You’ll often see business owners or managers talking about the importance of motivating their staff and encouraging them to become more productive. Of course, a bonus, a gift, or a raise can absolutely do this, but money isn’t always the be-all and end-all of employee satisfaction. It’s a good start of course, but it’s not the full story. If someone feels completely disconnected from the work they do, if they feel like just a cog in the machine and nothing more, they’ll feel less satisfied in their role no matter how much you pay them.
That’s not to say that you have to completely change the way you do business, it just means you should consider the more subtle, but much more human, touches that help you seem like more than just a boss. It can also help your employees feel more seen and valued on a human level, as though they’re more than a headcount or just a means to spend the departmental budget, but a friendly part of the family, no matter how big your business is.
This, then, can yield so many benefits if you do it right. After all, a happy team is often a productive team, as well as one that sticks around. So in this post, we’ll explore three ways you can motivate and reward your team on a human level, helping them feel seen, valued, and ultimately, much more satisfied in their role.
Offer A Flexible Work Schedule
A flexible work schedule can show your employees that you trust them to get their work done without needing to be micromanaged, and that you respect their personal lives too. This could mean letting them come in a little later, so they can drop their kids off at school, or it could mean allowing them to work from home on certain days.
Such an arrangement helps them balance their work life and their home life, which reduces stress and makes them feel more in control. It’s a simple change that shows you care about their well-being, which in turn can lead to loyalty and a better attitude towards their job, and of course, the willingness to work very hard once they are with you.
Celebrate Personal & Professional Milestones
It’s a fantastic idea to recognize and celebrate the important moments in your employees’ lives, both inside and outside of work. You could have a small celebration for someone’s birthday, or you could surprise someone during a major work anniversary with a small gift and a public thank you.
It’s always good to begin celebrating personal achievements, such as a team member getting a promotion, which can make people feel seen as more than just a worker, too. Recognition should always feel like less of a rote chore and a more of a means to build a supportive and positive atmosphere in the workplace, and makes people feel appreciated for who they are, as well as what they contribute.
Invest In Opportunities For Fun Outings
Giving your team a chance to have some fun together outside of the office can do wonders for morale and teamwork. You could organize a company outing at Christmas to a fun event for example, or you could take the team to a nice dinner depending on how many peopleare working for you. Such events should allow everyone to relax and get to know each other on a more personal level, which will help with your relationships and communication back at the office.
Sometimes it’s good to find an investment everyone will remember, for example, you could consider surprising the team with tickets to a show and a nice award ceremony. You can check out what’s on at broadway.com to get the best tickets, in order to find something truly spectacular as a major reward, too.
