How to motivate employees? - 4 Techniques That Still Work in 2024

Building a collaborative team around you is critical if your project is going from one strength to another. You need a team that gets along, works well together, is dynamic and has the business goals at the center of everything that they do.     

Having a team like this requires constant follow-up to motivate employees and show them how much they value, and how influential they are, and you need to give them ownership of the work they do. When you create the perfect team for your company, it is up to you to motivate them.  

Doing that requires forgetting about being locked up in the office all day but instead, thinking about the type of manager you wished for; the Successful Manager obviously,  you had when you were an employee. Read on to discover how you can motivate employees & improve their skills. 

 1. The way You Communicate With Employees

It is imperative that you communicate with your employees regularly and keep them informed. They want to know what works well and what can be improved. To effectively motivate employees, make sure you have a morning briefing for them so they can voice their opinions and ideas. 

Treat this as a giant collaborative forum, where you can jot down and work on your best ideas. Follow up with this by email, summing up the successes of the past week and making sure to include the names of individuals who have gone beyond for the company. 

Motivating employees means appreciating their efforts and their contributions. By being open, you develop a more trusting relationship with your employees. 

Follow an open-door policy and welcome personalized chats with your employees. Get to know them by name rather than just the payroll number. This makes you appear more human. If they care about you and the company, your employees are more likely to remain motivated. 

2. The Way You apply the Idea of Work Hard and Play Hard 

If your team is productive and hard-working, it’s right that you reward their efforts. You can implement a bonus plan or extra vacation rewards for those who exceed their goals. For example, when birthdays come, make sure that they do not pass without recognition. Go the extra mile and find corporate celebration cakes to make the birthday boy or girl feel extra special.  

Nobody likes to go to work on their birthday, so make it more fun. Motivate employees by thinking about their hobbies and interests and get the gift that represents their personality.  Make it fun and give your team a chance to work collaboratively in a less formal environment. This can help you stay more motivated when you are in the office. 

3. The Work Environment 

As a business owner, it is up to you to create an inspiring environment to work in. Lighter and brighter office space is more modern and dynamic to help motivate employees.  

Add splashes of greenery here and there, install some LED lighting, and replace isolated work booths with more collaborative meeting rooms. These express your company spirit. If teamwork is critical to the way you work, make your office an open and airy layout. 

4. The Way You Invest in Your Team 

Every employee will have career aspirations and it is up to you to help them fulfill these dreams. Motivate employees by investing in your team and offering off-site courses and training programs to hone their knowledge base and enhance their CVs.  

Although you may be concerned that they will take on the professional development offered and then look for alternative employment, chances are that if you are a good employer, they will still be with your company. 

Professional development is the key to enabling your team of employees to capture the pulse of industry development. This could mean partial funding for an MBA degree for those middle managers who want to break into senior leadership positions. 

Alternative training can be based on soft skills such as listening, presenting, or even first aid qualifications. Hold meetings with your employees and prepare individual professional development plans. 

Effective investment in your people also means investing in your startup and providing skills feedback in the work it produces. Knowing that you care about their career progress will motivate them to be more productive and take more responsibility. 

Motivating employees may seem like a challenging task, but follow these four simple steps, and your team will remain united, productive, happy, and motivated.