Building A Happy Team In The Workplace
By Vincent Low
It’s said that happy employees are the most productive workers, but how does one motivate a group of employees and keep them contented? Through the start of my career, I was under the impression that salary would be sufficient to encourage productivity. I’m sure you were too, and now we see that while our material needs are met, it’s often the intangible benefits that keep us coming back day after day.
Previously I wrote onbeing a people’s leader, and on how empathising with and getting to know your employees is a great start. Showing genuine interest in your employees is certain to allow your team to build a strong relationship over time.
Here are other ways I go about motivating my employees:
Empower By Encouraging Ownership
Empowering our employees to take ownership of their job role will give them a say in how they do their job. They know themselves best, so they will be best equipped with ideas on how they can be more efficient with their time. Give them the opportunity for suggestions and take some time to listen to their ideas on how to improve any process at work.
The “We” Mentality
When something goes wrong at work, finger-pointing can be a common behaviour, yet it does not benefit anyone. To truly motivate your employees, take a step back and approach situations on hand with a “we” mindset. What canwedo to fix this? How can we prevent the repeat occurrence of a problem? Don’t let your employees feel attacked, instead encourage them, work together, and work better.
Excite & Enrich With Opportunities
People get motivated when they know what they’re working towards, and when they have a clear sight of the gratifications upon reaching that goal. If your employees aren’t offered any advancement opportunities or new, interesting projects, they may feel that their work is fruitless. Offering training to expand their skillsets for a higher position will motivate them to be productive, as well as feel valued as an employee.
Be In The Same Shoes
This is something I’ve addressed previously, talking about empathy when communicating with your employees. Simple, yet so effective, I just have to put emphasis on this again. Take time off your day and busy schedules to converse with your employees, and listen to what they might have to say. These could be concerns or ideas, and not only would listening to them help with motivation and productivity, it could also provide you with insights into your business and employees.
Productivity is the bedrock of every business and organisation. Remuneration and bonuses will only go so far in motivating productivity amongst our employees, but building employee loyalty to the organisation will be the key to a longer lasting transformation and growth.
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