Motivating My Employees

DEAR MOMENTS OF FOCUS: Our company hasn’t given decent raises in years – if they offer anything, it’s been 1 percent. How do I keep my employees motivated to work

productively?

DEAR MOTIVATING MY EMPLOYEES: The following are three ways to motivate your employees beyond a financial increase: 1. Create a company environment that makes them want to come to work. Studies show that when employees leave a company they are deciding to leave the people they are working with. The same thing applies when an employee chooses to stay at one company rather than moving on to another: They typically stay based on the relationships that they have built and the way that they feel when coming to work. If you can create an environment that will make your employees feel they would not find another one like what they have with you and your team, they are less likely to leave as quickly, even when the financial increase is not there. 2. Encourage them through individual support. Taking the time to have individual conversations with your employees is a very important gift, especially when it is all that you have to show your appreciation. These conversations are golden and help people feel as though they are more than just a “company employee.” When people feel like an asset who is partnering their skills and talent with the company, they are sometimes more willing to make sacrifices, such as taking less of a financial increase, because they feel as though they are getting more than a job out of the relationship. 3. Find ways and free resources to help them grow personally and professionally. If you cannot afford to pay your employees more, reward them with resources that could possibly lead to financial gain. Work hard to supply them with the connections that they need. Whether you are setting up a lunch meeting with one of your contacts or providing free tickets to a professional development conference, contributing to their growth will serve as an added resource.