Skip links

Highly effective ways to motivate employees

There’s no place like home, except maybe the workplace. Your employees spend many hours a day working hard to provide for their families and to better themselves. Sometimes boredom sets in and work starts to feel like a chore so productivity falls. Turnover rates rise and profits fall. As an employer, this can affect your bottom line and changes might be necessary. Here are some ways you can add a dash of motivation to your staff.

1. Get to know your employees

You should get to know the inner workings of the people who work for you. What kind of food do they like? What are their children up to? Where would they like to travel? Knowing how they take their coffee is a small detail but people like these things. The importance of employee communication as a motivator is often underestimated.

Above all else, your workers are people. They all have different hobbies, goals, and interests that drive them. Learning these things will help you connect with your team and create a friendly environment for them to work in.

2. Care about your worker’s health

Health is the greatest gift of all, and healthy employees are very productive employees. Things like sick days might affect the work time of one worker, but if a sick worker spreads the cold to other, healthy workers, productivity suffers.

Consider getting a sit-stand desk for employees. If they spend much of their time sitting in front of a computer, this healthy alternative to a desk will help put the strain off their backs. Not only will keeping your workers healthy improve their productivity, but they’ll also see you as a good leader that cares for their well-being. A huge morale boost overall. Wellics can help you design an effective wellness program for your employees.

3. Provide incentives for work

Payday is as good of a motivator as any, but it’s a regular part of work. Consider giving out small, inexpensive rewards to show your appreciation for additional work being put in. It can be anything from an extra day off, gift cards or tickets to a movie. If they complete their tasks for the day, get them some free pizza.

Reward some employees with feedback. If you keep hearing someone being praised for helping others with their work, consider giving them a cash reward. If you keep your workers motivated with small things, you’ll surely experience a smaller amount of turnover.

4. Create a compliment culture

Politeness goes a long way, and so does appreciation. Show your employees that a job well done is always praised. This kind of positive reinforcement affects workers more than you might think. It also rubs off of others in the workplace, and they might start complimenting each other, creating an even more pleasant atmosphere.

Ask each member of your team what made their shift hard, or what made it better than usual. If they overcame a new obstacle, acknowledge their success and offer praise. Even in situations where things didn’t work out in the end, like a customer cancels an order, show appreciation for the things that did work. A positive work environment is good for both sides.

5. Always have their backs

Injuries in the workplace, unfortunately, happen sometimes. It is vital that your workers feel that you have their best interests in mind even when tragedy strikes. Offer to have the best work injury lawyer present if something does happen. This will let them know that you’re on their side and your workers will see you as trustworthy. They’ll feel safer and appreciate their jobs more if they know the company is looking out for them.

Show them that you won’t cut corners with safety equipment and that their well-being is still a priority. Caring for your workers’ welfare instead of the bottom line might even increase your bottom line as they’ll have less time off work.

6. Welcome feedback

Many workers feel disengaged from the workplace due to not having their voices heard, as if their input doesn’t matter at all. Listening is a crucial skill in improving self-esteem and self-respect. If an employee feels that their boss doesn’t listen to them, they feel as though it’s a sign of disrespect. Changing this is crucial if you want to keep your workers motivated.

Welcome their feedback and ideas with open arms to show you are willing to listen. Your employees will feel more comfortable around you when they feel that you understand them and try to actively listen.

In conclusion

Keeping your staff motivated is another challenge you have to face in the workplace. Both harder and easier than it seems. Small things can affect it, but you have to get creative if you want to keep a positive atmosphere. It can seem impossible to find the right things to do but if you take these small steps you’ll be off to a good start.


article by Alexander Hunkin

Alexander Hunkin is an Australian based startup advisor with in-depth experience in growing business. His meaningful and strategic advices have helped in setting and growing many startup companies in Brisbane and Perth. Alexander is also a content creator for different niches. The top ones are business, career, finance and marketing. He aspires to share his experiences and is always on the lookout for the next opportunity to enhance his skills. When he isn’t busy working, you can find him cooking exotic meals, scuba diving and cycling.