Having a motivated workforce is all about making everyone happy. However, in pressurised workplaces with a variety of personalities involved, you may find that you struggle to keep everyone happy all at once. Article by Anna Walton is the Sales Manager at Longleat House, Safari and Adventure Park.
A nod to one person might seem like a snipe to another, and as a manager you might be tearing your hair out trying to please everyone. Thankfully motivating your employees doesn’t always have to be like trying to stuff ten angry cats into a bag.
1. Recognise efforts
Awarding recognition to each and every member of your team for the value they bring to your efforts is a must-do. This doesn’t necessarily mean you need to publically and gratuitously thank every person each time they hand in a report on time, just that you need to observe strengths and weaknesses, and give each person the ability to play to their strengths.
2. Reward awesome achievements
While you don’t need to pander over every little thing each team member does, when someone really pulls it out of the bag you should definitely make a fuss. A mention at a team meeting may be enough in some situations, in fact probably in most. But when it really goes above and beyond, an appropriate reward could be well placed.
3. Make your business an amazing place to work
You don’t necessarily have to pay the very best salary in your industry to create an amazing place to work. Take a look at Google, for instance. Their employees are rewarded with added benefits, such as back massages and tickets to the most outstanding corporate events. Often, creating a comfortable, happy place to work is enough to motivate employees to stay.
4. Let employees take ownership
Your employees will feel infinitely more bound to your business and personally invested if you let them take ownership of their niche. Trust in your employees to handle things slightly outside of their comfort zone, and give disengaged staff more responsibilities to tug them out of their shell.
5. Show staff how valued they are
Staff development should be high on the priority list of any manager. This means not simply subscribing employees to the latest industry podcast or newsletter, but really putting your hand in your pocket to invest in their future. Enrolling employees on high value, high reward courses will not only make them better at their job, it will also deepen their attachment to your business and their job.
6. Focus on solutions not problems
Every business has its own unique challenges, and sometimes these can make managers feel like tearing their hair out. Even if you know a certain problem could have been mitigated or avoided entirely if someone had done their job properly, berating them over it is only going to demotivate them further. Instead of being the belligerent boss, work with them to figure a way out of the mess and let them put things right again.
7. Talk clearly, talk often
The biggest mistake any manager can make is not having enough time for their staff. Keeping communications flowing is crucial to every team, so whether it’s a quick morning pow wow every day or a more in depth staff meeting once a week, these sessions together are what makes a really good, strong team. Remember to listen as well as talk, and to give every team member their chance to speak up.
If your team is lacking in commitment or motivation, try some of these strategies to get things back on track. Try to make coming to work something to look forward to rather than to dread, after all, many of your staff spend more time with you than they do with their families!
