Do you want to increase your workplace productivity and sales? If YES, here are 50 inexpensive ways to motivate your employees to work harder without using money.
Workplace productivity is one trait that employees do not handle with levity all around the globe. In fact it is always the prayer of employees to have a team of workers that will be able to bring their A – game whenever productivity comes to play.
“The competition to hire the best will increase in the years ahead. Companies that give extra flexibility to their employees will have the edge in this area.” – Bill Gates
One of the very essence of running a company or any business venture is to make profit. If you are an employer, it is very important to note that you can only make profit if your employees are productive, and productivity can only be achieved if your employees are well motivated.
It has been proven over and over again that motivation is perhaps the most important key that unlocks productivity not just in the workplace, but also in our personal lives. The bottom line is that a worker or a person that is not motivated can hardly achieve anything beyond what the average worker or person can achieve.
“The most important ‘speed’ issue is often not technical but cultural. It’s convincing everyone that the company’s survival depends on everyone moving as fast as possible.” – Bill Gates
This goes to point out that if you run an organization or any business venture, you must look for ways not just to motivate your employees, but also to keep these folks motivated for a better percentage of the time that they are at work.
If you are able to achieve this, then you wouldn’t struggle to get them to achieve the corporate goal of the organization and also their own personal goals. You won’t struggle to get them to meet and also surpass their daily, weekly and monthly targets. The truth is that if your employees are able to meet their targets in the workplace, it is going to be a win – win for both the organization and the employees.
Now the big question is: when is the right time to motivate your employees? Before we answer this question, it is important to establish that there are different types of motivations and it is only the most appropriate motivation that can produce the right results.
For example, employees might need motivation in terms of money (increase in salary or bonus) as against motivation by words alone to be able to work as expected. In some cases, motivation by words will just be enough to get the expected result. Having said that, let us quickly go through 10 signs to know when it is time to motivate your employees.
10 Signs to Know When It Is Time to Motivate Your Employees
- When the Morale/Mood of the Organization (Employees) is Low
“Giving people self confidence is by far the most important thing that I can do because then they will act.” – Jack Welch
It is easier to notice when the morale/mood of employees in your organization is on the low side if you are truly in charge of the organization and if you are in touch with your employees. There are loads of factors that can bring down the moral or mood of employees in your organization.
One suitable example is the situation where one of your staff members died in active duty. It will definitely bring down the morale or mood of employees in the organization especially if it happened in the line of duty. With that, it will be difficult to find employees putting in their best because of the fear of becoming a victim.
- When Production Output is dropping
It is easier to notice when your organization is under producing especially when you are into the production of items that can easily be counted. A good example is when you are into the production of electric bulbs and your daily production is 100 electric bulbs per day. If you noticed that your production dropped to 90, you don’t have to wait for it to drop further before taking action.
- When Late Coming Becomes Rampant in Your Organization
Another sign to know that you have to motivate your employees is when you notice that coming late is becoming a noticeable trend in your organization. Of course you can issue queries and warning to erring workers, but that in itself might not solve the problem.
- When Employees are not willing to go the Extra Mile
If you run an organization where a good percentage of your workforce is willing to go the extra mile for the organization without any incentive, you sure have a healthy workforce. However, if in your organization you can hardly count staff members that are ready to fight for the organization or go the extra mile without any incentive attached, then it is a sign that your work force needs all the motivation they can get to be able to live up to expectation.
- When there is Mass Resignation in Your Organization
As an employer of labor, you cannot successfully keep all your employees as long as you want them to stay with your organization. Employees will always seek for better offers and when they find one, they will always move. But in a case where there is mass resignation in your organization, it means that your workers are not adequately motivated to work for you hence the need to resign and look for a good alternative.
- When There is an Obvious Depreciation in the Lifestyle of Your Workers
“Everyone has an invisible sign hanging from their neck saying, ‘make me feel important.’ Never forget this message when working with people.” – Mary Kay Ash
When the lifestyle of your workers begins to depreciate, it is a sign that is easily seen. For example, if you notice that your workers can no longer maintain their cars or are selling off their cars to solve financial challenges or if they can no longer afford good clothes and good food, then you should know that it is time to give them a boost motivationally.
