Motivated and engaged staff are central to the success of a business. If you want to have a productive workforce then you need to make sure that your employees derive something more than just a paycheck from working for you - so how do you do it? These ten methods of managing your employees will ensure a motivated and productive workforce that will help your company on its path to success.
Make Your Goals Clear
Employees flourish in an environment where they know what is expected of them, so make sure that everyone is clear on what your project goals are. Break this down even more so that each team and individual member knows what they need to do for everyone to reach these goals.
Communicate Effectively
A good leader has to communicate effectively and in a world that values corporate up-speak, sometimes you just have to break things down. Ask questions in meetings to make sure that everyone understands your aims, requirements, and feedback, and keep at it until you know that everyone is on the same page.
Value Individuals
Knowing your employees on an individual level will go a long way to managing them effectively. Make sure to focus on individuals as well as teams and learn how to manage different types of employees in ways that will keep them engaged. Valuing individuals for work well done makes everyone more motivated in the long run.
Give Feedback...
Don't wait until annual or quarterly feedback meetings to tell your employees what they're doing well and where they need to improve. Make a habit of giving feedback on a regular basis as you notice progress being made or areas where your staff could work more efficiently. This counteracts problems before they have time to stick.
...And Encourage Feedback
Make sure that your employees are comfortable giving feedback to you as well. You need to know if people find your directions confusing or see you as unapproachable, and it's also helpful to discover what employees like about your leadership. Encourage them to give you feedback if they feel that you're missing the mark.
Minimize Uncertainty
Your employees will be distracted if they're constantly worrying about where their jobs are going or how projects will progress. Minimize uncertainty by keeping your staff in the know as much as is reasonable and make it clear what they will be doing a week, month, or season from now.
Make Things Interesting
A consistent work environment is good but you need to shake things up occasionally to keep your employees motivated. Ask junior team members to present in meetings, run an employee baking competition, or give everyone a paid day off. You'd be surprised by how much productivity can grow in the hours when work isn't being done.
Encourage Creativity
Every member of your workforce should feel valued and it's important to value innovation in your employees to find out which people might be good candidates for promotion or increased responsibility. Encourage employees at all levels to voice their ideas to keep them more engaged.
Celebrate Achievements
You've already made your goals clear so now it's time to celebrate them. Buy everyone a cupcake or have a congratulatory meeting when you meet mini-goals along the way. This shows that you value the work your staff is doing, not just your own end goal, and it is a fantastic motivator.
Put Incentives In Place
Incentive programs are highly effective at motivating employees and they reward tangible achievements so they're more effective than a wage alone. Even if your incentives are small they can have a huge effect so consider offering a little something to keep your staff's eyes on the prize.
Employee motivation is about more than just a paycheck and it's central to a company's success, so take advantage of these ten tips to keep your workforce engaged in working toward your goals.
