If you want your business to succeed, you must not only recruit the best talent, but also make sure that you keep your employees motivated. Staff who are motivated are far more productive assets for your business. If you’re new to running a company, or have never really considered motivation before, here are five essentials you must put in place.
Objectives and vision
Make sure that your employees are aware of the vision and objectives of your business. It may sound like fluff, but unless your staff know where the company is heading and how they can participate in your goals, they’re just showing up for work and not getting involved. The more your employees feel a part of the company’s future, the more motivated they will be, so invite suggestions and input from them when you’re defining your objectives and vision.
Development plan
It is critical to have a development plan for every individual you employ. That doesn’t mean a standard set of training courses for everyone, regardless of what they do or what they want to accomplish: it means listening to their desires and planning to ensure that each employee continues to improve and feels a sense of achievement. Do not reserve this for top management. Make sure that everyone’s plan is regularly reviewed to assess their development, and take corrective measures wherever needed.
Training
It is also important that you provide practical training for your employees, so they stay in touch with the latest development in their field. Modern businesses use a variety of training methods, so you can choose the best option for your company and your staff members. For instance, you could conduct classroom-style seminars or take your learning online, so your employees can train at their own pace. Your choice depends on the industry you are in, and the type of training you want to give your employees – or the type of training your employees want!
Compensation
Motivation isn’t always about money, but you should still make sure that you give appropriate compensation to your employees. This means that you should pay an appropriate salary for the job that they do, and also ensure that there are incentives for them to work harder or advance to better positions. Some business owners choose to include their employees in a profit-sharing (or similar) scheme, so that there is a direct incentive to work harder for better results. Remember to assess everyone’s compensation plan regularly, to make sure it keeps up with changes in the cost of living, and ensures that your employees are rewarded according to their skills.
Listen
The days of giving orders and expecting obedience are gone: modern business communication is a two-way street, and you should make sure that it is easy for your employees to communicate with you. For example, there must be proper channels for complaints within the workplace, so that you are made aware of any issues that affect morale. You should also offer anonymous feedback facilities to facilitate open discussion, without the risk of blame or retaliation – a complaints box is the simplest form of this. It is, however, absolutely essential that you acknowledge complaints and visibly take action to resolve legitimate issues. This will help your employees feel that they are heard by management, and thus work better.
Employee motivation is an essential key to business success. Whether you achieve it by offering bigger rewards, better career planning, or greater involvement in the company’s future, you must make sure that your employees are happy and eager to increase productivity. The concepts laid out here lay the groundwork, but it is important to find out which measures work best for your business, and how you can make the most of them.
