7 Scientifically Proven Methods for Motivating Your Staff

Staff motivation should be one of the primary tasks for any manager. Giving your employees confidence makes all the difference in the business world, as it will result in better productivity and higher retention rates. 

Unfortunately, given that people can be so different, not everyone will react favorably to specific incentives. For example, while some employees will love your employee service award ideas, others will hate them. Similarly, some staff members will react more positively to a kind word than a financial incentive. 

Because of that, we've decided to help you by covering all relevant methods for motivating your staff. In this guide, we'll cover 7 tricks that provide the best results in stimulating company employees and squeezing more value out of each one of them.

1. Improve Business Environment

The first trick is the simplest one. You must design a charming office so everyone feels great when coming to work. In addition to maintaining a high level of cleanliness, you should also consider the quality of furniture, entertainment, utilities, and layout. 

Given the importance of quality interior design, we suggest you hire a professional to help you out. We also recommend choosing a design that is pleasant to the eye yet makes people feel comfortable working in that space. Keep in mind that you don't necessarily have to go with business minimalism; adding a few plants here and there can do wonders for employee morale.

2. Be Supportive

One of the main reasons why employees stay with a company or flee from it has to do with management. Having a top brass that is honest, respectful, and supportive can make people feel accepted and heard. More importantly, having reasonable managers makes it much easier to settle any issues and disputes.

If you wish to improve your skills, we suggest you start by reading a few books about management. Another excellent method is to simply be respectful toward your staff in the same way you would show respect to your family and friends. 

3. Grow Your Staff

Even if you're working in a creative field, many employees will get tired of performing the same roles year in and year out. In fact, many staffers are always looking for opportunities to improve their knowledge and work their way up the corporate ladder. As a manager, you need to create these opportunities and allow them to satisfy their ambition.

When opening new offices and stores, you should promote your staff into positions of power. Turn the best employees into managers and give them a chance to prove themselves in responsible positions. You should also organize courses and training and even offer scholarships to those who want to improve their skills. 

4. Use Flexible Schedules

Flexible scheduling is another thing you can do for your staff. Offer employees a chance to cover whichever shift they prefer and allow them to change shifts at a moment's notice. Don't force people to cover specific shifts and, if necessary, give bonuses to staffers who cover unfavorable shifts.

When we talk about flexible scheduling, we also need to mention remote work. Your employees should have the ability to finish their work from home and to use hybrid and remote work benefits. The use of remote work is especially valuable for older staffers and those who have kids.

5. Create Cafeteria 

People spend their entire lives stuck in a small office space. They have to scour nearby restaurants and food trucks for food or to bring meals from home. As such, making warm lunches can become a significant burden after a while, even forcing some employees to switch companies.

Creating an in-house cafeteria is always a good idea and something that pays for itself. Even if you lose some money while providing food to your staff, you will ensure that your employees are well-fed and happy. It solves a major logistical issue while boosting productivity.  

6. Offer Bonuses

Bonuses and other incentives are the most democratic way of motivating your staff. Your employees will significantly boost company’s productivity, while getting some extra money in return. Monetary incentives are especially great for businesses where you can easily calculate employee’s impact during projects.

The simplest and most popular form of incentive is extra monthly cash or a 13th paycheck. However, you can also experiment with other concepts. For example, you can offer free tickets for various events or paid vacations. In fact, some of these non-monetary incentives allow you to save money if you plan things the right way.

7. Give Shoutouts 

Commending an employee in front of the whole team is an excellent way to recognize their effort. Furthermore, this small trick will demonstrate to other staffers who are the best performers and who they should strive to become. 

Public praise will make a person feel appreciated and loved. It's much more potent than a simple tap on the shoulder, as it will make everyone notice their involvement and effort. However, be careful when giving out praises; commending people every day or week will make the praise feel redundant, which is something you should avoid.

Conclusion 

When communicating with the staff, you should try your best to stay positive and supportive yet provide criticism when necessary. Like with all other human relationships, you should take into account the staffer’s personal struggles and the fact that people might underperform from time to time.

By following these rules, you can set a basis for a much better, long-term relationship.