Keeping your employees engaged and motivated is one of the most important yet most difficult tasks a supervisor or business owner has. There are a number of different things you can use to engage and motivate your employees, but some of them are much more involved than others. If you’re uncertain how to keep your team motivated, here are a few simple things you can do. You’ll be surprised how much more productive, safe, and even happier your crew is after you’ve implemented some of these tips.
Provide Incentives.
Nothing motivates people like incentives. This can be anything from a catered lunch for meeting a team goal to a “leave five minutes early” card for going above and beyond on a personal level. When people know that they will be rewarded for doing something outstanding, they’re more likely to step up and perform.
When doing this, it’s important to make sure everyone has a chance at a reward of some sort. When employees see the same people being recognized over and over, it can actually have a demoralizing effect on them.
Be Flexible.
Some employees simply can’t focus early in the morning. Others might run into a slump later in the afternoon. If possible, give your employees flexible work schedules so they can work during their peak hours.
Even if you can’t offer flex time, you might be able to give your employees flexible working locations. Many offices now offer a communal work area where employees can gather with their laptops instead of being separated in their own offices. While this might seem like it would encourage talking instead of working, it actually has the opposite effect. Employees are able to collaborate and bounce ideas off of each other, making them more productive and innovative.
Remind Employees About Safety.
One area where employees may become lax and disengaged is in safety. It’s important that everyone follows all the correct procedures in order to keep the office, work site, or store safe for employees, customers, and everyone else. There are a few things you can do to keep employees engaged in safety. The first is to have periodic safety talks and reviews. This will keep safety processes fresh in your employees’ minds. It can also help remind people about safety procedures that aren’t often needed.
Don’t Micromanage.
Employees who are micromanaged say they don’t feel motivated to do things on their own. They feel as if they’re always being watched, making them second-guess everything they do. Besides becoming less motivated, they also become less satisfied with their job and less productive.
Let your employees take initiative. Give them ownership over their work and over the projects they take on. Doing so will make them feel more responsible for these projects and give them more of a rewarding feeling when they succeed. If they know you’ve entrusted this work to them, they’ll be more motivated to show that you were right to do so.
These are just a few simple things you can do to help motivate and engage your employees. In fact, you may already be doing some of them. By adding a few more, you’ll notice a major change in your team.
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