- When Employees Do Not Participate in Social Events Organized By Management
Ideally, social events are not supposed to be compulsory for workers especially if they fall on work free days or public holidays. In an organization that all things are working as expected, you don’t have to force or threaten your employees to attend social events organized by your organization; they will be more than willing to attend such events if they feel part of the organization.
- When Employees Are Not Meeting Their Targets
One of the primary reasons why organizations employ people is for them to contribute their quotas in growing the organization and that means meeting and even surpassing their targets. In essence, if you notice that suddenly a good percentage of your workers are no longer meeting their targets or are struggling to meet their targets, then it is time to motivate them. There are loads of factors that can contribute to employees not meeting their targets. It could be as a result of negligence on the part of management and it could be laxity on the part of employees.
- When there is a New Competitor within Your Market Space
You don’t need to be told that when there is a new competitor within your market space you need to give your employees all the motivations they need to be able to stay competitive and perhaps not jump ship to join your competitor. This is possible because you cannot rule out the fact that your competitor might want to entice your best hands and that might weaken your organization.
“Regardless of the quality of your staff, you have to keep telling its members how good they are, or can be. You must stress their worth and the value to you of what they do.” – The Mafia Manager
- When Your Employees Do Not Contribute or Hardly Contribute During Office Meetings
A good sign to know that your employees need to be motivated is when they do not contribute or are forced to contribute during office meetings between employees and the management. Loads of factors could be responsible for this and the earlier your address it, the better for your organization. The truth is that when your employees are not on the same page with you, they can hardly air their views; they will rather keep shut while plotting their exit from your organization.
Is It Good to Motivate your Employees With Money?
Money as a means of motivation has always been a controversial topic. Some schools of thought believe that a lot of needs can be satisfied with money hence a cash reward is the best way to motivate your employees while another school of thought opines that using money to reward your employees would only create a sense of entitlement and is an unnecessary burden on the finances of the company.
Pros of Motivating Your Employees with Money
- It is Easy to Influence Employees with Money
- It Gives Control Over Income-: Monetary incentive makes employees feel like they have control over how much they earn and gives them a greater sense of job satisfaction. With monetary incentives, your employees would be compelled to work harder because they understand that what they earn at the end of the day is directly related to the work they put in unlike their salaries that are fixed.
- Monetary Compensation is a Fair Approach to Motivation
- You Can Use it in Multiple Ways-: There are multiple ways to use money as an incentive to motivate your employees. You can offer it to them in form of gift certificates, commission, savings accounts, investments and several other methods.
- People Love Immediate Rewards
- Monetary Rewards Serve as an Excellent Alternative to Promotions
- Monetary Rewards Can Help You Get and Keep The Best Employees
- It Provides Your Employees With Personal Feedback about Their Performances
- Money is a Universal Reward System
- Monetary Rewards Keep Your Employees Satisfied and Happy
Cons of Motivating Your Employees with Money
- Non-Monetary Awards May be Seen as an Entitlement-: When your employees become so used to monetary motivation, non-monetary motivations may be taken for granted and start to look like an entitlement rather than a gift.
- Monetary Rewards May Take an Opposite Turn-: You use cash to motivate your employees because you want them to perform better in the future but monetary motivation may end up doing the opposite.
- Some Employees May Start to Feel Inferior-: Employees who are unable to qualify for monetary compensation may begin to feel inferior to their colleagues who get the highest rewards.
- It May be Costly for the Company
- Monetary Compensation May Wound Up Ineffective
- Monetary Compensation May be Inconsistent
- Monetary Compensation Defeats Teamwork
- Monetary Compensation May Increase Stress and Burnouts
- Monetary Compensation May Lead to Deterioration-: Speed may become more important to your employees than offering the best services or manufacturing products of the best quality.
