This Is How to Motivate Employees the Right Way

Only 20% of employees in the U.S feel enthusiastic about their jobs.

Many factors affect this, but one you can control is how well you motivate your team. Unmotivated staff isn’t only terrible for business, but they’re more likely to underperform, take sick days, or quit.

Feel like your motivational skills are slacking? No worries, we’ve got your back. Here’s how to motivate employees today.

Acknowledge a Job Well Done

One of the best ways to motivate employees is to celebrate their wins. Make an effort to recognize a team member’s accomplishment because it creates a connection between the employer and employee.

Not only does this promote productivity, but it improves the team’s relationship and employee retention.

Create Goals

Not sure how to motivate your employees?

Set out goals that will encourage team members to get out of their comfort zone. But instead of overwhelming your team with challenging objectives, create stretch goals that don’t have a distinct end; otherwise, they may slack once they’ve achieved it. For instance, ask everybody to aim for a 4% increase in sales because it’s big enough to feel accomplished without suffering burnout.

If you can’t escape large objectives, then turn them into S.M.A.R.T goals, so they’re easier to attain. This stands for:

• S = Specific
• M = Measurable
• A = Achievable
• R = Realistic
• T = Timeline

For example, if you’re asking employees to reach their target market, then use this method to do this.

The first step, “S,” is to identify your company’s specific strengths and opportunities in the market, while “M” is how you analyze the data to make sure you’re reaching the right people.

“A” is how you’ll do this, so create a small team to do this, and “R” will reassure everyone that it is possible (e.g., how your past accomplishments have brought you to this point). Lastly, “T” is the timeline so ask employees to dedicate several hours a day to this task.

Focus On Positive Communication

What is effective communication?

A surefire way to motivate employees is by regularly talking to your employees. Whether it’s listening to their concerns to brainstorming ideas, your team will appreciate the effort while giving you valuable insight into their opinions about the business.

Further, focus on being transparent with your employees, even in difficult situations. For instance, if the company is losing revenue, then tell everyone, so they feel part of the team and more inclined to work together and fix it.

Emphasize the “Why”

If you’re stumped on motivating employees to work, explain why taking certain actions will benefit them and the company. For example, instead of simply saying “share this video on Facebook,” tell them why this is beneficial for the product launch.

When you give employees reasons for your actions, then they’re likely more motivated. This is because once the team understands the impact of their daily actions, they’ll see how much they influence the business as a whole.

Give Your Team Independence

The key to motivating employees is trusting them to be independent. You can do this by letting them occasionally work from home, set their own pace of work, and choose the order in which tasks are completed. In fact, research found that giving employees a level of autonomy improved their well-being and job satisfaction.

Encourage Friendly Competition

Friendly competition is a fantastic way to motivate employees in the workplace. Your goal isn’t to get the top achievers working more but to get everyone else involved, so your team becomes a well-oiled machine. You can create a competition around a specific business objective and reward teams instead of individuals as it has a bigger impact.

Give Your Employees Ownership in the Business

Another way to boost motivation is by making your employees stakeholders in the business. Normally work feels like a transaction because team members give you their time and effort for a salary.

But if employees are part of the company, they’ll put more effort in, which is far more effective than handing out a one-time bonus.

Lead Your Team Forward

Nothing is more uninspiring than feeling you’re in a dead-end job. To avoid this, help employees visualize their career and create little goals, so they keep moving forward even if it’s not at your company.

If there are job openings in higher positions, offer training to your employees, so they learn more about the latest technology and industry trends.

Plan a Retreat

Switch up locations occasionally; otherwise, employees won’t feel stimulated at work. For instance, if your office is in a city, go into the country and work on team activities. These should involve brainstorming practical strategies so everyone can turn their innovative ideas into reality.

Share Your Gratitude

Praise is an excellent motivator, so regularly do this. Gratitude is more than recognition. This is where you tell employees how much you appreciate them either through personalized emails or hand-written notes. Not only will each individual feel worthy, but they’ll see work as a nurturing place where they are appreciated and encouraged to grow.

That’s How to Motivate Employees

Now you know how to motivate employees.

Make an effort to thank your team, celebrate small wins, and give them autonomy over their work. You should also set manageable goals, encourage your employees to thrive with training, and plan a monthly retreat, so everyone stays motivated. Good luck!

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