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July 20, 2017
When your staff is successful, your business is successful. So it’s essential to the quality of your output to have motivated, hard working talent on board! Your company’s reputation depends on the commitment of your workers—and you can take steps to build a loyal staff willing to go the extra mile for your business. Here’s how.
Eight ways to encourage hard work
You can offer several perks that show your workers you care, which in turn encourages them to do their very best. To do this, try any (or all!) of the following:
Offer flexible scheduling.
The marketplace is abuzz with this popular motivational technique that allows for work-life balance. It can be difficult for employees to juggle personal commitments such as family obligations, appointments, and events with a static work schedule. So if the job allows, offering your workers the ability to adjust their arrival or departure time (while still putting in the same number of hours) can be hugely successful in building employee loyalty.
Allow dress-down days.
Though business dress looks nice, it requires staff to maintain a wardrobe that costs more, may require dry cleaning and other pricey upkeep, and that isn’t always comfortable. A dress-down day here and there is a special treat that can help your workers kick back and relax a little.
Early dismissal on Fridays.
When your employees know there’s a special perk at the end of the week—like leaving early on Fridays—it can motivate them to work hard towards that day. Early dismissal is also effective as a surprise announcement on Friday afternoon, and can also be used as a reward for a long, tough week.
Ask what they think.
Your employees are closer to individual tasks and processes and will have ideas for how you can improve the way you do things at your company. Asking for their thoughts and ideas lets them know they matter, which can be an encouragement to keep up the good work. To gather employees’ ideas, hold regular staff meetings and ask for feedback—then be sure to use the suggestions that work!
Keep them in the loop.
Workers don’t want to be kept in the dark, so let them in on the big picture on a regular basis. It will help your staff feel more invested in the company and their role within it.
Tell them what you expect.
You can encourage the highest level of productivity when you help your staff understand the parameters that define success. Deadlines, minimum quantity thresholds, and quality of output are all ways to measure how well your employees are performing. This can help them meet and even exceed your expectations.
Recognize and reward hard work.
Honoring the accomplishments of your workers makes them feel good but also encourages them to keep achieving. You might mention hard workers in your corporate newsletter or on the company intranet. A simple “thank you” can also go a long way. Rewards such as company-branded merchandise, gift cards or PTO are all popular choices for recognition gifts.
Practice what you preach.
If you want your staff to work hard and stay positive, you must also do the same. Nothing is more motivating than working alongside a leader who lives and breathes the company mission and vision!
In search of new staff?
Check out Inter-Connect! We work with employers in the Tri-State area to find and place office and light industrial staff. To learn more, contact us today to speak with one of our experienced recruiters.