- Employees May Become Dubious-: Some employees may become too desperate for the extra cash such that they begin to falsify information and fake results so that they can get the money.
Whether you choose to motivate your employees with money or not, you must understand that the satisfaction and happiness of your employees are not solely dependent on tangible rewards. Sometimes, your employees just want to feel appreciated for their efforts in the company and this is something money may not be able to buy.
How Much Should You Spend to Motivate Your Employees?
Your employee motivation budget would largely depend on the industry in which you operate but generally, a sum that amounts to about 1-2% of your payroll would be considered an ideal sum. So if for instance, an employee earns $50,000 as salary annually, you should mark out a sum of around $500-$1,000.
This of course should not include other regular employee benefits and entitlements as employee motivation programs are supposed to be for showing hardworking and performing employees that you appreciate their inputs and also to encourage them to do more. It should not be designed in such a way that the employee begins to see it as an entitlement.
However, as an employer, you should not be completely fixated on monetary means of motivating your employees as there are a lot of other ways to motivate your employees and make them give in more to the service of the company without necessarily spending cash.
Whether you are into the production of tangible products or you are into delivering services (intangible), you need to explore ways to get your workforce to be on the same page with you as it relates to productivity. If there is a drop in productivity in your organization, there will be a drop in the revenue generated by the organization and the resultant effect might spell doom for the organization.
So, if you run a company or any business venture, you will surely find these 50 ways to motivate employees and increase workplace productivity highly useful.
50 Ways to Motivate Employees and Increase Productivity
- Create a Conducive Working Environment
“Strategically, a major function of the CEO is to look for bad news and encourage the organization to respond to it. Employees must be encouraged to share bad news as much as good news.” – Bill Gates
The first and perhaps one of the most important things you need to put in place if you want to motivate your employees and get them to increase workplace productivity is to create a conducive working environment. The truth is that if the workplace is not conducive, workers can hardly get inspired and motivated and they can’t perform optimally no matter how much you pay them.
- Your Salary Structure Must Be Competitive
The chief reason why people go to work is to get paid except if they work as volunteers. A skilled, competent and highly qualified worker would always look for an employer of labor that can adequately reward (pay) his/her worth. That is the first motivation that will get them to pick up employment in your organization. Therefore, if you want to motivate your employees and also increase workplace productivity, then you must ensure that you put a salary structure in place that can favorably compete with players in the industry that you belong, especially businesses within your category.
3. Your Organization’s Structure (Organogram) Must Be Clearly Defined
Professionals who know their worth hardly work in an organization whose organizational structure (organogram) is not clearly defined. If an employee does not know who to report to or who is directly supervising him, it is enough to hamper work place productivity. If indeed you want to motivate your employees and increase workplace productivity, then you should ensure that your organization’s structure (organogram) is clearly defined, every employee should know their supervisors and superiors and who they are reporting to.
- Hardworking Employees Should Be Able to Earn Promotion Without Favoritism
When hardworking employees know that their effort is not enough to earn them promotion in your organization, then that is enough reason for them not to put in their best and in essence it is going to affect workplace productivity. In essence, if you want to motivate your employees and get them to increase workplace productivity, then hard work should be rewarded with promotion and not with favoritism.
- Efficient Working Tools and Equipment Should Be Made Available to Your Workers
If you have every other thing in place that you think can motivate your employees but your employees lack efficient working tools and equipment, then your need to forget about peak performance and workplace productivity from your workforce. No matter what you have in place in your organization, efficient working tools and equipment should be made available to your workers. It is only when you have efficient work tools and equipment coupled with good working conditions and welfare packages that you can motivate, maximize your workforce and get them to increase workplace productivity.
- Your Employees Must Not Be Over Stretched Beyond Their Capacity
One major mistake that some employers of labors make is that in a bid to get their employees to increase workplace productivity, they over stretch them beyond their capacity. Research shows that when employees are over stretched beyond their capacity, instead of getting increase in workplace productivity, you will get decline in productivity. So, if indeed you want to motivate your employees and increase workplace productivity, then you must ensure that your employees are not in any way stretched beyond their capacity.
