5 Key Strategies To Engage And Motivate Your Workforce

Without highly motivated and engaged employees, a business will eventually crash and burn. If we put the names and faces of your workforce in front of you right now, it’s highly likely you’d be able to identify exactly who is most determined, inspired, and willing to go the extra mile. You need that person, but more specifically, you need that person five times over.

Something many business owners tend to overlook is that this initial stimulation starts with them. Yes, it’s your responsibility to ensure that your workforce is engaged and motivated, but how? Here are five key strategies to get you started.

1. Set goals and targets without micromanaging

Once a week, month, or quarter – whatever works for you and your business – sit down with your employees and outline specific goals and targets that you’d like them to work towards. This is a fantastic way to give your staff real-time input on their performance while motivating them to achieve more, and proving to them that you genuinely care about their progression within your company. Just remember to give them independence and breathing space, or it could come across as though you’re micromanaging them – and no employee likes that.

2. Celebrate milestones, both professional and personal

Employees like to feel as though what they’re doing truly matters, both inside and outside of the workplace. Ensure you celebrate all milestones to keep your staff motivated, even if that’s just by something as simple as making an office announcement, or handing over a ‘congratulations’ card. 

3. Reward good behaviour and positive results

Humans are psychologically wired to feel motivated by rewards, making this a really simple yet effective strategy to implement within your business. If a member of the team does something positive, reward them for it. Not only will this make them feel good, but it’ll also encourage them to continue their good work. Be creative with your employee rewards, and consider things like nights out, health insurance, gift cards, and charitable donations.

4. Deliver on the promises you make

No employee enjoys feeling as though their boss is stringing them along by making empty promises and giving false hope. If you tell your staff that you’re going to do something, make sure you deliver on that. This can be applied to something big, like a wage increase or worker benefits, but also something on a smaller scale, like a promised day off. 

5. Treat employee mental health with the seriousness it deserves

It’s hard to be motivated and engaged in the workplace when you’re suffering from mental health issues. In fact, did you know that up to 300,000 people with mental health problems lose their jobs each year? It’s an ongoing epidemic that needs addressing within professional environments, starting at the top. As a boss, you should make an effort to check in with your staff, and make conversations surrounding mental health a standard, regular occurrence. In 2022, it’s still such a taboo subject, and we cannot expect to move forward if we don’t first stamp all over these stereotypes.

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