It is not always true that well-compensated employees are the happiest ones. Believing in the theory that money equals happiness can cost you precious time, resources and employees. It is a good way to attract better employees and motivate them to stay in the company but it is not an effective solution to solve each problem.
Recognize and Reward Achievements
Appreciate the work your employees do. It can be as simple as praising your staff on the spot or applauding them during the middle of the shift, meeting or social gathering. Remember to do it promptly so that the satisfaction for doing a job well is still fresh on the employees’ minds. Get creative when it comes to determining how to reward your staff with things like custom crystal awards. Ask your employees for ideas if you have a hard time making up a reward. Other ideas to try include giving them the occasional afternoon off. Giving me a few extra hours off during a Friday afternoon will allow them to enjoy the upcoming weekend better and feel more refreshed the week after. Remember to do this at random. If the employees get used to receiving such rewards then it could become meaningless.
Training
Training can come in many forms including one-on-one coaching, workshops and seminars. You can have the training done within the office grounds or in a different type of environment. Among the two, holding the training off-site can be more expensive but it brings them into a fresh, new environment and offers a stimulating break from the rigors of office work. However, because of the cost, it may be more practical to organize trainings on-site and offer additional off-site training as a prize or perk for a selected number of employees.
The aim is to teach employees new skills or reinforce old ones. As such, the training must be headed by people who are knowledgeable in that particular skill. This can be an employee who has expertise in that skill or hiring someone from outside the company to teach that particular skill to your employees.
Lay Out a Definite Career Path
Employees often want to stay in a company that can offer some form of career growth. Most do not want to stay stuck in the same position for the rest of their natural life. A higher position may not necessarily equate to bigger wages but getting promoted and having a variety of career options targets a person’s pride and self-esteem. These two factors encourage people to work harder as it makes them think that there is something to look forward to in the company. If there are new openings available within the company, implement a policy of hiring from within. It gives the impression that you are prioritizing your staff and appreciating the work that they do for the company.
Schedule Social Events and Gatherings
Organizing events for the staff can help them get to know other employees in the company. It also helps strengthen existing bonds within groups or teams. You can consider holding theme parties before major holidays such as Christmas or Independence Day. Other ideas to try out include holding sports fests or treating your employees to a free movie.
Assign Leadership Roles
Allowing employees to assume leadership roles for a brief period of time can help show what the strength of each employee is. Giving them the spotlight will also show you which employees can be promoted to higher positions. You can assign specific employees to lead certain meeting sessions. Make sure to acknowledge their efforts once the sessions are over.
Promote Team Spirit
Make your employees feel that they are part of a team. Employees that have a close affinity with their peers will be more encouraged to work as a team to reach company goals. Hopefully, in time, this will also make your employees feel more attached to the company. You can hold competitions and team building activities to reinforce this idea among your employees.
Inspire Others
Get to know your employees beyond their roles in the office. Know what inspires them or drives them to achieve objects. Make them understand what challenges you and how it motivates you in life. Knowing each other more will make it easier to understand how to deal each other more effectively.
Bethany Wesch writes about blogging, branding and online marketing. She writes for QuantumLinx.com.au – a professional SEO Sydney Specialists which provides online marketing solutions to local businesses and sales people.