- Management Staff Members Should Live by Example
One of the easiest ways of de-motivating your employees and decreasing workplace productivity is to tolerate indiscipline from your management staff members and allow them to work as though there is nothing at stake for them in the organization. If indeed to you want your junior staff members and your entire workforce to be on same page as it relates to workplace productivity, then you must ensure that your management staff live by example. Junior staff members should be able to model the dedication and expertise of your management staff members.
- Due Process Must Be Followed Before Sacking Any Employee
Another mistake some employers of labor make in a bid to motivate their workers and encourage increase in workplace productivity is to sack erring workers at the slightest mistake so as to instill fear amongst other staff members. Research shows that people are hardly motivated and productive in an atmosphere of fear; you can hardly get the best in terms productivity if you use fear as a substitute for motivation. Of course, erring workers can be sacked, but due process must be followed. If any staff member is sacked, the process that leads to the sack must be seen to be fair and just.
- Reward System for Outstanding Workers Must Be Unbiased
Who doesn’t want to be rewarded when putting in their best in a project? Well, none! When your employees know that the reward system for outstanding workers is unbiased, they will be motivated and encouraged to put in their best and that in turn will lead to an increase in workplace productivity. But if your staff members know that the reward system for outstanding workers is biased, they will hardly but in their best performance and that will surely have a negative impact on the company’s productivity.
- Inspirational Pictures Should Be Placed at Strategic Positions Around the Workplace
If you have ever visited any of the Fortune 500 companies in the united states, or any leading corporation in any part of the world, you will notice that most of them have inspirational pictures placed at strategic positions within the workplace environment. Research shows that pictures can serve as a good medium of inspiration and motivation hence the need to have relevant inspirational and motivational pictures placed at strategic positions within your organizations if indeed you want to motivate your employees and encourage increase workplace productivity.
- Inspirational Quotes Should Be Placed at Strategic Positions Around the Workplace
Aside from inspirational pictures, inspirational quotes that are neatly framed can be found in strategic positions in most of the Fortune 500 companies and in big corporations all across the world. So, if you want your employees to stay motivated and also encourage them to increase workplace productivity, then you should ensure that you neatly frame and strategically place applicable inspirational quotes in strategic locations within your workplace environment.
- The Company’s Mission Statement and Vision Should Be Neatly Framed and Placed at Strategic and Visible Locations Within the Organization
It is the norm to find the mission statement and vision of an organization neatly framed and placed in strategic positions within the organization. This is not for fancy but as a medium to motivate the workers and also to encourage workplace productivity. So, if indeed you want to motivate your employees and also encourage increase in workplace productivity, then you should neatly frame and position your organization’s mission statement and vision of the organization in strategic locations within your workplace environment.
- The Pictures and Profile of Outstanding Employees of The Month or Week Should Be Displayed on the Company’s Notice Board for a Week or a Month as Applicable
Another easier and efficient means of motivating your employees and also encourage workplace productivity is to ensure that the pictures and profile of outstanding employees for the month or week should be displayed on the company’s notice board for a week or a month as applicable. It is a strategy to encourage your employees to try to outperform one another; encouraging healthy competition in essence encouraging increase in workplace productivity.
- The Welfare Package of the Organization Must Be Competitive Amongst Players in Same Industry
Apart from salary, one of the reasons why most workers pick up employment from any company is the welfare package of the organization especially amongst players in same industry. For example, if an applicant is offered employment from company A and Company B under same salary structure, the next thing that the applicant will look before choosing the organization to work for is their welfare package. The company with a good welfare package will always attract applicants. So, if you want to motivate your employees and encourage them to increase workplace productivity, then you must make their welfare package to be competitive amongst players in same industry.
