Do you want to learn how to keep employees motivated in the workplace?
You don’t want your employees to see their work environment as a hell they must endure every day. You want them to see it as a place where they can learn and be productive. Keep reading for a handful of tips you can use to help your employees find their motivations for work.
1. Promote Workplace Happiness
A happy workplace is a productive workplace. One of the best ways to do this is to spread positivity coming from you, the boss. Won’t you feel more relaxed if your boss smiled and was a more positive person?
Remember that happiness is contagious, which is a good thing for the workplace. When employees see that their boss radiates positive energy, they too adopt that positivity. The best part about this is that it can all begin with the simple act of smiling.
Smile to your employees and show them they don’t need to be so tense around you. The more relaxed they are, the less they can worry about making mistakes. If they’re not afraid to make mistakes, they can learn more about how they can do more with their work.
All in all, happiness makes the workplace a more productive environment.
2. Be a Supportive Leader
Keeping employees motivated is a skill you need to learn as a leader. Also, we’re telling you this now. Today, the carrot approach will work better than the stick approach.
People appreciate someone who will support them in the office. They want leaders they can approach and trust. Learn to offer the right amount of sympathy for your employees and they’ll value you for it.
Also, you need to act as a role model for your employees if you want to gain their respect. Set yourself up as the example they want to follow. Follow your expectations of them yourself and hold yourself to a high standard of accountability.
3. Learn How to Keep Employees Motivated With Rewards
If you’re unsure about how to begin making a positive work environment, start with rewards. Set up an incentive program for employees or team members who perform well. This is one of the best ways to keep employees motivated to perform to their best capabilities.
You can also set up a rewards program for clients who want to show their appreciation for an employee’s services. Set up a list of corporate perks to get your employees motivated to do more. You can do something as little as name someone the employee of the month or offer them Starbucks coupons.
This type of approach is great for departments with various teams as well. Instead of offering rewards for a single person, reward a team. In a way, you’re also setting up a competition between employees and teams to do their best.
This works well for those who are competitive. Don’t forget to post rewards that are worth their efforts.
4. Create Flexible Work Schedules
Work-life balance is essential to maintaining a positive and stress-free work environment. Remember, your employees also have a life outside of the office or workplace. They also have personal problems and issues that need their full attention.
Many of your employees likely have a family to take care of. Some may be focusing on their hobbies or passions outside of work. Thus, you want to give them time to do these things.
Make your office more flexible with scheduling and breaks. Don’t run too tight a ship lest you sacrifice your employees’ satisfaction with their hours. Be open to helping them find flexible working hours with short breaks.
If you give them time to focus on their personal lives, they can focus on their jobs better. They’ll also last longer in your company if you’re flexible. Giving them time to refresh their minds may even inspire them to promote the growth of your brand.
5. Be Open to Their Creative Ideas
If your employees feel bored at the office, they may lose their motivation to work. They’re more likely to get distracted by things not related to their tasks. They may even start looking for other spaces where they get exciting work.
If you want to learn how to keep employees motivated, remove workplace boredom. You don’t always need to bring in something new to keep your employees motivated. You only need to keep things lively and exciting.
Taking boredom out of the equation also improves employee productivity. Do you want employees to complete complex, quality-focused tasks that involve creativity? Studies show intrinsic motivation is six times more effective than extrinsic motivation.
6. Consider the Social and Physical Work Environment
Two of the many motivating factors at work are teamwork and nature. These are two different aspects of the workplace that you can’t ignore as a boss. Let’s begin with the social work environment.
You want your office to become a place where everyone can talk and be open with their opinions. Even if your employees work at home, you want to hold meetings for them at least once a week. You can also set team-building exercises outside of the office to build friendships and get to know your employees.
As for the physical work environment, integrate nature with it as much as possible. Bring plants into the lounges or break rooms. Employees may also feel more motivated if they’re near windows with natural views.
7. Recognize and Appreciate Employee’s Efforts
How often do you rely on hard numbers to recognize that an employee is working hard in your company? Do you also give them a chance to show you in person how much they want to succeed in their jobs? When you see their efforts, what do you do to show your appreciation of them?
Part of being a leader is that you know what hard work looks like. You must have the ability to see who is doing their best, even if they’re only giving back average results. You never know if they’re only a seedling in need of a little more time to finally bloom in full.
When you see your employee’s efforts, don’t be afraid to thank them for it. You don’t need to host an appreciation party or anything too big. Simple praise for a job well done on a specific achievement is enough.
If you want, send them an email to let them know you’ve noticed their accomplishments. You can also stop by their workspaces and thank them in person.
This helps boost morale and makes the workplace a positive environment.
Motivate Your Employees
Today, creating a system or workplace that motivates your employees is tricky. This is because you must find that Goldilocks balance between too strict and too lax. For many employers, it may take time and some trial-and-error to get it right.
Now you understand how to keep employees motivated. We hope this post helps you motivate your employees and makes them more productive. If you enjoyed reading this post, check out our other guides as well.
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