Motivating employees; 11 ideas to keep it up!
I had a very curious experience in a job interview several years ago. Before I entered the office where it was going to be carried out, I walked past a room in which about 15 people were distributed on tables with telephones and computers. The unusual was not about the place, lighting or furniture, but in the noise.
The noise was absolutely deafening. The room was run by a person who kept shouting supposedly motivating phrases:”Come on, guys, you have to sell a lot more!”,”We have to tackle them!” (referring, supposedly, to their customers), and other sentences that it will be better not to reproduce in this article.
Some people do not understand well what work motivation is. Motivating is not shouting, just like eating is not choking. Today we’re going to see ideas for improving work motivation, in a much healthier way than shouting and insulting throughout the morning. With education, and no screaming.
Be an example
For your employees, you’re the reference. Whether you are the owner of the company or a high-up, the people around you can perceive if you are giving everything for your company. Or, as Confucius said, who knew his fair deal about this:“When the ruler himself works uprightly, he will exert influence over the people without giving orders, and when the ruler himself does not work uprightly, all his orders will be useless”.
Listen to your workers, ask for opinions
There are few ways to better motivate a person than by showing them the respect of taking their opinion into account. Get them involved, make them know that their work and ideas are good for something, and they’ll have a lot more energy to deal with the day-to-day. To achieve this, there are multiple techniques. From face-to-face inquiries, to the scheduling of participatory meetings, to solutions to promote internal communication within the company, such as placing a suggestion box, or better yet, implementing a software with a ticketing tool. If you want to know more about the latter, you can take a look at Integria IMS, a software that includes a help desk functionality, developed by Artica ST, the creators of eHorus.
Distribute the tasks properly
Carrying out tasks for which you are not prepared can lead to fear and apathy. If you place your employees within the company according to the tasks they can best perform, they will not only be better trained and do their job better, but they will work more safely and more willingly.
Recognize their work.
A word of praise costs no effort or money, and can generate great benefits. Recognition of a job well done is a matter of fairness, and it also improves the environment and generates extra enthusiasm. What more can you ask for?
Learn how to use the “Pygmalion Effect”
If you don’t know what Pygmalion effect is, it’s already time to get into this article! A brief summary: if you make an effort to look at your employees with good eyes, if you believe in them, if you praise their work, if you are kind and if you use positive language, they and your company will end up thanking you.
Determine objective
In order for people not to get lost in a sea of uncertainty, we need to have well-defined objectives. In the company, that translates into two aspects. First of all, the company’s objectives as a whole must be clearly defined, the direction in which the ship is sailing and how it is to be successfully achieved. Second, explain to the worker what is expected of them and how important their work is for the company’s goals to be met. Get it and you’ll feel more motivated and integrated.
Provide good working conditions
In addition to the psychological or emotional side of them, people live in a physical world that must be pleasing to us. Working in a dark, humid or noisy place affects anyone’s mood. Provide a suitable, comfortable and functional workplace. And don’t forget to provide the right tools for the job, including the technology you need. This will also lead to a better mood.
Offer a fair wage.
It can be said that it is the basic motivation. Or would you feel very stimulated by charging less than you deserve? The effort must be paid for, and it must be done with dignity. Sometimes it will not be easy to determine what a fair wage is, because it will depend on several factors. This is also part of your job, so get to work.
Offer incentives.
In addition to a fair wage, which is a fundamental condition, incentives can provide an extra boost. There are dozens of different types, from extra pay to target-based salary supplements, through non-monetary incentives, such as reward travel, free days, etc. Discover the type of incentive that most stimulates your workers and offer it to them.
Provide flexible hours
Promoting flexible working conditions means that the position in which they are offered becomes highly valued. The option of teleworking or a schedule that’s adaptable to the worker’s needs, which, let us remember, will usually have family, friends, hobbies, etc. (what means having a life, basically) will be something very valued and will make you feel more appreciated by the company and the job. If you manage to ensure that your employees can reconcile their working life with family and personal life, their motivation will increase.
Promote good atmosphere and teamwork
Good atmosphere creates attachment, well-being, and of course motivation. Feeling part of a cohesive team is an extra boost to achieve goals. To achieve this, there are multiple techniques, such as the gamification of work. If you want to know more about it, you can find out more about it here.
These are eleven ideas that can help you get better at motivating employees, but I’m sure you have many more. Were some a total success? Did others not work as you expected? You can share your experiences with us by leaving a message in the comment box right below. Thank you very much!
