’s demeanour and motivation. Staff should be motivated by enjoying challenging tasks and able to admit openly when they have made a mistake without fear of punishment or ridicule. Many people spend more waking hours in the office than they do at home, so make sure your team enjoy coming to work each day and can rely on you and their colleagues to encourage them.
Beat Boredom
Motivation and challenges go hand in hand. Staff should be challenged by their work every day, preventing monotony and boredom. When we complete a challenging task, we create a sense of achievement for ourselves, encouraging pride and motivation to do better. Beating boredom means sharing out the ‘boring’ tasks, putting a new spin on an old task and making sure everyone has something meaningful to do each day. You should also encourage workers to take regular short breaks to interact with each other and provide a good communal space to dissuade them from eating at their desks.
If you are looking for a serviced office in Dublin or Kildare, Premier Business Centres may be able to help. We have Dublin office spaces suitable for all company types, from solo workers to larger groups, all maintained to the highest standards and fully serviced. If you are looking to grow your workspace and downsize your overheads, we are ideal for your business. We also provide unique postal and virtual office options. Contact our sales team to learn more or discuss your options.
