Keeping an eye on how satisfied your employees are can be a daunting task. If you take a look at numbers from Gallup’s continuous research, a staggering 85% of employees worldwide are either not engaged or actively disengaged at work.
That leaves only 15% of the workforce who feel motivated and happy with their performance levels every day. What are the odds that every member of your team falls under this minority of stimulated and driven individuals?
Chances are that even your own company could use improving in this area, as helping them feel more appreciated and engaged increases their desire to stay on board and proactively help grow your business. Depending on your industry, you can use various strategies to keep their spirits up, but the following have proven to be the most effective no matter your niche.
How to Motivate Your Team and Increase Their Performance
Less work equals better work?
Since your employees devote the majority of their waking hours to your business, it’s safe to assume their private life suffers from time to time, if not on a regular basis. Yet, they need to spend quality time with their families and friends, as well as on their health and hobbies. This balance is their driving force that will help them thrive at work, have more energy, and feel like complete, fulfilled people.
What can you do? Offer them flexible hours when possible or a chance to work remotely, from home. Encourage them to bring their kids and other family members to work one day each month, so that they can see what you do.
Provide them with free memberships at gyms and other wellness and sports centers and check how often they take their days off. Order healthy lunch packs for your employees and let them know that vacations should be as mandatory as their nine-to-five schedule.
Continuous learning opportunities
Every single position is bound to run its course. That, however, doesn’t mean that you should prevent your employees from seeking other challenges within your company, even if it means finding a replacement for their current position.
Regular training programs aimed to overcome their current knowledge gaps are bound to help them become more productive and empowered to take initiative with their newly-gained skills.
Whether it’s job-related, or you simply give them a chance to improve their other skills, they will find a way to incorporate their knowledge into their daily life. From computer skills, language, writing, to trying new techniques in their field of work, they’ll love to tackle a new challenge!
Reward their stellar performance
Every now and then, your employees will wrap up a major project successfully, and with great dedication, or they’ll even achieve something extraordinary, such as close a deal with your biggest client. It doesn’t have to be a major milestone to deserve a reward, but simply remember that a little appreciation can go a long way in motivating your crew.
If you’ve made an effort to get to know them, you’ll know what makes them tick. Maybe some might like to get prepaid Visa cards for a fun day of shopping, others can’t wait to take their spouse to a weekend getaway, or they want to see a show. Try to get to know their preferences, and they’ll feel more valued and respected as a part of your team.
Ongoing feedback
Transparent communication doesn’t begin or end with quarterly performance reviews. To understand their progress, setbacks, and work process, you need to be a continuous part of their growth. That said, regular feedback means that constructive criticism paired with encouragement for a job well done can help them feel guided, not “monitored” by a true leader, and not just a boss.
They should be able to come to you when they need guidance and support to overcome a problem at work, when they feel overwhelmed with their workload, or if they need additional help in managing a given task.
We’re all human, and they shouldn’t feel as if it was expected of them to do everything flawlessly and entirely alone. However, when you do notice that they are underperforming, delving deeper into the matter may uncover the underlying issues and help you solve them together.
Create a teambuilding schedule
If you already nurture a healthy office atmosphere, then your employees will look forward to spending a bit more time with their teammates doing something unrelated to their job.
In fact, these outings, events, and fun experiences are the perfect opportunity for bonding, getting to know one another, and building even better relationships.
It can be a simple gesture, such as a Friday happy hour at the nearby pub, or something more substantial, such as volunteering together at the homeless shelter.
Make sure that these team building events have nothing to do with the work of your company, since they need to find other topics to connect, which will, in turn, strengthen their relationships.
Identity Magazine is all about guiding women to discover their powers of Self-Acceptance, Appreciation, and Personal Achievement. We ask that every contributor and expert answer the Identity 5 questions in keeping with our theme. Their answers can be random and in the moment or they can be aligned with the current article they have written. In that way, and as a team, we hope to encourage and motivate each other, thus inspiring you to Get All A’s.
1. What have you accepted within your life, physically and/or mentally? Additionally, what are you still working on accepting? Now, we’re talking about resignation, rather stepping into, embraced, and owned.
I’m sure many can relate…the challenges of being a single working mom–an entrepreneur.
2. What have you learned to appreciate about yourself and/or within your life, physically and mentally? On the other hand OR in contrast, are there elements of who you are that you’re still working on appreciating?
I really appreciate the freedom my work allows me. Being able to stay at home when necessary, travel and communicate with people from different backgrounds.
3. What is one of your most rewarding achievements in life? Tell us not only what makes YOU most proud but also share the goals and dreams that you still have.
Definitely building my career and raising my kids.
4. Of course, we all have imperfections, or so we think. In truth, we are all perfectly imperfect. What are your not-so-perfect ways? Likewise, what imperfections and quirks create who you are–your Identity?
My Perfectionism and stubbornness for sure.
5. “I Love My…” is an outlet for you to appreciate and express all the positive traits that make you…well…YOU! In fact, sharing what you love about yourself will make you smile, feel empowered, and uplift your spirit and soul. (We assure you!) Therefore, Identity challenges you to complete the phrase “I Love My…?”
I’m lucky and I Love my life as a mom and an entrepreneur.
