What factors help to motivate employees?

Thursday, 31 May 2012 02:24

Staff value a team ethic in the workplace

Staff value a team ethic in the workplace

Keeping employees happy and focused is a problem every business faces, and one that must be addressed if you want to avoid losing key staff. It can be difficult to come up with ideas for staff motivation, but you at least need to understand what drives them.

It is easy to assume money is the most important factor in having a satisfied workforce and, to an extent, it is. Most people's primary motivation for having a job is to earn enough cash to ensure they can look after themselves and their families.

Pay too little and you are certain to have unhappy workers, but it does not necessarily follow that well remunerated staff will be motivated to do a better job. In fact, salary rises are a blunt and often ineffective tool when it comes to ensuring workers are focused.

If money is the only encouragement your company offers to its employees, you will be vulnerable to losing important team members to rivals with bigger budgets. A good benefits package on top of their wages can help to keep people happy but, as with pay increases, it is an expensive option.

You should give careful consideration to what else might motivate your organisation's staff. This can be difficult to establish, as everyone is different, but there are a few general points to think about.

Career progression is important to many people, so having a clear structure for promotion can help to focus their efforts and give them something to aim for. Offering training, both specific to their job role and for external qualifications, will also keep ambitious workers happy.

Another good way to keep employees interested in their jobs is to ensure the company has a real team ethic. You need to make certain communication is excellent at all levels within the business and that staff know what the organisation's plans and goals are, and what they can expect to happen if they are achieved.

Recognition is really important for keeping employees happy. Everyone likes to feel valued and that their efforts are appreciated, so if people do a good job, make sure they know you have noticed.

A simple rewards scheme is an excellent way to do this. You can set individual or departmental targets or establish an employee of the week prize, with some kind of treat on offer as an incentive.

The reward does not have to be expensive, as it is the recognition that is the important thing. Gift vouchers for their favourite high street store, holiday vouchers or a personal memento all work well.
 

 

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