EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION IN THE WORKPLACE

 07. How to Motivate Employees: 10 Easy  Ways to Uplift Workers

Employee engagement remains pivotal for organizational success, yet maintaining workplace motivation remains a persistent challenge for employers. Deloitte's Workplace Burnout Survey reveals that 77% of respondents have encountered burnout in their current positions.

Even the most enthusiastic and driven employees confront periods of burnout occasionally. The crucial aspect is to prevent these declines from becoming habitual patterns by mastering the art of motivating employees in the workplace. To assist in this endeavor, we'll outline the fundamentals of employee motivation and present our top 12 preferred strategies for combating disengagement.

If you're establishing your employee motivation plan, it's alright not to immediately integrate every strategy. Begin by selecting a few to implement initially. (ecardwidget.com)

Why you should motivate employees

Motivating employees stands as a crucial element for any company's success. Content, motivated employees possess the capacity to turn your workplace into a hub of productivity, fostering a sense of empowerment through their tasks.

Here's a brief glimpse into why every leader within a company should understand the art of motivating employees:

Enhance work quality-When you possess the skill to encourage and inspire your employees, you'll ignite a drive within them to deliver their utmost efforts. This dedication leads to producing top-notch results and embodying the core principles of the company.

Boost employee retention-Happy and motivated employees tend to be more inclined to stay with their current employer, resulting in lower turnover rates and decreased expenses associated with employee turnover.

Inspire creativity and innovation-When people feel motivated, they often demonstrate stronger commitment to their workplace and are more inclined to think creatively in order to contribute innovative ideas for its improvement.

Attract top talent-Companies that actively prioritize their employees tend to attract top-tier candidates. When you consistently reward and motivate your staff, news of this positive environment tends to spread, drawing the attention of potential hires.

Motivating employees not only benefits individuals by fueling their professional development but also plays a pivotal role in driving the overall success and expansion of an organization. This effort, from encouraging your team's professional growth to improving the everyday office environment, contributes significantly to shaping a positive company culture. (ecardwidget.com)

Here are some common signs of burnout and low workplace wellness:

staying vigilant for signs of demotivation allows managers and HR professionals to tackle potential motivational issues promptly. Ignoring low motivation can result in wider organizational problems, such as reduced performance or fostering a toxic workplace culture.

It's wise to be proactive in motivating employees, even if you're not currently facing these issues. Taking proactive steps helps maintain a positive and thriving work environment while preventing potential future challenges.(ecardwidget.com)

1. Create an employee recognition program.

Never overlook the impact of showing genuine appreciation to employees for their outstanding work and acknowledging their efforts when they exceed expectations. Regardless of your organization's nature—be it a business or nonprofit—your employees merit recognition for their exceptional contributions.

As per a Gallup and Workhuman report, employees who receive regular recognition are significantly more likely to be actively engaged at work, with a fourfold increase, and five times more likely to feel deeply connected to their workplace culture. This illustrates the profound effect of acknowledgment on employee engagement and their sense of belonging within the company.

When establishing an employee recognition program to boost morale, consider incorporating these efforts:

Send recognition eCards- Show your appreciation by sending employees a digital eCard when they’ve done an excellent job. A platform like eCardWidget makes it simple to create and send digital eCards without spending too much time on the design process.

Recognize top employees during meetings-Take a couple of minutes at the start of your team meetings to spotlight the top employees of the week or month. This type of public recognition can make employees feel appreciated and inspire other team members to reach similar accomplishments.

Create a culture of recognition- Don’t limit recognition to just manager/employee relationships. Encourage employees to show appreciation to each other when they notice someone doing great work. Allow employees to send eCards to each other to recognize their colleagues.

A small amount of acknowledgment holds significant value. Demonstrating awareness of employees' exceptional performance encourages them to sustain their hard work and dedication. (ecardwidget.com)

An Example of How to Motivate Employees With Recognition

Recognition becomes particularly impactful when your messages align with your company's core values. Take, for instance, these company culture eCards crafted by a financial technology company:

These cards enabled both leaders and colleagues to convey gratitude for particular virtues such as collaboration, professionalism, and dependability. When you articulate and specify the areas in which employees excel, it encourages them to persist and thrive in those aspects.

Curious to witness its effectiveness? Check out this video showcasing how eCards streamline the process of expressing appreciation to your team:

Simply incorporate your business's branding into eCardWidget's pre-designed templates
and integrate these cards into your company's internal communication channels to initiate your eCard program. Soon enough, you'll possess a valuable method to acknowledge diligent employees.(ecardwidget.com)

2. Motivate employees with rewards and incentives.

Apart from acknowledging employees for their achievements, providing incentives and rewards for exceptional performance can be highly motivating. Deliberate on motivating employees with monetary incentives such as:

Maintain consistency and fairness in the allocation of incentives. Establish a standardized policy for monetary compensation and tangible rewards that uniformly applies across your entire organization. Proactively communicate any policy alterations to ensure employees are well-informed about the types of incentives they can anticipate.(ecardwidget.com)

3. Help employees set professional goals.

Setting goals is pivotal in enhancing employee motivation. When individuals have targets that benefit both themselves and the organization, it can elevate employee satisfaction and contribute to the overall success of your business.

For instance, managers can aid employees in establishing goals related to:

Career Advancement: Guide employees in plotting a progression path by identifying interim roles or responsibilities that pave the way toward their desired positions. Facilitate connections with experienced colleagues who can provide mentorship.

Project Contributions: Explore the employee's project preferences and align them with assignments that match their strengths and interests.

Skill Development: Identify workshops, courses, or seminars to help employees acquire relevant skills. Then, create opportunities for them to apply these new skills within their current role or on specialized projects.

