A well-motivated workforce is essential for the success of any business. When the employees are motivated, their performance and productivity will improve. Absenteeism is also low, and the employees stay with the business longer. The employees also provide better customer service, which results in more satisfied customers who will recommend the business to their family and friends.
Therefore, businesses should focus on motivating their employees to increase revenues and stay afloat during the pandemic. Here are some things that businesses should do to improve the motivation of their employees.
Focus on Positive Reinforcement
The economic situation makes it challenging to stay positive when it comes to dealing with the employees. But business owners should highlight the positive things that their employees are doing. While they should continue implementing the rules of the business, they should also provide positive reinforcement whenever possible.
To achieve this, business owners should look for instances when the employees are doing something right. When they praise the employees for their good deeds, they will repeat the desired behavior.
In this situation, business owners should lead by example and show their employees what they need to do. They should also share their vision for the business and entice their employees to join them in their journey towards achieving the vision.
Offer Notable Benefits
One way to entice the employees to help achieve the vision of business owners is by providing notable benefits. One benefit these businesses should consider is increasing the salaries of employees, especially those who earn the minimum wage. Businesses should also consider offering other benefits that improve the lives of their employees.
They should work with companies offering defined benefit services in the market. These companies help the business set up a retirement plan for qualified employees based on their salary history and length of employment. Additionally, they help businesses deal with issues associated with these types of plans.
Avoid Micromanaging
Business owners should avoid micromanaging their employees and allow them to accomplish their tasks on their own. This is particularly true when the team is working on a project that has a deadline. Allowing the team to work on their own demonstrates the business owner’s trust in the employees.
In this situation, the employees feel motivated to work and focus on completing the task within the deadline. They will also feel satisfied when they finish their job since they can complete it on their terms.
Aside from giving a certain level of autonomy to complete their tasks, business owners should also allow flexible working hours for their employees. Implementing flexible working hours will increase the employees’ productivity since the employees are productive at different times of the day. The flexible schedules allow them to focus on their work when they are productive.
Recognize Exceptional Work
Recognizing exceptional work by the employees shows them that the business owners appreciate their efforts. Recognition increases their self-esteem and improves their morale. Due to this, businesses should implement systems that allow everyone to celebrate employees’ accomplishments who help the business move closer to its mission and vision.
Businesses should recognize small and big accomplishments. Focusing on these accomplishments will increase employee motivation and result in better productivity. Even if the accomplishment is not yet tangible, business owners should recognize the work of an employee.
Aside from recognizing the employees’ work, businesses should also reward them, especially if the work increases revenue for the business. Businesses should implement a reward system that provides bonuses to employees who demonstrate exceptional work.
Provide Clear Expectations
To provide employees more opportunities to complete their tasks, businesses should make sure to provide clear expectations. When the employees know what the business expects them to do, they will focus on achieving their goals. Clear expectations increase motivation since the employees will know what they need to do to meet these expectations.
Aside from telling them what they need to do, businesses should also explain why each task must be completed. The reason behind each task should focus on accomplishing the mission and vision of the business.
When employees know the reasons behind the tasks, they will ensure the completion of the task. Knowing the effect of their actions on attaining the mission and vision of the business will provide additional motivation for them to accomplish it even when it comes to simple tasks.
The pandemic saw hundreds of thousands of businesses closing permanently. To avoid this, businesses that remain open should focus on motivating their employees so they will work to help keep the business afloat.
