As an entrepreneur, you have a unique vision that you want to bring to the world. You are the only one that sees the kind of change that’s possible with enough hard work and effort. It’s up to you to bring the idea you have of the company you want into reality, and you can’t do it alone.
To create a successful company, you need employees and coworkers at your side who are willing to work towards the same goal you are. Sometimes, not everyone is on board with what you want. To run a successful company, you will need motivation ideas to use when employees simply can’t find the energy to work.
They’re people too, after all. Just like how you should have something outside of the company that is as important as work, so do they. Work isn’t the only part what makes a successful company — community, friendship, and connection are all parts of what makes a successful company.
They keep people motivated to work for the company because they make work about more than just work. To learn how to make employees more motivated about their work, just keep reading below!
1. Ask Employees for Motivation Ideas
The best way to find ways to motivate employees is to ask them directly about what you should do. This can take several forms, from wandering the office and asking employees about what they want or reaching out to people digitally. The kinds of questions you can ask for ideas can change forms too.
Instead of asking, “what will motivate you more,” you can indirectly ask what people value to get a better sense of what drives them. Ask employees about what they value most in their work, and what they hope to get out of it other than a paycheck.
By asking them what they want, you will also send the signal that you care about their wellbeing. Your employees will feel closer to the company — like they’re part of a community. And when people feel like they’re part of something that cares about them, they will work harder for it.
The information you get will give you the material you need to develop new motivation programs. You’ll be able to directly key into what drives your employees, and will be able to use it to keep them motivated about work!
Nobody Knows What Employees Want Like Employees
As an entrepreneur, you’re fundamentally disconnected from the employee mindset. You’re a visionary who’s willing to work to be a change in the world, but employees are after something else. Work isn’t their passion like it is for you, it’s something they need to do to focus on other things.
Don’t be surprised if people expect more than you can provide from work, or if they just want to get paid. If those are the answers you get, you will still be able to develop motivation programs for them. They just may cost more!
2. Break Out of the Traditional Break Room
A clever way to motivate employees to work harder is to enrich the experience of working. Nobody actually enjoys working — that’s the nature of work. It just isn’t fun!
Yet, you can redefine the meaning of work to make it less grueling. Through some simple additions to your office or by making small changes to your company, you can make work about something other than work. You can make it about connecting with like-minded people, or about making friends.
The break room is the best place to start making those changes. Usually, the break room is just a place where people keep their lunch until noon rolls around. It doesn’t need to be such a robotic place, though, and companies are starting to realize that.
There’s a reason companies like Healthy You Vending are seeing profits. More companies are investing in new kinds of vending machines, furniture, and other additions to make the break room a place to connect! It brings people together, makes them grow closer, which means they will work harder!
3. Pay Your Employees What They’re Worth
There’s a simple and effective way to motivate people to work harder: pay them what they’re worth. As an entrepreneur, you’re doing more than just trying to make a profit. You’re also trying to make an impact on the world, so why wouldn’t you want that impact to be positive?
By paying people what they’re worth, you’re sending the signal that they’re valued — literally. It shows that you’re a person worth working for, and people work hard to protect their role such a company. If you pay people less than what they believe they should be paid, they will work less too.
That doesn’t mean you need to bankrupt yourself by paying employees high wages. Instead, you should give employees an opportunity to negotiate over what they should be paid. When employees have a say in their pay and agree to it after they voice their opinions, then they will see that it has more value than its cash value.
Bonuses and Other Incentives Can Go Far, But So Does Salaries
Sometimes, companies try to incentivize employees by offering bonuses or company parties for meeting goals. While these can work for a certain kind of employee, they generally fail to motivate people. They only work for employees that don’t see themselves cooperating with other employees towards a shared goal.
Instead, bonuses and other incentives key into people’s competitive nature which you want to avoid. It’s counter-productive to create competition between your employees, all it does is slow work down as people try to push others down to stay ahead.
It’s better to give people a fair wage so they understand the cooperative nature of companies, and so they work together towards a shared goal.
Motivating Employees Means Making Friends
The modern workplace is a complex and constantly changing field. A long time ago, going to work just meant employees would use their skills to perform their duties in exchange for a fair wage. Now, as people find it harder to develop desirable skills and companies pay less for them, motivating employees is getting harder.
Companies need motivation ideas to keep employees working. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to make people feel driven about what they do. All you need to do is convince them to share in your vision, and show them that they’re a part of something bigger than themselves — the company.
And to learn ways to do that, just keep reading here. Our website is always updated with new ways for you to effectively lead your company, so you can become the leader you’re meant to be.
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