9 Things That Motivate Employees More Than Money
- Be generous with praise. Everyone wants it and it’s one of
the easiest things to give. Plus, praise from the CEO goes a lot farther
than you might think. Praise every improvement that you see your team
members make. Once you’re comfortable delivering praise one-on-one to an
employee, try praising them in front of others.
- Get rid of the managers. Projects without project managers?
That doesn’t seem right! Try it. Removing the project lead or supervisor
and empowering your staff to work together as a team rather then
everyone reporting to one individual can do wonders. Think about it.
What’s worse than letting your supervisor down? Letting your team down!
Allowing people to work together as a team, on an equal level with their
co-workers, will often produce better projects faster. People will come
in early, stay late, and devote more of their energy to solving
problems.
- Make your ideas theirs. People hate being told what to do.
Instead of telling people what you want done; ask them in a way that
will make them feel like they came up with the idea. “I’d like you to do
it this way” turns into “Do you think it’s a good idea if we do it this
way?”
- Never criticize or correct. No one, and I mean no one, wants
to hear that they did something wrong. If you’re looking for a
de-motivator, this is it. Try an indirect approach to get people to
improve, learn from their mistakes, and fix them. Ask, “Was that the
best way to approach the problem? Why not? Have any ideas on what you
could have done differently?” Then you’re having a conversation and
talking through solutions, not pointing a finger.
- Make everyone a leader. Highlight your top performers’
strengths and let them know that because of their excellence, you want
them to be the example for others. You’ll set the bar high and they’ll
be motivated to live up to their reputation as a leader.
- Take an employee to lunch once a week. Surprise them. Don’t
make an announcement that you’re establishing a new policy. Literally
walk up to one of your employees, and invite them to lunch with you.
It’s an easy way to remind them that you notice and appreciate their
work.
- Give recognition and small rewards. These two things come in
many forms: Give a shout out to someone in a company meeting for what
she has accomplished. Run contests or internal games and keep track of
the results on a whiteboard that everyone can see. Tangible awards that
don’t break the bank can work too. Try things like dinner, trophies, spa
services, and plaques.
- Throw company parties. Doing things as a group can go a long
way. Have a company picnic. Organize birthday parties. Hold a happy
hour. Don’t just wait until the holidays to do a company activity;
organize events throughout the year to remind your staff that you’re all
in it together.
- Share the rewards—and the pain. When your company does well,
celebrate. This is the best time to let everyone know that you’re
thankful for their hard work. Go out of your way to show how far you
will go when people help your company succeed. If there are
disappointments, share those too. If you expect high performance, your
team deserves to know where the company stands. Be honest and
transparent.
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