- Happy Hour/Fun Time Should Be Created
There is a popular saying that goes thus ‘All Work And No Play Makes Jack a Dull Boy’. This is applicable to the workplace environment; all work and no fun makes an employee less motivated and less productive. So, if you want to motivate your employees and encourage workplace productivity, then you should ensure that you create time for happy hour/fun time in your organization. If you lack idea on what to do within this period, you can search through google and you will be amazed at the numerous ideas that will stare at you.
- The popular “Thank God, It’s Friday (TGIF)” Activity Should Be Observed
Similar to happy hour / fun time, is the Thank- God- its- Friday (TGIF) activity. Although happy hour can’t be done weekly, but Thank- God -its Friday (TGIF) can be observed every Friday. You don’t necessarily have to get your employees off their work stations to observe TGIF, but workers could be encouraged to wear the jerseys of their favorite football teams. They could also wear the attire of their culture and it could be anything as long as it will bring fun, motivation and inspiration to put in their best at work.
- Secondment and Role Playing Should Be in Place in Your Organization
It has been observed that boredom is one major culprit that decreases productivity in the workplace. Employees that are bored usually experience decline in their performance and one of the ways of combating boredom in the workplace is to put in place a process that supports secondment and role playing in your organization.
Secondment is taking an employee from his/her department to another department to learn what they do and role playing is elevating a subordinate to act as a manger or supervisor when the supervisor is away for a short period of time. It can be rotated amongst members of a team or department. So, if you want to keep your employees motivated and also encourage increase in workplace productivity, then you should adopt secondment and role playing in your organization.
- Public Holidays Should Be Observed
Another mistake which some employers of labor make in the bid to increase productivity in the workplace is calling workers to come to work during public holidays in order to meet their production target. Even though this approach may yield temporary results, it will impact the organization negatively in the long run. Your workers will wear out on time and it will show in their productivity. As such, if you want to motivate your staff members and get them to increase workplace productivity, you have to observe public holidays in your organization; your workers should be allowed to rest. It is a way to get them re – energized to put in their best performance in the workplace.
- If Your Workers Put in Extra Hours or Work Overtime, They Should Be Rewarded
No doubt, there will be reasons that would warrant your staff members to put in extra hours or work overtime in order to meet the organization’s productivity goals. Whenever such need arises, ensure that you put plans in place to adequately reward your employees; it is a way to get them motivated and also to encourage workplace productivity. The truth is that if you force your employees to put in extra hours at work without paying them, it will sure de-motivate them and that will affect workplace productivity.
- There Should be Medical Insurance Cover for Your Employees and Their Family Members
Another way of motivating your employees and getting them to increase workplace productivity is to ensure that you have medical insurance cover for all your employees and their family members. It is a way to show them that you care for their health and total wellbeing. If your employees are left to pay for their medical bills from their pockets, it will have a way of impacting negatively on the productivity in your organization.
- Put Structures in Place That Will Enable Your Employees Access Mortgage and Other Loan Facilities
One of the ways an employee will know that they have a future in your organization is when they can leverage on the name of the organization to access mortgage. The truth is that if an employee can access mortgage from your organization, they will be more than willing to devout their working life to your organization. It is one good way to motivate your employees and also encourage them to increase workplace productivity. So, if you want to keep your employee motivated and also to encourage them to increase workplace productivity, ensure that you put structures in place that will enable your full – time employee access mortgage and other loan facilities.
- Create Room for Salary Advancement
There is a saying that goes like this; ‘Salary is never enough’. Some of your employees will always encounter financial challenges before pay day hence the need to create room for salary advancement. So, if you want to motivate your employees and also encourage them to increase workplace productivity, then you should create room for salary advancement. Your workers should be able to access some percentage of their salary before pay day.
- The Chief Executive Officer or a Top Management Staff Should Attend Employee’s Family Function if Invited
One of the ways to get your employees motivated and also encourage workplace productivity is for the chief executive officer of the organization or at least a top management staff to attend employees’ social functions such as wedding ceremonies, naming ceremonies and burial ceremonies et al. It is a way to show them that you care for them and you are genuinely interested in their life outside the office. Of course, it is not compulsory for the chief executive officer to attend such occasions, but if you are chanced, please do, it will sure go a long way in helping your organization achieve its business corporate goals.
