As an employer and a leader, you have to understand that your role isn’t just to direct your team’s efforts and labor toward the goals that best meet the needs of the business. It’s to ensure that you’re getting the best out of them, and one of the most important elements of that is their motivation. For employees to be truly motivated, they need to know that their efforts are being seen and that they are being appreciated as part of the team. So, what is the best way to do that?
Say “thanks”
The simple gesture of appreciation and gratitude for the work that your employees do, especially when they go above and beyond, should be considered the bare minimum. Few bosses can pull off the kind of loyalty that can keep employees eager to win their approval without actually showing it from time to time. Most of the time, it just builds up resentment and makes them more likely to leave for a culture that feels more suited to their emotional needs.
Money talks
It might not be the answer that every business owner wants to hear but, simply put, if you want to show employees that they are valued beyond the minimum demands of their role, then you had better be willing to show some financial reward beyond the compensation associated with that role. Raises and bonuses are a direct way to show appreciation for good work. If an employee gains an understanding that they’re bringing a lot more value than they’re getting paid for, they are going to start looking for a place that will offer the compensation that they believe they deserve.
Make an employee incentive program
While appreciation and understanding of the good that your employees bring should be shown in an organic manner when possible, you can introduce a system that makes incentives a lot easier to understand. Offering things like free breakfasts at work, gift cards, discounts on local services, and the like can act as a tangible show of your appreciation, and might not cost you quite as much as a raise. Some level of objective metrics to measure employee incentive progress can help the system feel a little less skewed. Leaving it entirely up to your own judgment can sometimes make it seem like you’re playing favorites.
Host an award ceremony
If you have a sizeable team that has helped your business make some major accomplishments, then they should be recognized for the work that they put in. Hosting an award ceremony, including a meal out, or even as part of a company retreat, can offer a tangible reward, and show recognition to those who have gone above and beyond. With quality presentations, such as a crystal award, you can show employees that you do take their contributions very seriously. An internal culture that highlights good effort is a lot more likely to keep producing it.
Focus on building them up
Don’t look at training and employee coaching as a means to correct what skills they might currently be lacking. Rather, frame it as an opportunity to build on the competencies that they already bring to the business, offering the skills that not just make them a more valuable member of the team, but that help them reach their potential, and can help them pave the way for a more fulfilling career. Most employees are happy to get some help developing their resume, as they understand how critical it can be to their place in any company.
Show them respect
Simply put, your employees aren’t going to believe the intention behind any of the gestures mentioned above unless they are treated with the respect and dignity that shows their sincerity. If you’re rude, demanding, and micro-managing with your employees on a daily basis, then they simply will not trust the intention behind any efforts to award or recognize them. They will more likely see it as just a shallow attempt to show some degree of recognition so that they’re more likely to stay in their place. Daily respect is vital for any team, not least of all to help employees feel appreciated in their role.
Team recognition is about more than just a big gesture every now and then. It has to be shown on a regular basis, layered in through daily interactions. Ongoing recognition punctuated by those moments of reward and showing them that they are truly appreciated is a fantastic incentive to ensure that they keep up with the quality of work as time goes on.
