Every great business is built on a strong foundation that was set by a solid team. The takeaway? If you don’t have a strong team behind you, there’s a good chance you won’t last very long in business. Keeping your employees motivated is a great way to keep your business moving in the right direction. Sometimes you can’t afford to give pay raises across the board so you have to find others ways to get the workplace fired up. Here are three ways to motivate your employees:
1. Earn Respect Don’t Demand It
You want to establish yourself as a leader. Leading a team in business is often difficult because there is a fine line between leading with conviction and being an asshole. It’s very important that you earn the respect of your employees and that you don’t demand it. If you want to earn the respect of your employees follow these basic fundamentals:
- Set realistic expectations as well as consequences. Any good leader will be able to gauge the productivity of their employees. Set realistic goals for them to accomplish and hold them responsible by setting consequences.
- Designate roles to specific individuals: Your employees want to feel like they’re making a difference in the workspace. Give them a role that defines them and how they contribute to the success of the business.
- Give praise and rewards when goals are met or exceeded. Everyone likes positive reinforcement. Make sure to only give praise when deserved, otherwise this can easily backfire.
2. Stay On Top of Payment
Unless you’re a 3 man team in a garage, odds are your employees aren’t working for free. Your employees are not only relying on getting paid, but they are relying on getting paid on time. Traditional payment methods like checks and invoices are becoming obsolete. Take advantage of an online payment platform to handle aspects of your business like employee payroll and billing. An online invoice or an eCheck can be paid at the click of a button, saving your business time and money.
Many of these platforms allow you set up a recurring billing cycle where you can pay thousands of employees in a matter of seconds. The less your employees have to hassle you about getting their pay check, the more they can focus on their work.
3. Create an Inspiring Workplace
Coming into an office every day from 9:00am to 5:00pm five days a week gets redundant. It’s your job to create a pleasant work environment that not only fosters productivity but keeps morale high. Here are a couple ways to execute this:
- Take notes from the best. According to Entrepreneur, these are the top 10 places to work in 2016. Don’t try and reinvent the wheel here, you can easily implement strategies that work.
- Offer a flexible schedule: Give your employees the option for when they can come into work. As long as they are able to get their work done, they should be able to choose when they come in (to an extent).
- Create the culture: It’s your job to not only create an inspiring environment physically, but also mentally and emotionally. Don’t implement dress codes or any unnecessary formalities. Give your employees creative freedom and try not to set any limitations.
There are many strategies you can use to motivate your employees. If you’re struggling to get the ball rolling, use these three tips to get moving!