- Give Employees the Freehand to Decorate Their Work Station in Such a Way That They Can Get Motivated and Inspired
Different people have different techniques to keep them motivated in order to meet their targets and one of such ways is to be given the free hand to decorate their work station. Decorating their workstation could be putting their family portrait in their work station, it could be hanging their children’s artwork in their workstation and it could be anything as long as it will get them motivated and inspired. So, if you want to motivate your employees and get them to increase workplace productivity, then you should give them the freehand to decorate their work station. Employees should be instructed not to make their decoration offensive or go against the organizations’ value system and corporate culture.
- Salaries Should Be Reviewed at Regular Intervals
It is difficult to keep your best employees in your organization if you don’t review salaries in your organization on a regular interval. All your employees should be rest assured that their salary will be reviewed yearly, bi -annually or within a defined period. So, if indeed you want to motivate your employees and get them to increase productivity in the workplace, then you must ensure that salaries are reviewed upward at regular intervals in your organization.
- Employees Should Be Allowed to Make Use of Their Leaves and Go for Vacations
There are some organizations that are of the habit of calling their employees from their leaves or vacations to come to the office to work. No doubt, there are occasions where you would have to call some key employees to cut short their leave or vacation in order to execute a project in the work place; but when it is the norm in your organization, it will definitely affect workplace productivity. In essence, if you want your employees to be motivated and re – energized to fulfill their mandate in increasing workplace productivity, then you should allow them to make use of their leaves and go for vacations. Adequate rest is part of the recipe for peak performance in the work place.
- Expose Your Employees to First Class Training and Seminars
One of the ways of motivating your employees and getting them to increase productivity in the work place is to expose them to first class training and seminars. As a matter of fact, you should not only send your employees to training and seminars that relate to their job description but also to other trainings that can help them become better people.
- Hire Motivational Speakers to Speak with Your Workforce at Regular Intervals
One of the most straight – forward ways to motivate your employees and also get them to achieve increase in productivity is to hire motivational speakers to speak with them at organized meetings in your company. The job of motivational speakers is to fire – up people to achieve stuffs that ordinarily they will struggle to achieve if they are not motivated. So, if you want to motivate your employees and get them to achieve increase in the work place, you need to hire motivational speakers to motivate and inspire your employees at regular intervals. Although it might be expensive hiring first class motivational speakers, but the truth is that it will be worth it in the long run.
- Send Outstanding Employees for International Training and Courses
If your employees know that they have the chance of attending international training and courses, they will always want to put in their best in the work place. As a matter of fact, one of the reasons why people choose a company to work for is the international training and courses they stand the chance to attend if employed by the organizations. It is a good way of motivating your employees and get them to increase productivity in the work place.
- Give Your Employees Study Leave to Improve Themselves
The value of education cannot be quantified and a well – educated and exposed employee is an asset to any organization. If as an employer of labor, you don’t have the capacity to send your employees to international training or courses, then you should allow them take study leaves to improve themselves. They can study to write professional exams and get professional certifications that will impact positively on your organization.
- Create a Robust Library in Your Workplace
Another way to get your employees motivated is to create a robust library in your workplace; a place where employees can spend part of their break-time if they so desire. If the library is equipped with useful books and helpful learning tools, it will sure motivate your employees and also impact positively on the productivity of your organization.
- Once in a While, Encourage Your Employees to Go to the Field for Sporting Events
Your organization should create time for employees to go to the field for sporting events if indeed you want to motivate your employees and get them to achieve increase in work place productivity. If you run a big organization with several staff members and departments, you can organize inter – departmental football or basketball matches. The truth is that coming to work should not be all about work and work and more work but room should be given for socializing and sports outside the work environment.
