You have hired some stellar people for your organization and now you are struggling with boosting their morale! It is not easy to motivate the employees without knowing the factors that affect the employees. Money is not everything that works for employee motivation.
People want to feel valued to be motivated at work. They want to feel part of the team and that they matter to the company. This article is going to shed light on what employee motivation is, and what factors can make it work.
What is Employee Motivation?
Employee motivation is the enthusiasm, commitment, and creativity an employee brings to the organization. Motivated employees are those who roll out of their beds and go to work every morning with so much energy to face a new challenge.
If people are motivated at work they will learn new skills, take up new responsibilities, and try to work on their capabilities further. So, employee motivation is something about how you engage the employees to achieve the organization’s goal.
There are two types of motivations- intrinsic and extrinsic. When employees feel motivated and perform well, it is their desire to work without being motivated externally. According to several types of research, praises at the workplace increase intrinsic motivation. So, if you are in a leadership role be intentional with your praises or feedback.
On the other hand, when employees are being motivated by external factors like rewards and recognition, called extrinsic motivation. For people who are not motivated from within, extrinsic motivation gets the task done by them.
Tips to Motivate Employees at Work
If you want to motivate employees at work to get positive engagement you have to make them feel passionate about going to the office for work every day. Motivating the employees will not be a challenge anymore if you consider the following tips.
- Make the Office a Pleasant Place to be
An aesthetically pleasing workplace automatically boosts one’s productivity. Having a well-lit, fun workspace motivates employees to come to the office and give their best at work. So, you need to keep the office space clean and nice-looking. Add quirky furniture made by local artists as a fun element to the interior. You need to make sure that employees find it enjoyable to work in the office.
- Improve the Team Culture
While talking about employee motivation you cannot rule out the importance of team culture. Employees become productive when they feel part of the team. An organization’s culture is decided from the top which filters down gradually.
Whether everyone is treated equally or not can be understood from the company’s philosophy. You need to develop a modern work environment to foster success.
- Be a Supportive and Respectful Manager
Honesty, respect, and support are the three pillars of employee motivation. Needless to say, a leader can positively influence the team members. It is a good manager who can help the employees to develop their skills further.
As a manager, you need to groom the employees for a senior role with the best intentions. However, you cannot be a great manager overnight. So, be consistent in making effort for your team.
- Provide Employee Motivation Platform
One of the key strategies to motivate your employees is to provide a platform where they can feel motivated. Such a platform lets everyone works together as it will be easier for them to collaborate with other teams. Employees need to be updated with projects and it is a sure-fire way of motivating employees.
- Transparent and Clear Communication
There is nothing that can give you a positive outcome than clear communication. Employees should be clear about their job roles. When employees are clear about their job roles they will feel motivated and it will be easier for them to set a goal.
In order to achieve transparent communication, you can use the intranet. Through the system you can share the project details, technical data, product information, employee handbook, and internal news with the employees.
- Encourage Teamwork
Teamwork can motivate employees at work as an individual will know that their colleagues have their back. In a team, employees cheer for each other and that feeling is amazing. If anyone’s motivation dips in the team, the other teammates are right there for help.
Working agreement is a great way to promote teamwork. In the agreement, guidelines will be stated on the ways to collaborate, and a group expectation will be set. In a nutshell, the working agreement will help you to create a positive atmosphere in the team.
- Share Positive Feedback
Positive feedback for the employees is a key factor that lies behind job satisfaction. Satisfaction at work can come from a variety of places, for example, it can be a compliment on your new haircut or praise for completing work prior to the deadline. Positive feedback boosts self-confidence and keeps the employees motivated.
- Celebrate Results
Celebrating results is as crucial as setting small measurable goals. To motivate employees at work you need to give them the opportunity to celebrate their hard work. This does not mean that you have to give a standing ovation to every team member for giving their best.
Celebrating results means letting everyone know how each of their contributions brought business to the company. As a leader, you need to be specific in appreciation.
- Pay Heed to Employee’s Feedback
Instead of preparing an employee motivation strategy on assumption, you can ask what actually they expect from the organization. So, sit down with your team and pay heed to their feedback, and what they value. Provide a window for grievances as this could be the best thing you can do for your employees.
- Offer Employee Rewards
Give the employees enough reasons to stay with you. If you want to motivate employees at work it is worth starting a reward program. Recognize the hard work give away gift cards for their indulgence. You can start offering a quarterly bonus, profit sharing, or pay for additional credentials.
Wrap Up
Motivated employees are an asset to an organization as they contribute to organizational success. Even though employee motivation cannot be measured since it is intangible, you can always facilitate it if it is done right. In nutshell, it is all about intention, perseverance, and intensity.