Top 10 Ways to Motivate Your Staff

By Sara Monday, 13

DVA Youth Blogger

Check out the tips below on best ways to motivate your staff! Motivating your staff helps with productivity and success in the workplace. It is important for managers to know and understand best practices to keep their staff encouraged, happy and motivated to work. Here's how:

1. Be a respectful, honest, and supportive co-worker

Even though being respectful is a no-brainer it means a lot and helps a lot in any workplace. Being respectful might be hard to some but it goes a long way. Honesty makes everything go smoother. Most of the time there is no need for not being honest in the workplace, but if there is honesty will make very thing way more easy.Being supportive doesn’t take a lot but moves a person to either continue what they are doing or help them do better. Constructive criticism is important as well

2. Be transparent

Knowing how business is going makes people in the workplace more invested in their job. They will want to fix it or do more to make sure they are on the right track and doing everything they need to do to make that happen.

3. Ask your staff what it is that they want

Instead of just working and guessing what’s most important to them, actually try to understand your employees and find out what they need to do better. It’s not as crazy as it sounds it could be the best thing you can do to better your workplace.

4. Make your workplace a nice place to be

I am sure no one wants to be in a boring setting for hours during their day. Some ways you can succeed at this is by making sure things are well kept and that you have updated equipment. Another way is by keeping the workplace clean. It is not your employees job to clean after their co-workers. Them cleaning after themselves is enough.

5. Offer more flexibility to staff schedules

Now that we are in the COVID-19 pandemic, this may not apply to everyone. Everybody doesn’t want to work a 9 to 5 everyday for the rest of their lives. Giving staff more time to do things or helping them get it done reduces a lot of stress on your employees. Things like attaching your email account to your phone, making an at-home schedule for yourself, and simply asking for help makes everything much smoother.

6. Be a leader worth following

If leaders set a good example or spread positive thinking employees will follow. Following a work culture will be more motivating. Simply setting a tone in the workplace will have a meaningful effect on people.

7. Have a meaningful and worthwhile goal for staff

The company should have a vision and a plan that everyone can work on at a individual level. Employees who have a set path will work towards the goal as that is the whole point. Achievable goals are very helpful and gives employees motivation to work harder.

8. Recognize staff achievements

If your employees are putting in time and effort into something give them praise on what they did especially if they did not have to do it.Employees whose achievements are recognized will work hard again to make there work look the same if not better.

9. Don’t let your employees become bored

Some people have a short attention span and when it’s lost they seem not to care as much or do as good as they know they can. “Asking what they want” helps with this as well. Ask them what they want to talk about next or organize a meeting to share ideas and just a check in to show you care.

10. Share positive feedback

Making people feel good or giving the right attitude will make them feel appreciated and encourage them to continue. It gives staff a deeper connection to your business. It’s great to feel fulfilled by your work. If your supporters express appreciation towards something your employees did, make sure to share it with them.

Keep in mind these tips when looking to motivate your staff. Understand that as a manager, you are responsible for the achievement of your staff! Contact DVA today to learn how we can help motivate your team.

Feedback or tips for our youth blogger? Send her an email at saram@dvatraining.org.