- Take Your Employees to See Movies Once in a While
Part of what you need to do if you want to motivate your employees and get them to meet their targets as it relates to increase in work place productivity is to take them out once in a while to see movies. This form of motivation is applicable if you have fewer employees under your payroll. After the movies, lessons learn should be shared during discussion. This can be part of what you do during happy hour or TGIF et al.
- 13Th Month Salary and Christmas Bonus Should Be Paid to Your Employees
One of the ways corporate organizations motivate their employees and get them to achieve the organizations’ corporate goals is to ensure that they pay them 13th month salary and also give them Christmas bonus at the end of the working year. If you can adopt this method, your employees will always look forward to the end of the year, stay motivated and also increase productivity in the work place.
- Work/Life Balance Should Be Encouraged in Your Workplace
In recent time, work life balance has been in the front burner when the issue of productivity in the workplace is discussed. It is a proven fact that work life balance is an ideal way to achieve productivity at work. If the home front is well – taken care of, the office front will be properly handled. So, if indeed you want to motivate your employees and get them to achieve increase in work place productivity, then you should encourage work life balance in your organization. Expert resource persons in the area of work life balance should be invited to deliver lectures in your company.
- If You Can, Create Staff Quarters for Your Employees
Another way to get your employees committed to your organization, stay motivated and play their part in increasing productivity in the work place is to create staff quarters for your employees if you can. This is applicable to big organizations with the financial capacity. It will go a long way to show your employees that you truly care for them and they in return will want to put in their best to help the organization achieve its’ corporate goal. Accommodation is a big issue especially when an employee is posted out of his area of abode to another city to resume work.
- Partner with Relevant Organizations to Make It Easier for Your Employees to Purchase Cars and Acquire Properties
Aside from accommodation, mobility is another need that employees consider before accepting a job offer. If your employees know that they can easily acquire an automobile when working in your organization, they will be more than willing to put in their best to help the organization achieve its’ corporate goals. So, if you want to motivate your employees and get them to increase productivity in the work place, then part of what you need to do is to partner with relevant organizations to make it easier for them (your employees) to purchase cars and acquire other properties and gadgets and spread the payment over a period of time as agreed by both parties.
- If You Can, Get Staff Buses for Your Employees
If you can successfully sort out transportation issues for your employees, you would have succeeded in boosting their morale and making it easier for them to fulfill their part in helping the organization achieve its goals. This is applicable to organizations with a good number of staff members and with the capacity to transport them to and from work. You don’t necessarily need to acquire and maintain the buses, you can contract it out to a transportation and logistics company.
- Run a Subsidized Canteen for Your Employees
If your employees have to go out of the office premises to eat lunch, it will sure slow them down a bit when they resume back to their work station and that in turn can impact negatively on the productivity of the employees. One of the ways to address this challenge is to try as much as you can to run a subsidized canteen for your employees within your work environment. It is a way to show your employees that you care for them and you want the best for them.
- Your Products or Services Should Be Highly Subsidized for Your Staff Members
Another way to motivate your employees and get them to increase productivity in the work place is to ensure that you sell your products or offer your services at highly subsidized rate for them. For example, if you are into the manufacturing of electronics, it is certain that your employees would also need the electronics you manufactured in their houses. It will be a wrong move to retail the electronics you manufacture to your staff members at the same rate your retail to the general public; they should be able to get them at a highly subsidized rate.
- Create a Day When Your Employees Can Bring in Their Family Members (Wife/Husband and Children) To See What They Do at Work
Different motivation techniques work for different people to bring out the best in them and one of the ways you can motivate some of your employees and get them to fulfill their part of the bargain as it relates to increase in productivity in the work place is to create a day when your employees can bring in their family members (wife / husband and children) to see what they do at work.
- Brand, Promote and Create a Compelling Image of Your Organization Out There
Everybody wants to associate with a successful brand and nobody would want to associate with a bad brand. So, part of what you need to do if indeed you want to motivate your employees is to ensure that you brand, promote and create a compelling image of your organization to the public. If you can successfully achieve this, your employees will be more than willing to but in their best to help sustain the good image of the organization and that in turn will impact positively in terms of productivity in the work place.
