To motivate your team and achieve greater productivity use these 5 ideas that work.
There is one area that ranks high up in what workers want from their job – motivation.
What comes to mind when you want to motivate your team? Methods like money and praise drive people to work hard.
But, you’ll need to make sure that your team has the incentive to reach for higher levels of excellence. The most successful workers rely on a mix of outside and internal motivation.
Money is the most common motivator used with employees. And money is obviously quite relevant. But it can become a problem if it’s the only type of motivation you offer workers.
Soft motivators are important also because they are what tend to produce energy among workers and keep them going through difficult tasks.
How to Motivate Your Team on a Budget
Actually, how to motivate your team is personal for each different worker.
Encourage workers to figure out what motivates them to reach goals in addition to money. Then help optimize those motivators. Several benefits result…
- productivity goes up
- work stress reduces
- burnout goes down
- the whole team gets closer to its individual and team goals.
Similarly, as a manager, it’s not your job to provide your workers with motivation. (You can lead a horse to water, etc.) But, you can help them figure out what blend of factors drive them to work at their best.
Here are some accepted ideas to motivate your team that don’t involve financials.
1. Employee Value
To find satisfaction in a job well done, workers want to understand the value they deliver.
Do you have an employee who is very satisfied working for your company? That employee is probably driven by a strong sense of purpose and recognizes his value in the company. Most likely his supervisor gives him adequate and specific feedback on how he’s doing.
Use that motivation to motivate your team by making sure you offer everyone feedback. Share constructive reactions with the team to remind them of why they work.
2. Responsibility
When you set your own goals, you’re more likely to go after them. While the company will have goals for the team, it’s important to let your workers set some individual goals and define how they will achieve them. These goals should be specific, realistic, and challenging.
Also, personal targets that relate back to team and company-wide goals helps with self-motivation.
Employees need a “coach” to advise on company and department goals or provide specific hands-on fine-tuning. But they don’t need an auditor constantly looking over their shoulder with criticism and micromanaging.
3. Independence
Trust and a level of independence is a great way to motivate your team. Workers’ daily activities feed into working towards the established company goal. But letting them control how they prioritize their daily schedules or the approach they use can be a great motivator.
Micromanagement is often listed as a key reason someone leaves a job. Instead, managers should ensure their team has the tools and authority they need to make decisions and problem-solve at an appropriate level. That frees them from having to move everything up the hierarchy for resolution.
4. Rapport
Discuss with your workers your supervision style and the feedback you will offer. Some may find it motivating to have frequent, quick meetings with you to check in and get quick answers. But for others, a less frequent sit-down is more desirable – and effective. Decide with your staff what works best for each member.
Some managers use personality type testing to determine the best working relationship for each team member. Knowing how they think and are likely to act and respond in the workplace helps build rapport between supervisors and each individual worker.
5. Work Environment
Research indicates the environment you work in plays a big role in motivation and success. Workplaces with more natural daylight and places to get privacy or some quiet time promote productivity.
You might add greenery, encourage breaks, and regulate the office temperature. (If you’re unsure, studies have found 70-77° F ideal for peak productivity.)
Do you need more help finding top performers for your team?
Call Flexicrew. As one of the Southeast’s top staffing agencies, we have years of experience serving employers – and helping them find truly exceptional people. Contact us today to learn more!