Running a business or managing a team can be tough. You have various personality types to consider, you also have targets to meet, their personal and work lives to contend with, and of course, the interpersonal relationships in the team.
In order to keep your team productive, your task is to motivate and encourage them as much as possible. You will need to provide them with all of the tools that they need to do their job, as well as provide them with the right motivation to encourage them to complete their roles. In fact, research shows that 93% of employees will stay at their job longer if their manager is sympathetic.
Yes, this can be challenging and draining. But, lucky for you, we have some great tips and techniques that you can start implementing with your team today. Remember, a motivated and rewarded employee is a productive employee, so let’s take a look at some easy ways to keep them motivated.
Keep Things Balanced With After-Work Get-Togethers
We cannot begin to emphasize how important after-work drinks are and what socializing will do for your team. Even if members of the team don’t drink, it is important to at least have a get-together at least once a month. We highly recommend starting a month-end award party, where the employees are recognized and can let their hair down.
Even if you have a base of remote employees, you can organize a virtual happy hour and set time aside toward the end of the working hours to put work to the side. Not only are there some great happy hour kits that you can send to your employees, but there are tons of themes and ideas to get them engaged.
After-work socialization is key for team building. Not team building in the traditional sense where you partake in team activities, but in the sense that the team gets to know each other outside of the working environment. Without the pressure, management hierarchy and focus on work, each member will have an opportunity to get to know more about their colleagues.
These get-togethers have been shown to strengthen teams as each member will develop a sense of trust and familiarity with each other, making it easier to work with each other during office hours.
Set Time Aside for Training and Upskilling
Training and upskilling should not end with onboarding. In fact, training and coaching should be an integral part of every single company’s HR strategy. Most employees state that they judged the company that they started with, based on the training and information provided during the onboarding.
It is crucial to keep providing your employees with the necessary information they need to perform in their roles. Not only does it make them more productive and effective in their role but it also instils trust in your company due to the fact that you are willing to invest in them.
Some of the most valuable time spent can be one-on-one coaching sessions. Although this can be time-consuming if you are running a full team, it has several benefits. It allows you to connect directly with each team member and develop a personal relationship with them. It also provides you with an insight into the way they work, what their strengths are and where they are not doing so well. All of this together means that your employees feel empowered and understood in their role and that they have a place in your company.
Ask for Feedback and Engagement About the Company
This is where many companies fall short. Asking employees to provide feedback is simply not standard practice among thousands of companies globally, and it’s really to their detriment.
What you need to keep in mind is that your employees are usually the ones who face suppliers, customers and other third parties. They are interacting with various parties all the time about the company and can actually provide valuable feedback and insight into your products, services and procedures.
Most companies turn a blind eye to feedback out of fear of negative feedback, but businesses all over the world have used this to alter key ways that they are performing and operating. And a lot of this has been highly successful. From shortening and streamlining various operations in the company to removing redundant or hindering practices, you might see a huge turn-around with feedback.
Keep in mind that your employees are also speaking to your customers all the time and might have some insight and feedback on what they want or need. Consider providing your employees with regular surveys, or even a safe or anonymous space to engage about the business. You might be able to pinpoint some key downfalls in the business.
Last Thoughts
The stats speak for themselves. A productive employee is an engaged one. This can mean a potential 21% increase in profits for your company. It is well worth your while to put any ego aside and spend time upskilling, engaging, and recognizing your employees. You will most certainly see a noticeable turnaround.