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It’s easy to motivate employees for short times during big projects or exciting events. But as HR and business professionals, you’re tasked with keeping that fire burning, especially in today’s fast-paced, ever-changing workplace.
So here, we dive into some practical employee motivation strategies and ideas to inspire your team and watch their motivation soar. You might elevate productivity, job satisfaction and retention as well!
Effective Employee Motivation Strategies & Ideas
Motivation keeps people happy, engaged, and fulfilled. These feelings, in turn, make team members genuinely want to put their best foot forward in whatever project or goal they’re working toward.
To keep employees motivated, consider the following strategies.
1. Offer Professional Development Opportunities
Employees feel more engaged and motivated in jobs that invest in their development, and studies show impactful development can improve performance by up to 25%.
Success means different things to each individual—find their definition and meet them there. Offer training programs, workshops and mentorship opportunities that align with each person’s professional aspirations.
2. Personalise Work Equipment
Instead of giving every person the same computer, monitor, keyboard and mouse, develop a budget where workforce members can purchase what’s best for them and their productivity.
After all, every employee has different roles, responsibilities and work styles. Setting them up to succeed with the right hardware empowers them with greater capabilities in their work.
3. Establish a Customised Rewards and Recognition Program
Everyone has unique interests and preferences. So, make sure you have a rewards and recognition program set up to align with the preferences of your team members.
But don’t stress—a rewards and recognition platform like Awardco can take care of the legwork for you. The right software can automatically track special milestones (birthdays, work anniversaries, etc.), provide access to a simple platform for peer recognition, and help you set up incentive programs to drive motivation.
4. Offer Work-Life Balance Initiatives
Your employees are adults, so treat them accordingly. Give them flexible working hours and remote options so they can fulfill their work responsibilities without sacrificing their personal lives. Encourage them to take time off, including mental health days.
When employees maintain a good work-life balance and take time to recharge, they’re more likely to have the physical and mental tenacity to put their best foot forward each day.
5. Drive Wellness Initiatives
Imagine feeling energised, less stressed, and more focused. That’s what happens when people prioritise their health at work.
Investing in your team’s physical and mental health leads to increased focus and productivity. What’s more, wellness incentive programs can collectively motivate employees toward a shared goal, enhancing company culture and camaraderie.
6. Create a Positive Work Environment
A collaborative and supportive work environment is crucial for building strong teams and promoting a sense of community. So, get your workforce’s feedback on what defines a positive work environment for them and implement those ideas into your workspace (whether that’s remote, in-office or hybrid).
7. Initiate Team-Building Activities
When we spend nearly a third of our lives at work, the people around us have a large impact on our motivation. Try to ensure the impact is positive.
Encourage team leaders to strengthen team bonds by having them initiate team-building activities like:
- Escape rooms
- Paintball or laser tag
- Cooking or art classes
- Virtual online/scavenger hunt games
8. Foster Empowerment and Autonomy
Give employees the power to make decisions. This allows them to see how their work and actions contribute to the bigger picture. They’re also more likely to take risks, leading to innovation and growth.
Including team members in key discussions and asking for their feedback can also make them feel more valued and empowered.
9. Set Clear Expectations and Goals
Whatever project or goal an employee might be working on, encourage your organisation’s leaders to help workforce members establish SMART (specific, measurable, actionable, relevant, and time-bound) goals.
Managers should then check in regularly with team members. This means reviewing their progress together and letting them know what they’re doing right and where they can improve.
By creating a culture of open communication and clear expectations, you’ll keep the motivation going, encouraging all workforce members to do their best. Remember, motivation is about creating a healthy cycle of feedback, achievement and recognition. There isn’t a stopping point—it’s an ongoing process.
Thoughtful Employee Motivation Gifts to Further Elevate Motivation
Gifts play a key role in elevating the motivation strategies we just discussed. After all, who doesn’t like gifts? The right gifts will add more fuel to the fire. Here are some ideas.
1. Personalised Gifts
There’s nothing like a gift that shows you’ve put thought and effort into it. Personalised gifts are a fantastic way to make employees feel valued and appreciated.
Consider customising items based on team members’ interests. For example, if an employee is a passionate gardener, a personalised gardening tool set, a subscription to a gardening magazine, or a gift card to their favorite gardening or home improvement shop could be a thoughtful gesture.
2. Experience-Based Gifts
Don’t have a physical item in mind? No problem. Experiences might do just the trick. Offer your team members opportunities to try new activities or relax. We’re talking anything from concert tickets to travel vouchers to cooking classes.
3. Wellness and Self-Care Packages
It can be hard to stay grounded in our fast-paced world. If you know someone who could use a breather, wellness and self-care packages are a great idea. Think spa vouchers, herbal tea kits, books or a soap package.
4. Tech Gadgets and Tools
Consider gifting useful items like headphones, smartwatches, or portable chargers to make employees' work lives easier and more enjoyable. Tech-related subscriptions to online courses or software tools can also be valuable gifts for those looking to advance their careers.
5. Subscription Services
Whether it's a meal kit, gym membership, or e-book subscription service, get one you know your employees will love and use. Subscription services are a great way to elevate one’s life by incorporating a hobby free of charge!
Simple Tips on How to Implement Strategies and Ideas
As with most things in life, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to ensuring your employee motivation ideas and strategies land.
But there are three best practices you can lean on to help you stay on track.
1. Assess Employee Preferences
Conduct surveys or feedback sessions to understand what motivates your team. After all, what good will it do if your work culture doesn’t reflect the values and interests of your workforce?
Make a regular habit of handing out surveys to get everyone’s feedback (interests can change over time), and do your part in making the right adjustments.
2. Integrate Motivation into Company Culture
By aligning motivation strategies with company goals, HR leaders can ensure that their initiatives directly contribute to the organisation’s overall objectives.
When employees see their work aligns with the company’s mission and values, they are more likely to feel engaged and motivated. It’s about connecting the dots to the bigger picture.
3. Track the Effectiveness of Motivation Strategies
By keeping tabs on things like how happy employees are, how often people leave the company, or how often people miss work, HR leaders can figure out if their motivation efforts are working.
They can use this information to make smart choices and improve their motivation and incentive strategies. This helps make sure the company’s efforts to keep employees motivated are on track and help the company succeed overall.
Ignite Productivity & Drive with Awardco
Amplifying employee motivation doesn’t have to be hard when you have the right resources by your side. Let Awardco be one of those resources. Our trusted rewards and recognition program was built to make executing a stellar employee experience simple yet effective.
To get started, we encourage you to check out the following tools:
