Motivated employees work harder, are more productive, and are less likely to quit and need a replacement. It pays for every small business owner to take a few simple steps to keep motivation and morale high. Here are five simple tips for doing that on a budget.
Your attitude as small business owner will be one of the largest determinants of your employees' attitudes and motivation. Do you come into work with a smile on your face? How do you deal with conflict in your business? You are the one who sets the tone for your workplace, so improving your own attitude will go a long way toward improving motivation in the workplace.
Research shows that employees are most motivated when they are working toward a goal with a tangible reward. They are even more motivated when they helped to set these goals. Meet with your employees to set reasonable goals that they can achieve as well as a planned reward when they meet their goals. This reward can be anything from a commission on a huge sale to a day off with pay to enjoy all to themselves. Your employees will work harder when they have goals and rewards, so this is an investment in their motivation and productivity.
Humans love celebration, which is why every major culture celebrates holidays and other events. Celebrating milestones and achievements is one proven way to keep employee motivation high. Start an employee of the month program and make sure professional milestones are publicly recognized. You should also recognize birthdays and other personal milestones; even a cupcake and a cup of coffee can make a huge difference and ensure that employees feel that you sincerely care. People will sincerely care about their jobs when their employer sincerely cares about people.
Employees are most motivated when they feel heard. Regularly ask them for their input on large and small matters. Encourage them to come to you when they have reservations or complaints about their job. If you listen and respond to their input, they will feel more motivated. In addition, employees often have great ideas that can improve your business.
No one feels motivated in a dead end job. Many fledgling small businesses cannot offer regular raises and promotions, but you can definitely afford training. Help employees to take on new responsibilities and learn new skills that will improve their resumes. Allow them to modify their schedules to take a class that is related to their job. As an additional benefit, you will end up with more skilled and trained staff.
If your small business is struggling, whether from lack of employee motivation or lack of funding, you should check out Advance Funds Network. We provide small businesses like yours with capital options up to $10,000,000 with no upfront fees or obligations. You can check out our website to see what we're all about at ww.advancedfundsnetwork.com.
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