- Team Work Should Be Encouraged and Rewarded in Your Organization
Another way to motivate your employees and get them to play their part in increasing productivity in the work place is to encourage team work amongst employees. Yes, it is good to reward the most outstanding employees in your organization, it is also good to reward the best team in your organization. As a matter of fact, a team will always achieve more than an individual worker hence the acronym TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More).
- Encourage Your Employees to Be Part – Owner of The Organization Via the Purchase of Shares and Stocks of the Organization
When your employees know that they can aspire to become part owners of the organization if they can successfully work for a period of time by earning the opportunity to purchase shares and stocks of the organization, they would want to put in their best to remain under the payroll of the organization. It is a good way of keep your employees motivated and also increase work place productivity. So, if you want to motivate your employees and get them to play their part in increasing productivity for the organization, you should encourage them to be part owners of the organization via the purchase of shares and stocks of the organization.
- Encourage Your Staff Members to Participate in Community Social Responsibility Projects
Another way to motivate your employees and get them to indirectly play their part in increasing productivity in the work place is to encourage them (your staff members) to participate in community social responsibility projects organized by the company. Community social responsibility projects could be cleaning gutters and drainages in the community, it could be feeding the homeless, it could free medical outreaches and it could be organizing sports competitions amongst schools in the community. When your staff members participate in such events, it will go a long way to give them a sense of fulfillment.
- Your Staff Members Should Be Given the Opportunity to Occupy Vacant Positions Within the Organization if They Are Qualified Before Public Advert Should be Made
Whenever there are vacancies in your organization, ensure that you first give your employees the opportunity to apply for the position if they are qualified to occupy the position before making it open to the general public (make such positions open to the public only if you can’t get competent staff members to occupy the vacant position). The truth is that if your employees are given the opportunity to move up the corporate ladder within the organization when there is a vacancy at the top, it will sure motivate them to always want to put in their best and that in turn will impact positively on the work place productivity in the organization.
- The Best Employee of the Year and His/Her Spouse Should Be Sponsored Abroad for Vacation
Another good way to motivate your employees, encourage healthy competition and also impact positively on your work place productivity is to create a reward system that enables the organization to sponsor the best employee of the year and his/her spouse abroad for vacation. If employees know that they can get such opportunity in your organization, they will do all they can to be able to win the best employee of the year. It is a good way to put all your employees on their feet. Even if you don’t have the capacity to sponsor the best staff of the year and his / her spouse abroad for vacation, you can sponsor them to an exotic tourist location within your country.
- Review Your Standard Operating Processes on a Regular Basis and Adopt International Best Practices Within Your Industry
Every employee would love to work in an organization that adopts international best practices within the industry they belong to. If an employee knows that his/her organization is amongst the top player in their industry, they will hardly source for employment offer from their competitors. So, part of what you need to do to get your employees motivated is to ensure that you review your standard operating processes on a regular basis and adopt international best practices within your industry.
- Personal Initiatives and Ingenuity Should Be Encouraged and Reward
There are times when employees would want to go beyond the norm to achieve results for the organization. Such initiatives and ingenuity should be encouraged and rewarded if it does not go against your company’s policies or moral justifications. So, part of what you need to do if you want to motivate your employees and get them to fulfill their part of the bargain in terms of increasing work place productivity is to encourage personal initiatives and ingenuity.
- Create Enabling Environment for Your Employees to Easily Access Loan
Have you ever noticed that banks always approach companies that are doing well to encourage their staff members to collect loans? Banks will always throw loans at you if they know that they can easily get back their money from you without much stress. This can only be achieved if your organization has proved its worth over and over again.
So, part of what you need to do if you want to motivate your employees and get them to fulfill their part of the bargain as it relates to increasing work place productivity is to create an enabling environment for your employees to easily access loan from banks. Besides, loans can be used for different purposes that will be beneficial to the employees hence the need for employees to take advantage of loan opportunities in their organizations.