Top tips to keep your employees motivated

At the end of the day a company is not all about profits. Most of us spend over half of our lives working, and any decent employer would want their employees to enjoy their time working for the company, even if it means sacrificing a little bit of money to do so. Successful companies know that the employees are just as important as the profits, as without the employees, the company would not thrive. Employees are like extended family, and you wouldn´t rip your own family members off, so why do it to your employees?

The Basics

You´d be surprised by the number of companies that forget about these really simple (free) things that you can do to make your employees feel happier about coming to work every day.

First of all appreciate them! Everybody loves a bit of praise, and your employees are no different. If they do something, thank them for it. It takes seconds, costs nothing, and is a really quick and effective way to increase motivation.

Secondly, get to know them! Each of your employees will have their own personal life. Learn things about them such as what they´re into or if they have a family, and then occasionally ask them about it, referring back to specific things that they have mentioned before. They´ll be really happy that you remembered, and, in turn, telling you about positive things in their lives will subconsciously make them feel happier, and associate these positive feelings with you and the company.

Thirdly, care about their individual needs. If somebody has children who are sick, let them go home and look after them. If a person has mental health issues, acknowledge them and check in with them from time to time to see how they are doing. Showing a little compassion can go a long way.

Rewards

Rewards are a great way to motivate your employees. Not only will it give them something to work towards, but it will also give them something positive to look back on. Things that you can do to reward your employees include:

-          Incentive travel

-          Prizes &/or bonuses for reaching targets

-          Corporate Teambuilding events

Perks and Benefits

Give your employees benefits that they can only get through your company and they will be more likely to stick around. For example, some companies are now starting to install ´nap rooms´ in their offices for tired employees in need of a little rest. Other companies offer really good company discounts for their products or services.

Pay

Pay your employees well! Nobody wants to be underpaid. Underpaid = underappreciated and employees know this. At the end of the day, a happy employee will work harder and fetch better profits. An underpaid employee will do the bare minimum to keep their job and pay the bills. If they are offered more money elsewhere, they will likely leave and you´ll then have to invest extra time and money in a new employee. If the company can afford it, pay your employees well and you will reap the rewards.

Breaks

Nobody wants to work for 8 hours a day with a 30 minute break. It has been proven that people work more effectively with regular, short breaks. Don´t force your employees to concentrate for hours on end. Give them regular short breaks (even just 5 minutes to relax) and they will thank you for it, and ultimately work more efficiently.

Holiday

From a cold, emotionless, number crunching point of view, it is easy to see why employees are normally only given the statutory minimum amount of holiday. However, even giving them just 1 week more could make all the difference. If the company can´t afford to pay an extra week, offer your employees the opportunity to take an extra weeks´ unpaid holiday, should they need it.

Working Hours

Don´t overwork your employees! In many jobs, a person will sign to work a 45 hour week and will end up working many hours of overtime, which eventually the company will expect them to do. Despite usually being paid for overtime, all work and no play can take its strain on anybody. Employees need fun (and sleep) too!  

Conclusions

Treat your employees how you would like to be treated. Running a company isn´t all about profits. Give a little and reap the rewards.

Written by: Olivia Taylor-Firth