You’re not going to get the best out of your employees if they’re dissatisfied with your company’s working conditions. When workers feel hemmed-in and stifled by the corporate culture and general environment, their productivity is likely to suffer. Customer relations could deteriorate as well because those who should be selling the company’s product to the public have negative emotions about the organization they’re supposed to be representing; so they become indifferent or even hostile in their communication with customers. Even in the best case scenario, the business’s foot soldiers would only sluggishly drag themselves along, paying lip service to crucial organizational goals and half-heartedly attend to their duties.
Motivating your employees to get the job done and go the extra mile isn’t necessarily about raising salaries. There are a good number of cost effective ways to keep workers happy; in this article, we’ll be pointing out ten of them.
- Make the work environment conducive
Cramped workspaces, inappropriate lighting (whether it’s too bright, too dim or a disorienting colour), loud or dull posters and inscriptions, lazy office furniture arrangement could conspire to make your employee’s work experience barely bearable. Spacious comfortable offices and halls spur productivity – so does a corporate culture that encourages open, cordial communication, and the forging of strong working relationships.
- Acknowledge outstanding performance
Appreciate your workers when they do well on the job or exceed expectations. You could do this by sending them an email containing a message of recognition or praise. Another way of doing this is by openly commending them in general meetings. So, instead of just saying “we’ve all done well”, single out employees who have done outstanding work, and speak about how their work ethic or achievement embodies what your organization is about.
- Invest in your staff
The average employee wants to make progress on their career path. You can help your workers to do so by getting them trained in what they’re doing for your company, or by providing channels through which they can acquire new skills that could improve their productivity. Having regular training programmes for your staff would make them feel like their employer (or employers) truly value them; it’ll also be a sign to them that the company they’re working for is serious about achieving its goals. They’ll be determined to exert themselves more in the drive towards actualizing their personal vision, as well as that of the firm they work for.
- Punctuate work
The occasional drinks and snacks or personalized gifts for everyone could lift your workers’ spirits, also make lively what might be an otherwise uneventful, monotonous work routine.
- Have constant conversations with your team
Regular pep talks and brain storming sessions could entrench a sense of belonging and a belief among your employees that they really have a stake in the company. This can only be good for business; if they have the impression that they’re part of the organization’s growth project, they’ll be eager to play their part in steering the company ship forward.
- Be an exemplary leader
If you display a passion for the business you run and actually get involved in the nitty-gritty of daily operations (rather than simply dish out orders and delegate everything to other people), the people you’ve hired to work for you (or
with you) will have no excuse to slack. They could even feed off the energy you exude, and be inspired to commit themselves more to the tasks they’ve been assigned.
- Organize periodic outings to help employees bond together
You could set aside a Saturday every month, for instance, for staff outings, where workers could relax, strike up interesting conversations, and build strong relationships.
- Let employees see how they fit into the big picture
Have constant talks with your employees about the vision and ultimate goals the company aims to achieve. Point out to them how their work as individuals and as a team could contribute to the realization of these goals. If you’re able to communicate this in clear and practical ways, they could be inspired to work with a greater sense of purpose and determination.
- Give your employees a greater say
Avoid trying to micro-manage your staff. Give them some space to do their job and welcome suggestions from them. Use their ideas if they look good to you, and let them know that you consider their input valuable.
- Offer incentives
Incentives can be given in appreciation, and with the intention of spurring on recipients. Gift vouchers, event tickets, or even small amounts of cash could be given to hard-working staff in order to show them that their efforts aren’t going unnoticed.
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This article was first published on 4th October 2017
ikenna-nwachukwu
Ikenna Nwachukwu holds a bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He loves to look at the world through multiple lenses- economic, political, religious and philosophical- and to write about what he observes in a witty, yet reflective style.
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