5 Bright Ideas to Create a Culture That Motivates Employees

A great employer brand attracts top talent, motivates employees to work smarter, and can even help you acquire and retain customers. However, creating such a company culture isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. That’s why 68% of global business leaders believe company culture is a source of competitive advantage, according to Bain & Company.

Global studies find motivated employees are more productive and treat your customers better. Happy employees take the initiative to solve problems. They are not faking. Instead, they genuinely care about your business’s success.

Culture is the values, norms, behaviors, and attitudes contributing to an organization’s unique social and psychological environment.

A motivational culture is a massive differentiator of success for your business. So how do you create that culture? Here are five ideas to get you started.

#1 – Live your core values

A motivating workplace has everyone pulling in the same direction, driven by a shared system of beliefs toward a common purpose.

What does your business stand for? What are you trying to achieve? You should have answers to these questions. The way your business acts should be consistent with those answers.

Consistent values are your beacon, attracting people motivated by achieving the same things, in the same ways, that you are. Those are the people you hire, building a motivational culture from the ground up and sustaining momentum as you grow.

#2 – Make your people feel heard

People won’t go the extra mile unless they feel valued – and they won’t feel valued unless they feel heard. Plus, listening allows you to address any issues before they become demotivating.

There are loads of ways to give people a voice:

• Put up a suggestions whiteboard
• Schedule formal team meetings
• Introduce anonymous email surveys
• Engage with employee feedback platforms like Glassdoor
• Hold informal catch-ups or huddles
• Create ‘how we’ve implemented your advice’ updates

Remember, this is a two-step process. People won’t feel heard if they’re speaking into the void. Be proactive about addressing feedback – positive or negative – and never ignore voices of dissent.

#3 – Recognise hard work; reward success

People won’t stay motivated unless their efforts are recognized and rewarded. But this isn’t as simple as raising salaries.

A Harvard Business Review study found people who work because of economic pressure – i.e., simply to earn money – tend to be less motivated and perform worse. Throwing money at the situation isn’t a long-term solution to employee motivation.

Instead, realize that employee motivation is about fairness more than figures. You want staff to feel their hard work is appreciated. To feel they’re rewarded above and beyond when they go above and beyond. Some ways you could do that:

• Say a quick word of thanks
• Send a personal note
• Give a small, personal gift
• Send a business-wide email
• Introduce an incentives program
• Offer a performance-based bonus

The point is that these things are essential beyond economic value. They’re a token of gratitude, appreciation, and respect.

#4 – Lead by example

As a business owner, you must prove you’re willing to get your hands as dirty as your team. Don’t just talk the talk. Walk the walk, and you’ll earn respect. If your people respect you, they’ll be more motivated to make the business successful.

You set the culture of your business. If you arrive late, take long lunches, and your chair spins at 5pm, your employees will follow suit.

#5 – Invest in your people

Stagnation is the enemy of motivation. To build a more motivated workforce, hire people with big dreams, then give them the tools to realize those dreams.

That could mean:

• Building a formal training programme
• Supporting staff to gain external qualifications
• Sending staff to industry events
• Investing in the latest technology
• Setting up a mentoring programme
• Sharing your own time and experience
• Introducing personal career development plans

You ask people to invest their time, effort, and ambition in your business. Invest in them in return, or they’ll eventually stop investing in you.

Building a culture of motivation is one of the most important things you can do to support your business growth. “Culture” sometimes seems intangible and easy for smaller businesses to ignore, but you cannot afford to drop the ball here.

Final Words

A company culture that motivates employees encourages collaboration, creativity, and innovation. It celebrates successes and supports employees when they face challenges. A company culture should also provide a sense of purpose and belong to its employees, creating an environment where everyone works together to achieve the same goals. It should also recognize and reward individual efforts with recognition, rewards, and promotions. With such a culture, employees will be motivated to perform at their best and contribute to the organization’s success.

When a business has motivated staff, it has an enviable company culture that competitors want to disrupt. The future is bright by ensuring the industry puts its team first, with employee benefits, social events, and more. With a top-notch company culture, the business can do much more, including attract and retain staff, respond faster to change, and grow its market share.