Wed 23 Jul 2008
Motivation Is Key to Productivity
Posted by Megan Dorn under Small Business, Startup Teams
Your employees seem to be developing a lackluster attitude toward work. Sure, a solid compensation package may have been the key to attracting and retaining your employees, but they still seem less than thrilled to be there everyday, and it’s causing productivity to suffer. When the compensation is already up to par, keeping them happy through non-monetary motivation is often a more effective way to bring about high levels of productivity.
One of the more obvious ways to motivate your employees is through recognition. Your recognition of a job well done goes a long way in building an employee’s workplace self-esteem. Whether you do it in casual conversation or in a formal performance review, make sure that you take the time to really think about the employee’s accomplishments and provide genuine feedback by being specific about what the employee is doing well and how it helps the company.
Another great way to motivate your employees is by discussing with them their career paths. Your employees will appreciate knowing what’s ahead for them and what opportunities are available for growth. By promoting from within, you allow your employees to set future goals for advancement within the company and motivate them to work hard in the long term to achieve those goals.
Studies and surveys over the years have shown that employees see the workplace environment as one of the biggest motivating factors, while employers continually neglect to realize its importance. Consider the aesthetic appeal of the office. Does it have pictures, plants, fun or interesting paint colors, or anything that breeds energy and excitement? Or how about those everyday annoyances. Is the temperature making people either shiver or sweat? Do the office chairs give them achy backs? Is there enough space so that people don’t feel cramped? By creating a workplace environment that people can physically and emotionally feel good in, your employees will start to loosen up, feel energized and be able to more easily focus on the tasks at hand, rather than loose focus altogether.
Allowing your employees to take various leadership roles whenever possible can achieve several objectives. 1) It can reward employees for their performance. 2) It can stimulate employees by allowing them to switch up their routine a little. 3) It can sometimes force your employees to go outside of their comfort zones and learn to fill other roles. 4) It can reveal certain strengths in your employees that you didn’t even know existed.
There are many other great ways to motivate employees. Institute a casual dress day. Schedule off-site events for social gatherings. Implement contests that earn people time off. Give employees a break by sending them to outside seminars. Start a pizza and cookies day or have a pot luck once a week, anything in that realm. Do whatever you can to break up the monotony of the 9-to-5 daily grind.
Motivating employees isn’t just about giving them money; it’s about giving them something to look forward to day in and day out. By providing them with the right motivation, you will not only start to see a happier workplace, but also an increase in productivity.


