How to keep employees motivated, happy

THERE are many personalities in every organisation. However, the two main personality types are: motivated and demotivated employees. Employee motivation is the combination of fulfilling their needs and expectations from their work and their environment.

Your role as a leader or manager is to keep your employees fuelled so that they can perform at an optimal level. This can often be challenging so here are a few effective tips to keep your employees motivated and inspired in their roles:

n Recognise your employees’ potential

Keep track of when your employees show potential – especially when you ask them to assist on a new project or task.

n Encourage new ideas your employees may have

Creativity is important. Allow your employees to explore new ideas. Even if the work environment is restrictive, allow them to be given the opportunity to explore these ideas. Get feedback from other senior leaders in the organisation as to whether the idea is feasible. If it is not worth implementing, provide your employee with the relevant feedback.

The employee will at least know and appreciate that the organisation gave his/her idea some thought. Even if it is not implemented immediately, it could be taken into account for the following year's budget.

n Mentor your employees

Mentoring can take place formally or informally through regular interaction and communication with your employees. Mentoring needs to take place regularly and not just before an annual performance review. Listen to your employees and find out more about their current and future development. Give them unbiased insight and make relevant recommendations.

n Empower your employees with necessary resources

Provide them with internal or external training, online resources, workshops, wellness training programmes, psychological support programmes, etc. You need to create an environment conducive to giving your employees a sense of support at all times.

n Management recognition for outstanding performance

If your employee has done something positive for your department and/or your organisation, give senior management feedback. Your employee may get an internal e-mail or a comment in passing from one of the senior leaders in the organisation and this will make him/her feel valued by you and your organisation.

n Consider what is important to your employee

Personal development, company culture, or their vision for your organisation. Sometimes an employee needs to understand the importance of their role within the organisation. For example, a receptionist may feel his/her role is just to greet clients, get them something to drink and send them to a boardroom. However, this is a very significant role.

Your clients’ first impression of your business is when they meet your receptionist so your employee needs to be professional and friendly. Your employee working in this role is a “brand ambassador” for the organisation. No matter what role each employee plays in your organisation, every employee needs to understand the importance of his/her role at the workplace. When this happens, employees function with a greater sense of purpose and drive.

n Highlight success stories with your team members

This helps with pushing the employees in your team to work towards making the team successful within the business.

Identify future projects that your employees can possibly get involved in. This will excite and encourage them about their future in your organisation.

n Incentive compensation

Performance bonuses, extra leave days, holidays, and company prizes are motivating factors for employees. For example, a company like Google offers its employees who are new parents, time off and some extra spending money to help them welcome their new bundle of joy.

Google also offers its employees and their families free travel insurance even on personal holidays. Incentives go a long way to keeping your employees motivated.

n Work/life balance

You want your employees to work hard and be productive – but they also require some time out. A good way of showing recognition is to give your employees an extra day off when they are going on holiday or if it is their child's birthday. When the employee returns to the workplace, he/she is refreshed, rejuvenated and ultimately more motivated to work harder.

The most valuable assets in your organisation are your employees. Actioning the steps above conveys to them the message that they are valued and appreciated as integral to the organisation and also as people. The bottom line is this: motivated and valued employees are more likely to perform with a bolstered level of excellence. Keep your employees motivated – they are the “building blocks” of a successful organisation.

Olivia Eleanor Timothy is HR manager at Werksmans Attorneys.