How to Motivate My Employees

Motivate employees by giving them public recognition for their accomplishments.

If your employees are not motivated, then there are steps that can be taken in order to increase morale and devotion. Not only does motivating employees create a positive working environment, but it also increases productivity and reduces errors and employee turnover. Although it is common for managers to fixate solely on monetary rewards, there are other steps that can be taken in order to motivate your employees.

Instructions

1. Recognize accomplishments. Employees feel more motivated when they feel their hard work is recognized and valued by management. This can be done by sending out monthly newsletters, posting to the internal company blog or posting it on the break room bulletin board.

2. Implement a reward system. Make sure that the reward system sets attainable goals for employees, has clear rules and is fairly distributed. Employees must believe that if they work hard, that they can achieve this reward and that management gives it out fairly.

3. Meet with employees. Discuss with each employee individually on what their career goals are on how they can accomplish those goals. They are more likely to be motivated if they feel that what they are doing today will help them build for their future.

4. Provide clear instructions and training. Employees who do not understand what is expected of them, don't know how to complete a task or do not have the training to do the assignment properly become less motivated. When giving instructions, ensure that the employee understands what to do, why they need to do it and you are there to answer questions or provide training.

5. Challenge employees. If employees are bored or doing repetitive work, give them additional responsibilities or challenges to keep them interested and motivated.

References

• "Harvard Business Review": Employee Motivation: A Powerful New Model
• "Psychology Today": How to Motivate Employees - What Managers Need to Know