One of the secret weapons to building a high-performing, purposeful workplace is employee motivation. Finding ways to motivate your employees can help them reach their highest potentials and thrive in your organization. Turn these ideas into action and get to the heart of what motivates your employees to keep everyone moving forward towards success!
Think back to that one leader, boss, or teacher that inspired you to grow and become a better version of yourself. When you questioned your abilities, they challenged you and reminded you of your potential. Taking the time to genuinely connect with your team, engage with them, and ask how you can best support their efforts can really kick-start enthusiasm in the workplace! Leading with positive influence can motivate your employees to consistently deliver value and put energy into doing their best work.
Who doesn’t like being praised? Forbes reports that recognition is the number one thing employees say their manager could give them to inspire them to produce great work. When you show appreciation for your employees, they’ll beam with excitement and focus on keeping that momentum for more recognition. Recognizing achievements both inside and outside of the office can boost productivity and increase employee motivation.
You can easily make recognition a part of your daily company culture with an employee award program. When an employee kicks some major butt on a project, reaches a milestone, or a department gets something monumental done, it’s time to pour on sincere recognition for each person involved. Employees who feel appreciated can be highly motivated to do more than what is expected.
If you’re considering putting a recognition program in place, this start up checklist is a perfect place to start!
Offering training, education and growth opportunities can be an excellent way to motivate your employees. Assign missions to people that put their critical thinking abilities to use. Perhaps brainstorm a new project that your company has never tried before. Encouraging your employees to step up to a new challenge can be exciting for them and everyone in your organization! By inspiring your employees to grow and learn new skill sets, they will be motivated to take on new responsibilities and improve their performance as a team.
If you’re looking to start with small acts to draw out motivation, bring joy to your employees! Figure out what excites them or makes them happy. Did you notice a running medal on someone’s desk? Ask how it felt to cross the finish line that day. Overhear a recipe being shared with a coworker? See if they’re willing to share some tips in the kitchen with you. Showing a genuine interest in your employees is a motivational tactic that simply requires you to show acknowledgement. A little positive affirmation may be exactly what your employee needs to champion through the day.
Leadership can inspire the best your employees have to offer. As you discover which factors best motivate your employees, keep in mind they are all unique individuals and you may have to think outside the box for ways to keep your team engaged and driven to achieve goals. You already have a huge advantage going for you – because merely thinking of ways to motivate your employees shows confidence in your vision for the future.