If motivation in your team drops, then it can have a serious impact on your business. It can make every day at work seem like a lifetime, but even worse it can start to impact productivity, turnover and eventually profit. So, if you feel like morale is suffering in your business you are probably asking yourself ‘How can I boost morale and motivation among team members?’
Many people believe that money is the only way to improve how employees feel about work. That it is all about how much they earn or even the kind of perks they get. However, that is not always the case. Of course, hardworking staff deserve to be paid a fair living wage and if your business can afford to make pension contributions (over and above the statutory), enrol staff into private healthcare or give fancy staff parties that’s great, but actually, in the long run, there are other ways to boost morale which will probably cost less and be more effective.
Here are my Top 5…
1. Work-Life Balance
A recent study by the CIPD found that 72% of workers believe that work-life balance is a very important factor when choosing a job. Now we’re not necessarily talking about virtual working or working from home…that is just not possible in many jobs and industries, but really take some time out to consider what you could put in place to give your employees a good work-life balance. Could you be more flexible in your working hours? Do you encourage regular breaks and do your staff have a nice space to take a break in? What support could you offer for working parents or carers?
2. Build Trust
Trust is essential in any relationship, and this is just as true in working relationships as it is in romantic ones. There needs to be trust between employer and employee, but also between individual team members. Having open and honest communication throughout the team will build trust and encourage better morale. You could also invest in team building activities or days to develop and enhance trust within teams.
3. Clear Communication
Build a culture of openness with clear channels of communication in your business. Ensure that there are simple ways for your employees to provide feedback and even make complaints. All your team should feel comfortable speaking up and know that their views are valued. Ensure managers are catching up regularly with all their team members.
4. Give Recognition
It doesn’t have to be huge bonuses; small regular gestures of recognition go a long way to improving motivation. Remember that different people will prefer different kinds of recognition…getting up to receive a shiny trophy at a company-wide meeting won’t be a happy experience for everyone. Find a way to recognise people individually and reward their strengths and achievements. We often forget how important a simple thank you is.
5. Development Plans
Ensure you regularly offer development opportunities. Just because someone is good at their job and seems happy doesn’t mean that they don’t long for more. However, just sending people on random courses won’t work. Communicate with team members to understand how they would like to develop and then create and carry through an action plan to make that dream happen.
I hope these top 5 tips for improving morale and motivation within teams have given you some ideas that you can implement in your own business. If you need more help and advice to get the most from your team, why not take a look at our NoLimits Community – become a member at any level and join our community.
By Duncan Mckechnie