When you look at your employees, do you see a workforce that is motivated, confident, and satisfied, or do you see one that is despondent and unproductive? Chances are you see one that is somewhere in the middle, but that’s okay; it means there is room for improvement. This article has 10 ways to motivate and incentivize your workforce to make them more productive.
Working Environment
If you want a happy and productive workforce, make sure your business is clean and modern. While it might seem like an extra expense to update office infrastructures such as computers, desks, and decorations. This is a worthwhile investment when you see productivity levels improving because your employees feel more inspired by the office and the brand identity.
Some people might complain about their work, which is understandable based on how much time is spent in the office, but even those who complain a lot like to feel as though they work in a clean and modern place. Try to be a brand your employees can feel proud to associate with in their personal lives as well; this creates a positive influence on your brand with word of mouth.
Supporting Environment
Nobody said that running a business was easy, and it certainly isn’t that when it comes to management. Even experienced managers get it wrong from time to time, and bad management is one of the main reasons for poor morale and high turnover levels, so why not start improving your management profiles today by investing in more training for managers or hiring new staff.
In general, employees want respect, transparency, honesty, and clear communication. Put it like this, and it seems simple – just be upfront and understanding with your staff, and they will respond – but there’s more to it than that. Never stop learning when it comes to management and creating a supportive office environment. Remember, management styles need to be modern.
Employee Rewards
Keeping employees happy and motivated is a two-way endeavor; if you treat them well, they respond with a better attitude and more investment in the company goals. If you don’t have an incentive program yet, it’s a good idea to set one up quickly so workers can enjoy some rewards for their work and your company can benefit from better productivity levels and better revenue.
Employee rewards incentivize workers to stay with the company and invest their futures in your growth strategies; these rewards can include things like a quarterly bonus, private healthcare, professional training, and shares in the company. Decide how the rewards should be achieved and distributed; for instance, are they based on reaching personal or company targets?
Growth Strategies
In recent years there has been an explosion in the freelance industry; as more freelance opportunities became available, more individual left their company positions to take up freelance roles with self-responsibility. But freelancing doesn’t offer incentives or achievement rewards which can affect employee morale and reduce opportunities for growing as a productive person.
For this reason, many workers who moved to freelance work in the beginning have since returned to paid employment where they are part of growth strategies and are recognized for the work their carry out. This is something to remember when you create an incentives program for your business; employees like to be rewarded and recognized for their contributions.
Positive Feedback
While we’re on the subject, positive feedback from customers is just as important as positive feedback from managers. Employees like to know that their work has a real-world application, which isn’t always possible when you operate a large company with hundreds of workers. Still, there are ways to report customer satisfaction and feedback to your employees in the office.
When it comes to positive feedback, the small things matter just as much as the significant achievements. Don’t forget to inform your employees of customer appreciation in any form, even if it’s a minor point on a customer feedback form. There are various apps you can use to gather feedback and report it quickly to your teams in meetings or at the beginning of the day.
Total Transparency
There are two ways to conduct your business affairs, one of them is an us and them approach that puts a barrier between managers and employees, and the other is total transparency. If you want to incentivize workers, it’s better to use a transparent approach to make your workers feel as if they have a stake in the business and that their efforts have an impact on any outcomes.
This is one of the easiest ways to incentivize your workforce because it simply means taking down the barrier between yourself and your employee. Works can gain insights into how your business is operating and whether it’s achieving targets. Not only does it integrate employees, but it also helps them to spot weaknesses. Be warned; this approach might require more security.
Employee Benefits
Incentives come in different forms; some of them are modern approaches like offering company shares or flexible schedules, while others are more traditional. Employee benefits like worker’s compensation insurance is a more traditional approach to employee motivation; however, it has stood the test of time for a reason. Employee benefits make workers feel valued and secure.
Worker’s compensation insurance allows workers to feel secure in the workplace. If an individual slips or injures themselves in the office or while on duty, they have an insurance policy in place that allows them to claim compensation for injuries. When this is offered by a company, it instills a sense of confidence in your employees that you’re a trustworthy commercial operator.
Flexible Schedules
A fixed nine to five schedule is now a thing of the past, something that has become a fossil of the 20th century. Technology has advanced significantly in the last few decades, and significant global events have also precipitated the need for change. Nowadays, most employees expect a flexible schedule option of some form so they can organize their life around their everyday lives.
While a flexible schedule option is something of an expectation, it can still be offered as an incentive. With the rise in freelance lifestyles, employers need to offer a defacto freelance schedule as an option as well, which appeals to some workers more than others. Bearing in mind that productivity often depends on personality types, Flexi-schedules are advantageous.
Surprise Treats
What would you prefer, an office desk that has a strict no coffee policy, or one that says drink as much as you like as long as you complete the work on time? If you’re like most people, you prefer the last option because food and drink are important to general wellbeing levels throughout the day. Consider your approach to food in the office as a productivity incentive.
Not only should you consider food and drink in the office as a productivity approach, but you should also consider surprise treats. Now and then, order pizza for the office – perhaps at the end of the month or after a company success. Remember, in order for the food to be a surprise, it can’t be too routine, so mix it up and keep them guessing – but try not to disappoint them.
Achievement Recognition
As stated earlier, achievement recognition is such an important part of working life that many freelancers have given up on self-responsibility to pursue employed positions that reward their efforts with praise and commendation. Whether it is recognition of exemplary work in a meeting, or something more formal, always recognize employee achievements in the workplace.
