1.
Accentuate the positive.
Recognize
and reward good performance. You can do this through official contests if you
have a large enough staff, or on a more informal basis.
Treat
someone to lunch when you’ve gotten good feedback about them. Tie promotions,
raises, and bonuses to performance goals, and pay them happily and
enthusiastically. Single out individuals for special mention during staff
meetings. Send a note or card of appreciation. SAY THANK YOU. Be nice.
There may be
times when you have to confront negative outcomes or behavior, but your
long-term strategy should be to keep things positive whenever possible.
2.
Be fair and consistent.
Don’t choose
favorites. Spread around your time, attention, and good counsel. Apply all of
the rules and policies equally. Encourage everyone to be involved. Set up a
level playing field so all can participate and contribute.
3.
Make work comfortable.
That means
everything from creating a pleasant work environment to making sure your
employees have everything they need to do their jobs properly. If work feels
like a struggle, it will be a struggle to get top performance out of your
people.
Don’t
scrimp. Hire a cleaning service to keep things looking and feeling nice. Make
sure your computers, technology and other equipment are up to date. Get a
coffee pot and spring for doughnuts or bagels every once in a while.
4.
Interaction.
Communicate
on a regular basis to let everyone know what their individual and collective
goals are. It lets people feel connected and reminds them they’re part of
something greater. It also allows you to talk about issues while they’re still
small and can be corrected. Also, it gives you the opportunity to offer praise
along the way.
It’s hard to
exceed (or even reach) high standards when you don’t know what they are. Make
sure your employees understand what’s expected of them. Training your employees
well will allow them to do their jobs well.
5.
Freedom to do.
Whenever
possible, give your employees the freedom to do what they do and authority over
how to get it done. It’s empowering to take ownership over a situation, and in
most cases, people want to rise to the occasion.
Give
everyone a sense of purpose, along with the knowledge that they’re part of something
greater than themselves. Encourage intellect, initiative, imagination, and
ingenuity. Then get out of the way.
6.
Let Them Know You Trust Them.
If you let
them know you trust and depend on them, they will fill those shoes sooner than
you think. A vote of confidence can go a long way. Let them know you trust them
to do the best job possible and they will rarely disappoint you
7.
Be Transparent.
Very open
with employees about what's happening at the highest level so there are no
surprises and everyone has a chance to ask questions and give feedback. I want
employees to feel included in big decisions and committed to the direction our
company takes. This has helped to sustain motivation and increased company
loyalty and pride.
8.
Motivate Individuals Rather Than the
Team.
Aligned
incentives are the only true way to ensure everyone on a team is working toward
a common goal. Framing the strategy in multiple ways ensures each stakeholder
has a clear, personal understanding of how working together benefits himself
and the team. This technique allows you to motivate the team to accomplish
amazing things.
9.
Offer Employee Rewards.
Express thanks with a public
thank you.
Give a hand-written note.
Offer time off.
Give small gifts.
Give them a wacky and fun award.
Cover commuting costs.
Offer chair massages.
Feature top employees on your company blog or
newsletter.
10. Communication.
The most
important workplace motivator for employees is communication. ...
Increasing communication can reduce confusion and errors in your team and
improve performance. Without effective lines of communication, a business is
just a group of individuals.
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