5 Tips for Motivating your Employees

Motivating employees is essential to the success of any business. Highly motivated employees are more productive, have fewer absences and fewer illnesses related to dissatisfaction. Employees who are productive help companies become more profitable and save companies money. Employers motivate employees to reduce employee turnover which is a huge source of company financial loss. 

Here a few tips to motivate employees and save companies money:

1. Implement Employee Recognition Programs

Implement employee recognition programs to motivate employees. Studies show that employees who feel valued in the workplace will perform better than employees who do not feel valued in the workplace. Productive employees will earn more for a company.
Employee recognition programs may include may include: Gift cards, free dinners, certificates, plaques, letters from CEOs and other incentives. These items have been proven effective in motivating employees to perform. Cash bonus programs have also been effective in some organizations. Sales people often receive bonuses if they meet or exceed their quotas for the quarter.

2. Offer Tuition Reimbursement Programs

Often, employees are seeking something more than financial compensation as incentives. Many employees value their education and the opportunities an advanced education can provide. For some employees, a chance for a promotion through advanced education would be more of an incentive than a cash bonus. Many companies offer these programs as incentives to motivate employees to perform.

3. Give Paid Time Off

Since absenteeism is a problem with unsatisfied employees, some companies incorporate extra paid time off when company morale is low to help employees re-energise and rejuvenate. Many employees cannot afford to take time off. A paid holiday may serve as an incentive and may motivate employees to perform. This incentive may prevent other unscheduled time off which may hurt productivity.

4. Provide a Flexible Work Environment

A flexible work environment may be valued by working moms and dads with small children. Most parents want to spend time with their kids and make events if at all possible. A flexible work environment will allow employees this luxury. This may mean employees can work from home one day per week or month, or this may mean employees can come in early and leave early to make a child’s soccer game or play. Flexible work environments are instrumental in motivating employees.

5. Provide Opportunity for Promotion

Employees desire an opportunity for promotion. Some employees want more responsibility and others simply desire a pay raise. Both are excellent motivators and help to retain employees within an organisation. When employees are retained, companies save money and maintain cohesiveness in the work environment. Employers should search for ways to promote employees and manage the company budget as a motivation tool.

Consider These Tips as Motivators

Consider these tips as motivators and ways to improve employee retention and morale. Companies that focus on these things will create positive work environments and motivate people to work. These companies are more likely to be successful financially and have a positive brand image.

About the Author: 

Tony is the manager of one of the best waterfront restaurants in Sydney, Australia. He is known for his ability to motivate and get the most out of his diverse range of emplyees. Outside of work, Tony like to go rock climbing and mountain biking.