5 Tips to Keep Employees Motivated

December 19, 2022

How do you keep employees motivated?

1. Create a pleasant workplace
2. Be a respectful and supportive supervisor
3. Encourage them with employee rewards
4. Give them leeway to experiment and grow
5. Have an interest in their lives beyond work

When you’re running a business, one of your daily challenges is to keep your team on the same page as you in terms of motivation. You have to understand that they may not always share your overarching business goal, so their motivation may vary from yours. How, then, do you keep your employees motivated to not only work hard on their tasks but to strive for excellence in all they do? Here are some of my tips to motivate employees.

Create a pleasant workplace

Everyone wants to live in a place they can be proud of, and the same sentiment rings true for workplaces, too. People want to work in a place that is conducive to their physical and mental well-being, and there are few things more discouraging than having to work in a place you don’t even like seeing every day.

Remember that even though you may not be in the office daily, many of your employees spend a good deal of time there. So the least you can do is make it look and feel pleasant. This can be done by providing them with a good indoor climate with access to natural night, good air quality, and the right temperature.

Be a respectful and supportive supervisor

There are a few things even more discouraging than a bad workplace. Unfortunately, a mean or neglectful supervisor is one of them. Supervisors who don’t treat their team with respect and support are often the cause of gossip and resignations as well. As a supervisor, be aware of treating your team of employees. Respect and kindness go a long way for them. Be the first to start this in your team to promote a good working attitude.

Encourage them with employee rewards

Rewarding your employees might sound obvious to some, yet surprising to others. Good employers know that a well-paying salary doesn’t cut it when motivating employees. Rather, if you want your team members to go beyond what’s required, you also have to give back in turn.

Recognize and appreciate their successes, whether big or small. Sometimes rewards don’t have to come in material form—recognition (such as an employee-of-the-month award, or an employees’ night) and praise go a long way, too.

Give them leeway to experiment and grow

No employee is going to willingly strive towards success if they feel they aren’t allowed to in the first place.

Striving for success and higher merits requires courage to try things out and take risks. Just like business owners, they too have to be given the freedom and resources to go beyond the usual and make mistakes.

Have an interest in their lives beyond work

Everyone needs time outside of work in order to maintain a well-balanced life. One of the things that will show your employees that you care is if you have a genuine interest in their lives both professionally and personally. You don’t have to know every single thing about them, but your office policies should at least be fair to them and their families, and you should at least be aware of the things they value.

Key Takeaway

I’ve shared some of my top tips to motivate employees but in the end, making sure they stay motivated is up to you. As a business owner, it’s your responsibility to make sure they like where they’re working, which is also a big part of how long they’ll stay and how far they’ll strive.

For more business tips, check out the rest of my blog, or consult with me today!