Successful companies know there are more ways to motivate employees than simply offering a cash bonus or raise. Praise and recognition for a job well done can also have a long-lasting impact on an employee’s performance — and produce a nurturing environment where people consistently strive to do their best. .
Want to give your staff a boost? Here are four ways to do it:
1. Foster a supportive atmosphere where employees can learn from their mistakes. Turn each mistake into a learning experience and encourage constructive input from the entire organization. That way, you can work to ensure that others don’t repeat the same blunders, while simultaneously building an environment where people won’t be afraid to try new things.
2. Clarify “the rules of the game.” Make sure your staff understands what must be done to receive a raise or a bonus — and be consistent with rewards. If you don’t have an evaluation process in place, consider instituting quarterly performance reviews. You can’t expect your staff to improve if they have no idea how they are doing. Superior performance should be rewarded.
3. Encourage your employees to expand and develop professionally. Make work-related seminars, classes and conferences available to the rising stars of your company. You can also establish an in- house library of books and other career-related resources for your employees’ use.
4. Reward your employees regularly and publicly. Give a hard-working employee a gift certificate to a bookstore, or call a company meeting to applaud a staff member for a job well done. And don’t limit yourself to rewarding only the most spectacular achievements. It’s logical to praise the executive who brought $100,000 worth of new business to the company, but what about the office manager who always makes sure that everyone has enough supplies?
A supportive work environment boosts company morale and motivates people to do the best job they can. Creating such an environment takes time and dedication, but it will go a long way to ensuring the success of your company and your employees.
