Employee motivation is the key to employee happiness, high output and productivity levels, and engagement. The biggest companies globally are as successful as they are because they have recognized how to ensure their employees are motivated, with this motivation then reflected in the companies’ success. Here are some things you can do to keep your employee engaged and motivated.
Set Clear Goals
Employees who perform the best derive great meaning from their work, and this meaning often comes with having a clear set of goals to work towards. A Gallup poll found that employees who had clear goals were about 4 times more likely to be engaged and motivated than those who did not.
When setting goals, ensure employees know what you expect of them. Managers and team leaders must also help them visualize what success in their roles would look like. Finally, the employees should know how their contribution makes a difference or influences the success of the business.
Recognize and Reward Great Work
Employees want to know that their leader or the management recognizes and appreciates their work. Well-deserved recognition improves not only employee motivation, but it is also essential for healthy self-esteem, enthusiasm, and team morale.
Rewards are particularly great motivators and promoters of job satisfaction and there are many options when creating an employee recognition and motivation program. Bonuses and monetary incentives are great and popular options, but businesses can also motivate employees with Amazon gift card offers. Gestures such as giving an employee a day off or buying them a meal also work well.
A business needs to personalize its incentives and reward offerings to ensure they are something employees will like and appreciate.
Provide Meaningful Feedback
The best type of feedback is targeted and specific as it tells your employees you are paying attention to what they are doing and saying. The feedback you provide should also be actionable and personalized.
Remember that the goal of feedback is to help employees recognize areas where they are excelling, realize areas that need improvement and to help them develop and grow. Employees are more likely to be motivated if they know you care about them and recognize everything they do through your feedback.
Give Your Employees Autonomy
Most people feel less motivated if they don’t have control over their time and energy. Giving your employees autonomy, freedom, and flexibility, whether through remote work, time off, or hybrid work, shows them you trust them which gives them a sense of control.
The feelings of motivation, achievement, and satisfaction will come from your employees knowing they did something well on their own terms.
Create a Welcoming Space
Mood and motivation go together. If the office feels unwelcoming, gloomy, and unpleasant, employees will always be looking ahead to when they can go home. Create a welcoming and energetic workplace to boost employee motivation.
Because not all employees are motivated by the same things, you should try to understand what motivates them and create an environment that includes those elements. That could be creating a welcoming space, letting employees work on their own terms to an extent, recognizing and appreciating their efforts, or providing feedback that shows you care.