Things that motivate employees more than money!
Keeping your work force in check and making sure they are all working hard is a must for any successful business. People are motivated in different ways and that counts in all businesses, within Out The Office some of the staff love praise this keeps them going because people love being told how great they are, others love opportunities and being pushed to their limit with something in their sights. Some of the guys love feeling wanted while others love competition trying to be the best.
At our weekly meeting we were all discussing what motivates us and what we thought of others and how to get the best out of each other by utilizing everyone’s skills. Below is a list of what we came up with and it really is something for you to think about in regards to getting the most out of your employees and motivating them to succeed.
• Generous Praise
Praise costs nothing – Everyone loves feeling wanted and told how great job he or she is doing! Hearing good things from the top helps even more as then you feel really wanted. Praising every improvement that you see the team doing is well worth it because having smiles on our teams face is a great thing to do.
• Making your ideas theirs
A lot of people hate being told what to do, instead of telling people what you want done, ask them in a way that will make them feel wanted and that they came up with the original idea. Once they think it is their idea they will take more of an ownership and responsibility over this and that is what you want.
• Never criticize or correct
No one, and I mean no one, wants to hear that they did something wrong. If you’re looking for a de-motivator then this is it. Why not try an indirect approach to get people to improve, learn from their mistakes and fix them. Ask, “Was that the best way to approach the problem? Why not? Have any ideas on what you could have done differently?” Then you’re having a conversation and talking through solutions, not pointing a finger.
• Make everyone a leader
Highlighting your top performer’s strengths is a must and let them know that because of their excellence, you want them to be the example for others. You will set the bar high and they’ll be motivated to live up to their reputation as a leader.
• Taking an employee to lunch once a week
Surpriseeeee. Don’t make an announcement that you’re establishing a new policy, literally walk up to one of your employees, and invite them to a lunch with you. It’s an easy way to remind them that you notice and appreciate their work.
• Giving recognition and small rewards
These two things come in many forms, within your weekly meeting why not give someone a shout out that deserves it. You could even run contests or internal games and keep track of the results on a whiteboard that everyone can see. Tangible awards that don’t break the bank can work too. Try things like dinner, trophies, spa services or even a plaque.
• Throw a company party
Doing things as a group can go a long way, why not throw a party, go out for a meal or just a few drinks as that always jeez the employees up, celebrating when doing something well is great. Organizing events throughout the year to remind your staff that you’re all in it together and one big happy family.
• Share the rewards – and the pain.
When your company does well – celebrate. This is the best time to let everyone know that you’re thankful for all their hard work. Go out of your way to show how far you will go when people help your company succeed. If there are disappointments, share those too. If you expect high performance, your team deserves to know where the company stands. Be honest and transparent.
One way to really motivate staff is holding an away day or a team building event, here at Out The Office we organize it all, get you all the details and run the event in house. This means it turns completely stress free and a lot of fun, why not enquire with us today and speak to one of our amazing sales team that will run through everything from start to finish.