Motivation at work - the best practices

Take a close look at the history of any prosperous company and you’ll find employee commitment and engagement at the heart of their success. A company that manages to retain strong, motivated staff is rewarded with higher profits, less turn over, and more resiliency in tough economic conditions. Motivation isn’t about discipline; it’s the inner drive of each person that encourages him to work harder and feel fulfilled and satisfied. And, while there isn’t an exact formula for engaging employees to do their best for company success, there are methods to help increase employee motivation. Consider the principles below to nurture a positive working environment for your staff. Put them into practice to increase satisfaction and dedication to you as an employer.

1. Motivate individuals

Motivation stems from understanding the needs of your employees. Where one needs to earn more money to stay on track, another wants recognition in public, and yet another desires a flexible schedule. A significant reason why company-wide programs often fail is because they are not tailored to the myriad reasons employees are motivated. First and foremost, your actions need to be based on the demands of the individual.

2. Give your employees a voice

This tip closely correlates with the previous one. Although it can be quite a challenge to find out about career aspirations and the personality type of each employee, there’s one proven way to encourage them. Hold a meeting or offer a survey enabling employees to offer suggestions related to making their working conditions more comfortable. As a result, you’ll be more aware of what everyone expects from you as an employer. It is also helpful to ask everyone to share the ideas which, in their opinion, can facilitate business growth. Not only will you discover some valuable advice among those who are actually on the ground working, but it will also make employees feel valued and prove that their opinions matter, contributing to their self-worth.

3. Define the company-wide and individual goals

The attitude that employees are simply bodies hired to perform a particular task kills motivation and creates a feeling of autonomy. Make sure you review your mission and strategic goals. Explain how each role plays a critical role in your organization’s success and how it aligns with major strategic objectives. Be collaborative – involve employees in creating their individual goals and explain how reaching it is measured and rewarded.

4. Offer a competitive compensation

Of course, money is not everything when it goes to describing a good job, but it does play a role in how motivated employees feel. Many employees are happy to have good relationships with colleagues, a boss who is a supportive leader, and an environment that encourages their professional growth, but none of these will motivate staff who feel underpaid – they’ll work less and always be on the lookout for another job. Monitor average salary rates to make sure that compensation packages, including benefits, are aligned (or ever higher) to your industries standard.

5. Provide flexible schedules

As a manager, you can try to motivate your employees when they’re at work, but what if their productivity is affected by issues not related to the workplace? From issues with childcare to health-related struggles, remember that employees have a life outside of your organization. One of the best things to boost motivation and retain employees is to offer a flexible schedule that recognizes this. As a motivational practice, this costs you nothing, but can provide remarkable results – people don’t have to spend time commuting and have the opportunity to resolve personal problems. Before taking this step, make sure that your employees can do their job under little to no supervision to avoid possible productivity loss.

Everything starts with a quality assessment of your employees’ needs. When you find the right approach to each person and understand what inspires them, then no matter what your company does (from software development to cosmetics sales) you are bound to succeed.