The 5 Best Ways to Motivate Employees

By Predictive Success  |  

7 min read


Having faith in your organization and its success is powerful. It is especially powerful when it is your own business because it motivates you to keep pushing yourself to achieve your goals.

Finding employees that feel as connected to their work as you can be challenging. The reality is that not all team members will consistently put in the same amount of effort.

It can be frustrating to continually try motivational techniques to encourage your staff members, without getting the desired results. Being a good leader means finding proven and innovative solutions that will encourage others.

The following tips can be useful to answer the question: how do you motivate employees?

     1. How Can I Recognize Employees When They Do A Good Job?

It is important to recognize any time your employees do work that gives good results. One way of motivating workers is to create a reward-type system.

Employee recognition allows you to develop an emotional connection between manager and employee. Giving praise in a timely matter allows employees to be more goal-oriented because it elevates their self-esteem and makes them feel like a team player.

Rewards for a job well done can include a cash bonus, gift cards, extra time off, or prizes. Since people crave recognition, these are easy ways to give your employees the motivation they need to achieve their goals.

One other possible reward can be a share or stock in the company itself. This will not only increase the company’s value, but will create a sense of being part of something bigger, making the employee more motivated for business success.

In some cases, public recognition can be the prize. Setting up a monthly employee recognition system can help encourage workers to strive for the title. A simple mention in a newsletter or in a business-wide email can also create that sense of appreciation.

It is important to remember that each person functions differently, and different approaches for recognition work best for certain people, and less so for others. Whether you publicly or privately give your employee a pat on the back for good work, the important thing is to simply make sure it gets given.

     2. How Can I Make Sure I Am Setting Achievable Employee Goals?

When thinking of how to encourage employees, setting goals can be a big motivator. Being able to achieve goals helps employees contribute to something bigger than them and leaves them with a lasting feeling of impact.

Working with your staff members to determine each person’s individual goals will help them focus on their performance. If each person determines their own goals with a reflection on the overall goals of the business, then they will feel more responsible for achieving them.

Creating stretch goals that are just beyond the grasp of what was previously achieved, can be the push that is needed for motivating workers. Stretch goals can be created for more short-term successes, which gives employees a stronger sense of achievement. Team stretch goals can be a great way to create a sense of competition between groups, challenging people to come together for a shared target.

Remember, when creating shared goals consider the following points:

  • Be as detailed as possible about the target that everyone is working towards
  • Recognize each team, and not individual employees
  • Make sure that there are checks and balances in place

Giving a variety of goals to aim for, will inspire people to achieve more for your organization. Creating annual goals for individual successes, as well as breaking larger goals into more manageable smaller achievements, are both great motivational techniques.

     3. How Can I Create An Environment For Success?

The ambiance of a work environment plays a huge role when trying to figure out how to motivate employees. If your workplace does not give your staff the energy and space best for them to thrive in, you will see that reflected in their performance.

The mood of your employees affects their motivation because it changes energy levels, capability to focus, and overall well being. If you want your employees to be motivated and happy to come to work, then make the environment a positive place they will want to be. It is for this reason, that today we are seeing offices looking more like a home environment, with the kitchen being the hub of employee activity.

Developing a relaxed, home-like environment can increase employee productivity levels. Modern workspaces with lots of natural light, open layouts, real plants, and fun furniture creates a better environment than traditional cubicles, with fluorescent lighting, and dingy, out-dated furnishings.

Creating a positive office environment also includes how the management behaves, as their energy is likely to be absorbed by the employees. Finding hard-working leaders with good energy can have a similar impact on employees as the temperature of the workspace or the music being played.

Creating an atmosphere that is inviting and brings people joy, will not only increase productivity, but likely create longer lasting employees as well.

     4. How Can Transparency Motivate Employees?

How do you motivate employees if you are not open and transparent as a business? If people do not really understand what motivates the company and cannot freely express themselves, that may show in their productivity.

Being transparent about what your business does, how it makes its decisions, and what the goals are can make a big difference to people. Employees want to know that they are working for someone who has aligned goals and ethics as them. Giving employees all the details they need to be satisfied and connected to their work will increase their motivations. If the business leaders are confident with the big picture of the organization, sharing that with your employees can boost their work confidence as well.

The best way to motivate employees is to be open and honest with them. Having an open-door policy where staff can freely speak to management about their concerns or ideas can improve growth. If people feel like they can contribute to the growth of their company, they will likely feel more confident in their work.

Having an open-door policy is also a great way to get to know and understand your employees. Creating a space where employees can be heard, address their issues, ask for assistance is vital because each person works differently. If an organization is not open and transparent about their vision, and creates an environment of closed doors, it can shut down motivation in employees.

     5. How Can I Be Motivating Workers Using Development Plans?

When thinking about how to encourage employees, you can ask them where they see themselves in 5, 10 or even 20 years. Understanding their career goals can help you develop a plan to get them there.

By working with your employees to create a growth plan, it will motivate them and give them purpose. Investing in your employee’s long-term success can be valuable to your company, as it reduces time and cost finding and training a new employee. Creating the successful people that match your future business needs, will improve retention rates, while helping your employees achieve their goals.

People get bored doing the same job every day, so having a shared plan that works towards their goals will keep them energized. Implementing development plans for future growth, while understanding their skillset, you can guide them down their ideal path. Whether or not that path leads them to a higher role at your business or they go elsewhere, will still motivate them in their current position.

Try the following steps to keep track of your employee’s individual development plans:

  1. Ask employees to create a list of three short and long-term personal and professional goals.
  2. Understand their existing skillset and compare them to what will be needed to achieve their goals. There may be specific skills that can be developed right away.
  3. On a regular basis, review those goals with your employees and their development towards those goals, to keep them on track for success.

Start Motivating Your Employees Today!

Now that you know these motivational techniques, it is time to implement them in your workplace. There are different ways for how to motivate employees, as each person functions differently, but these methods are the best solutions for overall motivational success.

Try them today, and let the results speak for themselves!

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