During performance reviews, establish goals that offer employees overarching objectives to prioritize. Ensure that these goals follow the SMART criteria—being Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant to organizational objectives, and Time-bound.(ecardwidget.com)

4. Facilitate a path to growth.

One of the most effective means to inspire individuals is by enhancing their professional expertise and abilities. Particularly in the scenario of rapid business growth, providing avenues for learning, advancement, and internal growth within your organization can serve as a powerful motivator.

There exist numerous methods to facilitate skill development beyond formal training. For instance, incorporating stretch projects, cross-training initiatives, educational funding, mentorship programs, and internal career progression opportunities can significantly contribute to this mix.(ecardwidget.com)

5. Provide training opportunities to motivate employees.

Involving employees in continuous training not only enhances the efficiency of your business but also elevates job satisfaction and increases employee retention. If employers assisted in enhancing their skills, employees would likely remain with the same employer for the duration of their careers.

Coaching and mentoring in the workplace: Provide personalized guidance and support within your organization to nurture skill development and career advancement.

Tailored training programs: Develop initiatives aimed at improving specific skills or knowledge domains, ensuring employees actively pursue personal growth in their respective fields.

Conference participation opportunities: Sponsor employees to attend industry events, allowing them to gain insights, connect with peers, and stay abreast of the latest trends and innovations.

Professional association memberships for your staff: Cover the costs for employees to join industry-relevant organizations that provide resources, networking avenues, and credibility within the field.

Empowering employees with the necessary skills and knowledge can boost their motivation to perform exceptionally. Consider offering training options and encourage employees to suggest any additional opportunities they find appealing. (ecardwidget.com)

6. Involve employees in decision-making.

Based on Slack’s Future of Work research, 80% of employees express a desire to understand further how decisions are formulated within their organization, while 87% aspire for transparency in their prospective companies.(ecardwidget.com)

7. Motivate employees by providing flexibility.

Creating a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program for your company presents limitless possibilities. Encourage employee involvement by:

Matching Gifts: Match an employee's charitable donation directly, doubling, tripling it, or using another ratio to amplify their contribution to a nonprofit.

Volunteer Grants: Provide a monetary contribution to a nonprofit when an employee volunteers a designated number of hours with that organization.

Corporate Grants: Establish a grant system to support nonprofits aligned with your company's values, directing funds toward causes that benefit others.

Leading companies such as Microsoft, Google, and Apple serve as prominent examples of corporate philanthropy initiatives. These models can inspire the development of your own program. Alternatively, consider tapping into your employees' charitable engagements. Show interest in their philanthropic activities, demonstrating care not only for their hobbies but also for their deeply held values and causes they support.(ecardwidget.com)

8. Foster a culture of positivity.

Besides fostering teamwork, cultivating a favorable workplace culture generates enthusiasm among employees for their roles.

Encourage camaraderie in your workplace by:

Maintaining a positive attitude: Ensure your leaders uphold values such as positivity, empathy, and respect. Handle mistakes graciously, set healthy boundaries, and address interpersonal issues fairly and impartially.

Planning socialization and employee engagement activities: While not everyone may be close friends, social opportunities can significantly enhance team cohesion. Organize team-building events like an escape room challenge or host regular dinners at local restaurants.

Offering enjoyable work perks: If employees work on-site, provide enticing in-office benefits like complimentary snacks, coffee, tea, and catered lunches.

Recognizing employees: Acknowledge exceptional performance by creating unique awards such as the 'Team Choice Award' or 'Culture Ambassador' to celebrate their contributions to the workplace.

Supporting mental health: Encourage employees to take mental health days by offering time off to recharge when needed.

By cultivating an engaging and relaxed workplace environment, you can help combat burnout and create a more comfortable atmosphere for your employees.(ecardwidget.com)

9.Encourage autonomy. 

Granting employees a degree of autonomy in their tasks can serve as a potent motivator. This might involve allowing individuals to engage in projects they are passionate about or enabling them to select a schedule that aligns with their preferences from a range of options.

When employees are empowered to have a say in setting their priorities and daily tasks, they tend to exhibit greater commitment to their work and demonstrate a heightened investment in achieving results.(ecardwidget.com)

10. Lead With Encouragement

Every day offers new opportunities to support employees in handling inevitable mistakes and obstacles. Encouraging a focus on continuous improvement cultivates a positive mindset and the resilience required to persist.

When projects veer off track, avoid the instinct to assign blame right away. Instead, prioritize collaborative efforts to identify the root cause and find solutions. During tough situations, demonstrate trust through verbal reassurances or supportive written communication. Moreover, consistently recognize and reinforce those who step up to take responsibility and tackle the challenges.(ecardwidget.com)

References

Szczesny.M, (August 15, 2023), Ways to Inspire Employee Motivation, [online], Available at https://talentculture.com/how-can-leaders-inspire-employee-motivation/ [Accessed on 05th April 2024]

Jen Fisher.J, Ways to Inspire Employee Motivation, [online], Available at https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/burnout-survey.html [Accessed on 05th April 2024]

Ecardwidget,Ways to Inspire Employee Motivation, [online], Available at https://ecardwidget.com/how-to-motivate-employees, [Accessed on 05th April 2024]

Sarah Bloznalis.S, (December 16, 2022), Ways to Inspire Employee Motivation, [online], Available at https://www.workhuman.com/blog/employee-recognition-statistics [Accessed on 05th April 2024]

Slack, (October 3rd, 2018), Trust tools and teamwork, [online], Available at https://slack.com/blog/transformation/trust-tools-and-teamwork-what-workers-want [Accessed on 05th April 2024]

Video 6: Ways to Inspire Employee Motivation, [online], Available at #EmployeeEngagement #RecognitionEcards #EcardWidget [Accessed on 05th April 2024]