Most managers sooner or later think about how to motivate their employees, especially if the occupation or increased workload leads to frequent burnout.
The first thing that comes to mind, as a rule, is material motivation in the form of bonuses or increased salaries, but this is far from the best and certainly not the only type of motivation.
Let’s talk about what can cheer up your employees. Let’s start with a basic minimum: the absence or presence of what can annoy your people?
Water / Tea / Coffee
Every person has a basic need to drink, and people love to drink something tasty. Put on a cooler, a coffee machine, a set of tea bags – and the minimum is guaranteed.
Market salary
If an employee is paid deliberately less than the market, this is an iron reason for them to constantly think about changing jobs.
Interesting / difficult / clear tasks
People are different. Someone needs interesting tasks – this is a good reason to share emotions with friends and acquaintances, someone wants to develop, fighting difficult challenges every day, and someone, on the contrary, wants stable and understandable tasks that do not need to think about, but can be safely done day in and day out.
Lack of micromanagement / redundant bureaucracy
If management forces employees to report on their work every day, asks them to fill out papers that no one reads or that make life difficult – in such conditions it is very difficult to create an atmosphere charged for the result. Check results, not reports, provide a reasonable level of control depending on the level of credibility of the performer.
Comfortable equipment: productive laptops / macs, multiple large monitors, wireless peripherals
If a person spends more time fighting a tool, for example, a lagging computer, than on the tasks themselves, this cannot but be annoying. An effective lumberjack cuts with a sharp saw, if it is dull, it is better to stop and sharpen it.
Nice / comfortable office: armchairs, bedside tables, modern design renovation, convenient location, beautiful building, lighting, ventilation, air conditioning, regular cleaning
Employees should not travel to the office in cramped transport with many transfers, choke in the office from the heat or shiver from the cold, get dirty with dust or work in a stuffy environment. It is not necessary to have an office in the city center with expensive repairs, but basic comfort must be provided, otherwise people will think and talk about it more than about work.
Corporate events / teambuildings, gifts (for employees, for children of employees)
We all know that at least once a year, all employees expect some kind of general celebration where they could relax, unwind and chat with colleagues in an informal atmosphere. Do not deny them this! You can do these meetings more often – for example, once a quarter talk about the company’s achievements and at the same time conduct entertainment events, so you will kill two birds with one stone.
Recreation area / play area: ottomans, sofas, set-top box, table football / tennis, mini-cinema
This item is fairly inexpensive, but reminds your people that resting people work well. In addition, it improves the atmosphere in the team.
Flexible / free schedule
Often it is not so important what time certain office employees come and go. What matters is what results they achieve. For an individual, the ability to come and go at a convenient time can be quite significant, especially if this person is a deep owl, or he/she has small children.
Fruits / Cookies / Sweets / Chocolate / Pizza / Buns
Tea and coffee are great on their own, but it’s even better if you can add an apple, candy or cookie to them. The cost of this type of motivation is small, but is definitely appreciated by employees.
Partner discounts
This is a free way to barter with some partners: you offer them advertising among your employees, they give you a discount for it.
Recognition: certificates, public awards
Another free or near-free way to make your people happy is to show how you value them, that their achievements are noticed and rewarded. But be careful with this method of motivation – it is very easy to offend someone who goes unnoticed.
Training: internal and external meetups, courses
Depending on your budget and the number of employees, you can either send them to training in various courses that will add value and confidence to the organization, or you can arrange internal meetings. In these meetings, employees can proudly share with each other personal achievements that can be used by someone else or that will simply inspire by their example.
Compensation for meals / meals in the office, voluntary medical insurance, travel compensation: travel to the office, taxi in case of late work delays
This item costs money, but definitely adds loyalty. This is especially true if your employees work for wear and tear and often stay late at work.
Relaxation room as a capsule hotel / shower
If your employees have to spend the night at work from time to time, it’s great to be able to let them do it in a comfortable environment.
Fitness (gym, joint games (football, paintball, …))
Joint fitness brings together, keeps your employees in good shape and, as a result, keeps them in a good mood. In addition, exercise literally burns off stress.
Promotions (position / grade)
Develop people. Split the positions into many grades and let’s slowly get the next grades with a small salary increase. On average, you will spend the same as with a regular promotion scheme, but your people will constantly feel their growth, both career and material.
Access to top management
If you have a small organization, you can encourage communication between top management and ordinary employees. This adds loyalty, in addition, the management can learn interesting facts that, as a rule, do not break through from the bottom, but which are worth knowing about.
Opinion polls and decision making
Make decisions based on the opinion poll. People will feel that their opinion means something and this will charge them with positive.
Loan / mortgage at a low rate from an organization, long-term contracts
If the organization has free money, you can lend it to employees at a low rate in exchange for long-term cooperation. It is also possible to conclude long-term contracts with especially valuable people on the principle of “work in the company longer – you get more.”
Salary indexation
After 2-3 years of working in your company, employees who have not received promotions will begin to feel that their purchasing power is decreasing – prices are rising, but salaries are not. Make salary indexing and you will significantly reduce requests for promotions and unexpected entrances to the market of your employees.
Salary above the market
We conclude our review with the classic material motivation. If you can pay above the market, you can retain employees this way. But remember that monetary motivation stops working after a maximum of six months.
Bonuses (quarterly / annual / project)
Reward your employees with regular performance-based bonuses, but you need to be very clear about which results are really good and which are not.
