While the actual tasks you undertake at your business are important, keeping your staff morale high can be even more crucial. Without a competent team, you would be unable to meet with success. On top of this, a lack of motivation can lead to your company being deemed one that individuals would not be happy working for, meaning you may find that those who apply to work there do not meet your standards. By considering the needs of your staff members beyond just their monthly wage, you may be able to increase working conditions and drive up productivity.
1. Keep Systems Simple
Rather than having complex procedures simply due to tradition, it can be beneficial to look into ways of making workplace tasks that bit simpler. Not only does this cut down on the time it takes for those tasks to be completed, but your team may also feel like they are part of a company that is a pinnacle for change. Something as simple as using an HR system to engage with workers can allow them a bit more independence and autonomy, especially when dealing with their personal data or considering holiday or absence requests.
2. Offer Perks
Another way of making your team feel more valued and, therefore, increasing their levels of motivation, can be to offer rewards for hard work, goals being met, or even simply for their longevity within your company. Thinking of ideas for team building days or evenings out can also allow your colleagues to get to know each other a bit more, building on that working trust that is already in place. This can also provide a great opportunity for you, as their employer, to offer gratitude for work undertaken. While employees will already be receiving their set salaries, going above and beyond legal minimum wage requirements can go a long way towards keeping staff content within their position, and help you to reduce the likelihood of them looking for a similar position elsewhere.
3. Give Feedback
Constructive feedback should be used by managers and employers, even without the motivational aspect. Holding reviews with employees will give you the opportunity to praise the work they have done, point out areas where improvements could be made (without coming across as personally attacking the individual), and also offer them the chance to give their own feedback. Opening up communication from employees may help you to figure out how to best improve your managerial skills, as well as allowing you to consider their career goals, and how you may be able to find ways to align them with your company’s own goals. This may mean offering additional training, or the chance of promotion or pay rise.
Looking after your team can help to motivate them to be able to do their best within their daily roles. A team that is negative, or does not feel like they are being treated well, may be more likely to seek employment elsewhere, especially if senior members do nothing to try and resolve this discontent.