It’s no secret: Motivated employees that receive regular praise and recognition are more likely to be productive, effective and loyal to your company. To inspire and retain your best and brightest, you need to rethink the old ways of doing things and look at your employees’ needs in a new light.
Accentuate the positiveEight ways to boost employee moraleAccentuate the positive
Without strong positive ties to their work, employees have little incentive to go the distance or deliver exceptional performance. So how do you motivate employees to give their best? The factors most employees say contribute to an “ideal work experience” are:
Self-worth — Employees feel confident, competent and in control of their work and work experience.
Results — Employees feel they are contributing to the success of the business.
Rewards and recognition — Employees feel that their contributions are recognized—and that employers compensate them for their efforts.
Eight ways to boost employee morale
The good news is that you can take constructive steps to improve the emotional atmosphere at work. Here’s eight quick and easy ways you can boost employee morale
- Avoid micromanaging employees
Give people a job and let them figure out how to do it. That gives them a sense of control and mastery. When they succeed, they’ll “own” the achievement.
- Challenge employees
Give them interesting tasks — tasks that expand their skills and stretch them creatively. Do whatever it takes to banish boredom!
- Recognize effort
Employees who see that their accomplishments are recognized and rewarded — from recognition certificates to employee of the month awards — tend to be more productive and loyal.
- Acknowledge employees publicly
Use a public forum, such as a staff meeting, to recognize excellent employee performance, so that an employee’s moment in the spotlight is shared with others. Look for other creative ideas for employee recognition, like company newsletters, intranets, or even local newspapers.
- Remember that little things mean a lotWhile it’s great to recognize the "big wins," it’s also important to call attention to the everyday achievements. Reward employees in the short term with gift coupons, certificates, a bagel breakfast, or other low cost employee incentives.
- Get up close and personal
Personalize rewards to show employees how much you value their contributions — whether it’s an employee of the month award certificate, a greeting card on an employee’s birthday, or an engraved presentation clock or award plaque.
- Encourage peer recognition
Implement a program where employees recognize each other. One version of this could be a “Pay It Forward“ type of employee award in which the first employee who receives the award identifies the next employee who deserves the award.
- Create a work environment that supports achievement
Use inspirational and motivational posters on the wall, introduce team building or motivational games as a part of staff meetings, and provide occasional social events on company time to support a sense of family within the company. Keep a supply of fun motivational products for employees on hand for on-the-spot rewards, and allow managers and supervisors to offer them as needed when they catch an employee doing something exceptional.
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