Keeping employees motivated is crucial for any organization, whether it is a corporate giant or a small business. As the owner of the business or manager, it is quite tricky to keep your employees motivated. Needless to say, keeping employees happy and motivated is directly related to the success of the company. It is well established that when the employees in a company are happy and motivated, productivity and profits of the company increase at substantial rates.
Almost every company in the world is focused on creating a happy and motivating atmosphere for their employees. Different companies have adopted different strategies for employee appreciation. For example, employee incentive programs for small businesses are created to reward employees.
In this article, we shall discuss five ways to reward and motivate your employees.
5 ways to motivate and reward your employees
Employees need to feel motivated and appreciated to better contribute to the success of the organization. Employee appreciation is crucial because, at the end of the day, an organization is nothing without its employees. It is the employees who keep the wheels running.
Following are five employee appreciation methods to ensure that your employees are well rewarded and motivated.
#1. Define your goals and celebrate success
When a goal is set for the employees, a challenge is automatically set. It is basic human nature to love challenges. Without a set goal or challenge, it becomes very easy to become unmotivated. Setting attainable goals for your staff enables them to work for something tangible. It also gives you, as the manager, a benchmark against which to evaluate their performance. Make sure goals are celebrated or at least acknowledged when they are attained. This doesn’t have to be expensive; a straightforward incentive like a team lunch or internal email applauding the achievement will keep workers motivated to pursue their future objectives.
#2. Lend an ear to your employees
Although it may sound trivial, often being heard is the biggest motivation for your employees. If the organization pays attention to the wants and needs of the employees, the employees feel included and appreciated. However, hearing your employees does not necessarily mean giving into all the demands that your employees might have. For example, when an employee has a new idea, ensure that your employees are heard and their thoughts are appreciated. If you do not listen to your employees, they will soon stop caring about your organization. Soon, they will not want to work for their organization.
#3. Compensate your employees well.
In order to keep your employees satisfied, you will have to pay competitive salaries. Although easier said than done, companies must ensure that they are not compromising on salary. If employees deserve a raise, they must be granted one. Employee appreciation begins with granting employees their deserved compensation. Competitive salaries or performance-based bonuses make employees feel valued.
#4. Ensure that their future is secured.
Caring about their future makes employees feel that their organization cares about them even after they retire. Business owners must be involved and interested in the future of their employees. Employee appreciation entails creating new opportunities for employees to grow within the organization and continuously gain knowledge. Business owners or managers should act as mentors for their employees within the organization.
#5. Maintain a good company culture.
The culture or atmosphere in the company plays a major role in employee appreciation. Only providing competitive salaries or bonuses isn’t enough to keep your employees happy and motivated. Small things like team lunches and other such team building exercises make a happy culture in the company.
Some common forms of Employee Appreciation
To make your efforts more effective, experiment with various employee recognition strategies and pay attention to what your staff members want.
Some of the most common forms of employee appreciation that your organization can adopt are as follows:
- Organize a team lunch to encourage peer-to-peer connections.
- If your company has a social media existence, celebrate the achievements of your employees on social media.
- Introducing a rotating trophy or crystal plaque award can be quite rewarding and motivating for your employees.
- Offer certificate courses and workshops to help your employees build professional skills and develop themselves.
Even if some of these suggestions for employee appreciation can seem somewhat insignificant, it is precisely this kind of regular flow and variety of recognition that keeps workers interested.
In order to avoid typical problems, take the time to develop a great recognition program and discover what complements your organization’s goal, beliefs, and employee needs. Utilizing various forms of acknowledgement keeps things interesting and enjoyable while also assisting in reaching various workforce groups. A successful and thriving firm depends on keeping its employees motivated to work hard and put up their best efforts. While some employees may require a little encouragement to work harder than others, supervisors ultimately play a crucial role in motivation.