Human resources are the most important and powerful resources of an organization. Organization should be able to utilize its human resources to the fullest, to do which employee motivation is very essential. There are various ways to motivate employees to work hard, some of which are concisely described below.
1. Create cooperative environment
In an organization, many people work together to achieve a common goal. As different people have different opinions, coordination and cooperation between employees and employers are important to achieve the organization’s goal timely and effectively. Cooperation and coordination can disassemble and assemble because of minor factors, and they can be maintained at the workplace through simple acts.
Ways to maintain cooperative environment
- Having lunch together
- Sharing jokes
- Considering employees’ comfort zones
- Keeping a kitchen to prepare teas and coffees
- Ordering foods different than regular snacks once in a while
- Having celebrations on employees’ birthdays
When minor, yet important factors like these prevail at the workplace, there exist better communication and employees feel free to share their opinions with each other.
2. Have good communication
Sometimes, employees face problems that they might not be able to solve on their own. During such situation, employees tend to discuss problems with their colleagues or boss. But in lack of co-operative environment, there is absence of interaction, as a result of which, problems are not carefully tackled which ultimately leaves the employees demotivated to work. Learn more about how to communicate effectively.
3. Praise proposals
Employees may come up with new ideas and suggestions that they believe are good for the organization. The ideas may or may not work out but praising or supporting them and giving employees chance to prove their ideas motivates them a lot. When ideas of every employee is considered by the management team, employees feel valued and become dedicated towards their assigned job.
4. Be transparent
An organization needs to be transparent to its employees, but this does not mean that it should reveal each and every small details. Being transparent to the employees simply refer to the act of disclosing such facts to the employee that they are accountable to. When employees know all the necessary facts, they become sure about whom and what they are working for. This establishes trust and strengthens employee-management relationship, which ultimately results in earning loyalty from the employees. Learn more on, how transparency can impact workplace.
5. Give continuous feedbacks
Humans are not machines, thus efficiency in their performance does not always remain the same. Supervisors should appraise employees’ performance regularly and give continuous feedbacks so that employees know their point of strength and weakness. In this way, employees will know what exactly they need to improve which helps them in making better performances and good results. Good results always motivate employees to focus on their work.
6. Reward employees
In organization, not all employees are hardworking. Therefore, it is important for the organization to identify and reward hardworking and deserving employees in order to motivate and encourage them as well as to encourage others to work hard. Reward does not always need to be huge. Sometimes, small incentives can motivate employees too. Incentives can be something economic such as movie tickets, sports-match tickets, a paid day off, etc. Rewards are amazing motivation boosting factors and they are helpful in retaining employees. Rewards can be monetary as well as non-monetary but it must be effective.
Qualities of effective rewards
Visibility
Rewards must be visible in order to be effective because employees value those rewards which grab attention of their peers and co-workers. On the contrary, when rewards are not visible, employees are not satisfied and they might get demotivated which could hamper their performance.
Flexibility
Employees make varied performance, so rewards should be flexible in accordance to their achievement. Small achievements should be praised with small rewards and big achievements with big rewards.
Fair distribution
Every employee of the company should be fairly treated by the company. Partiality should be completely eliminated to motivate employees to perform better.
Reward should be valued
Employers should know interest and personal preference of their employees. Employees’ preference for rewards vary with age, marital status, lifestyle, etc. So rewarding team must ensure that the rewards are valued for them to influence employees and organization effectively.
7. Manage training and skill development programs
Investing time and money to train employees pays the organization with improved performance. When employees are provided training, new ideas and skills are initiated in the company. On the other hand, employees themselves become enthusiastic. Learn about, steps for developing effective employee training program.
8. Set learning days
Many institutes have a day in a week as learning day. On this day, any of the staffs are given chance to speak on topics that might be new to others but well known to the individual. In this way, employees get chance to broaden their knowledge. Similarly, it also helps in reducing boredom and keeping employees active and refreshed.
9. Be an exemplary leader
It is the most important duty of a leader to be an example for others. For an instance, if a boss orders his staffs to be punctual but arrives late himself then none of his staffs would follow his orders. Being an exemplary leader does not only limit to arriving at time but it is applicable everywhere. In easy words, an exemplary leader should never expect his staffs to do things that he won’t. Learn more about characteristics of a good leader.
10. Establish a memory board
Memory board is a board used to pin-up photographs and other remarkable objects that remind employees of their special moments in the company. When such boards are arranged, special past memories stay fresh in their mind and this strengthens the bond between employees and the company.
11. Arrange get-togethers
Gathering around outside the workplace and talking about matters apart from official helps in knowing employees better. A different side to employees and employers can be faced and friendly relationship can be established. However, boundaries should be set while working at office because extremely casual behavior of employers can lead their employees to neglect responsibilities.
