Best Ideas for Motivating Employees in a Small Business

In the modern workplace, employee motivation is a hot topic. Research shows that organisations going above and beyond to provide things that keep employees engaged may draw in a higher calibre of individuals.

Employees are your most precious assets, and managing them is vital to your company's success, albeit challenging. This is particularly true for small organisations where staff availability and productivity are significant concerns.

However, you can't only blame productivity losses on your workforce. Employers like you also play a vital role in motivating employees to boost productivity at work. In the end, increasing productivity and improving employee satisfaction can positively impact your business's bottom line.

Why Is Motivating Employees Tough?

Small business owners may find it tough to keep their employees engaged at work, especially when employee happiness is not part of the overall business plan. Although these businesses are aware that their people give them strength and success, they feel unsupported when trying to nurture productive and motivated employees.

In reality, a variety of factors can drain an employer's motivation and impede their productivity, such as:

• Lack of interest among employees

Motivated employees are more likely to act; they will be interested in a task and work harder to do it properly. On the contrary, an unmotivated employee is less likely to put their whole effort into the task at hand and will often do poorly. It can be challenging to inspire such workers.

• An employee with low self-confidence

Employee motivation is boosted by confidence. It influences a worker's willingness to carry out tasks with total commitment. However, lacking it makes a person feel worthless, unable to make choices, and difficult to stay focused at work.

It even prevents an employee from developing solid professional ties. These employees also tend to put off tasks longer.

• Low success expectations from the employer

Again, positive employee expectations serve as an element in motivating employees. High expectations from you as an employer can spur your employees to do better while working. Additionally, this boosts their confidence and improves their ability to take on complex tasks in the future.

In comparison, low expectations leave workers demotivated and lead to underperformance. Besides, employers with little or no expectations of their staff are less inclined to spend money on tools and resources necessary to complete a task. This demotivates the employee even more.

• Worry about success
  

Such emotions make people more sensitive to punishment. Even little criticism can make them lose motivation.

Achievement anxiety generally hinders employee behaviour, and these individuals are less enthusiastic and driven to finish a task and meet company goals. When they start a job but grow concerned about possible negative feedback, they often quit before finishing it.

• Dread of failing

No one wants to fail, but an employee who fears it will often avoid tasks they don't have confidence in.

Most of the time, these employees view failure as the incapacity to succeed and would much rather avoid tasks than feel humiliated for failing to meet a deadline. They are more prone to lack motivation the more they dread falling.

Many of these factors directly connect to the workplace environment, the work culture, and work conditions.

To accomplish organisational goals and success, employers often hire the best talent available without realising the importance of looking deeper and considering the workplace environment.

To increase employee productivity and accountability, employers must make a few adjustments to their core business strategies.

Photo by: fauxels | Pexels

How To Motivate Employees?

Get over it first, before anything else. There isn't a workplace setting that perfectly supports managers' and employers' efforts to encourage employee motivation. Even in the most favourable work environments, challenges still exist.

On the brighter side, if you strive to broaden your reach and build a work setting that fosters positivity, harmony, and recognition, you can increase employee engagement and boost productivity, regardless of your company's work culture.

Let's look at some incentives that will motivate employees without hurting your bottom line.

• Reward your employees

Everyone, no matter who they are, appreciates getting rewarded when they accomplish good things. Make sure they are publicly recognised or something as simple as a bottle of wine or a digital reward.

Make sure they know your positive feedback if you believe your employees have done well. Positive reinforcement is often a powerful approach to motivate employees, but be careful not to unintentionally reward the same people in the company repeatedly since this might demoralise other workers.

• Provide some versatility

Everyone enjoys receiving a reward for their performance and effort, but if there's anything that employees would value more than money, it's time. As the saying goes, you can make more money, but you can't make more time.

Each of us only has so much time, and with the fast-paced lifestyle of today, more and more employees are finding it challenging to find time for their family, friends, hobbies, and most of all, health.

Offer your staff some scheduling flexibility or the option to work occasionally from home. Doing so shows that you understand they have a life outside work and deserve it.

• Offer opportunities for professional growth

It can boost loyalty and motivation when you provide your employees with the opportunity to improve their skills. It makes them feel that you care about them just as much as they do about your organisation.

Opportunities for professional growth also arm employees with the tools they need to do more and inspire them to succeed. Employees with knowledge and expertise are more motivated and valuable.

• Use powerful communication methods

Employees in small businesses benefit from being able to witness firsthand how their efforts impact the business.

You may give your employees a sense of belonging by openly discussing the company's status and how they've helped. Show them what effective employee management is. They'll feel like a more valuable team member if you take their ideas seriously.

Performance-based incentives aren't just for large organisations. Small business owners may and should use rewards and incentives to maintain staff engagement.

When it comes to praising and rewarding excellent work, be creative; your staff will thank you with years of dedicated service.

• Engage with your team virtually

Due to the increase in hybrid and remote work, many businesses are having trouble figuring out how to maintain connections among employees. If you want to keep your team's motivation and success, engaging with them virtually is a must.

Generally, you need your regular online meetings for business and tasks, but you should also include online team-building activities like virtual game night or happy hour.

Final Thoughts

A never-ending loop of support, engagement, awards, and recognition is key how you effectively motivate employees. All the approaches, plans, and initiatives we've covered are developed with this concept in mind.

As an employer, you must engage with your staff, offer words of support, assist them in advancing their careers, and foster a positive work environment. No matter how small and simple the act is, be sincere and creative in your approach to motivating your employees.

Most importantly, value them and always be fair as there are many better opportunities outside for them to explore. Otherwise, your employees will start looking for greener pastures.

RosterElf: Rostering Made Easy

RosterElf's cloud-based payroll and rostering software truly is a game-changer. Say goodbye to roster conflicts and chase employees for their availability to work. Instead, employees can easily update their availability to work and notify managers about it through a smartphone app.

Staff set the times and days they can work, and RosterElf does the rest. Our software then automatically suggests available employees fill shifts.

What are you waiting for? Time to take your rostering and payroll game to the next level and boost your business' performance. Call us now at 1300 353 000, and our team will be more than happy to assist you.

To get a clearer view of how our app works, enjoy 15-day access to our tool for free!