Employees are the most valuable resource of an organisation. Their work enables the business to function and carry out its daily activities in order to serve their customers. Higher productivity among employees means that the company performs well, which results in increased revenue, profit and other non-financial performance metrics such as increased customer satisfaction. It is well researched that employees perform better when they are motivated. Therefore, motivating the workforce is a crucial art to master for any manager or organisation. Unlike more rudimentary theories on human resource management would suggest, employees are not motivated purely by money. Money does play a part, but certain other elements can motivate employees where money cannot. Factors that motivate employees can be broadly categorised as intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Money (and other physical rewards) are extrinsic factors and serve the role of motivating employees to a certain extend. Intrinsic factors such as challenging and engaging work, self-fulfilment etc. increase motivation further. It should be noted that intrinsic factors in the absence of extrinsic factors are ineffective. The best managers know how to keep their employees motivated and engaged while doing they work and make use of this knowledge on a daily basis. An effective manager should be able figure out what motivates their employees and drive performance.
Representation
Your employees represent the organisation. Make the workplace a positive environment such that employees are happy to work there, and proud to be associated with the organisation. A positive brand image in the community can help immensely in this regard. Treating employees well would serve to increase this reputation as well, which reinforces the employees’ identity. Custom made uniforms (by providers such as embroidered workwear Brisbane), badges, and other flair serves as a way for employees to express their association with the company.
Autonomy
Allowing employees to do their jobs with a degree of independence goes a long way for their self-fulfilment and satisfaction. Being micro-managed demotivates people and implies that the company values them little. It also wastes management time that would otherwise be used in more productive ventures.
Celebrate Achievements
Employee achievements should be a point of celebration and reward. Employees who routinely work hard and achieve their targets while those who underperform should be given the assistance, they need to increase their productivity. The reward does not necessarily have to be monetary; the employees might elect for a shorter workday, different kinds of work etc. What matters most in terms of motivation is the recognition.
Training and Development
Giving employees the opportunity for growth is a good way to motivate them. For example, hardworking employees may be selected for training and development programmes where they are trained for more advanced positions in the company or selected for management roles. It incentivises working hard as it leads to not only internal promotions but opportunities for additional qualifications as well. Similarly, training managers from the employees themselves would result in more effective managers that understand the work and contribute to the creation of a more effective and friendly workplace.