Employee engagement has become an important issue in today’s society. We are hearing more and more about the impact and cost of disengaged employees. What strategies can you implement to keep your team motivated?
As a leader, or entrepreneur, you spend countless hours in creating a great vision of the direction you want your company to go. Depending on your industry, you may spend millions of dollars on R&D, Marketing, Purchasing, HR and so on. However, your return on your investment will be greatly reduced if you don’t have a motivated team.
There are several different ways that you can motivate your team, even on a low or nonexistent budget. What counts is that you have a plan and that you measure the success of your plan on an ongoing basis.
Here Are 6 Ways To Motivate Without Money
Implement a wellness program
Develop a partnership with a local gym or a chain that your remote employees can access. Employees can get a discounted membership and you can have a lot of fun being creative. What better way to keep employees productive than taking care of their health? There are gyms that can even design a tailored program for your employees.
Flex time
Depending on your industry, Flex time can also be an option. This can be a huge motivator for your team. With family obligations, the ability to create your schedule can be a huge stress reliever and increase employee engagement.
Embrace Social Media
Social Media is becoming more and more a part of our daily lives. Instead of trying to fight it, why not embrace it with your company’s own Social Media account? Create a Facebook page where employees can participate and share best practices.
Have a Well Designed Development Program
With a well-trained and engaged team, your job is made to be a whole lot easier. How good is your company’s development program? What system do you have in place to challenge and support your team members to keep elevating the bar higher? When employees feel they are making a difference, when they see how their efforts are impacting the bottom line, they will push to do more. Never underestimate the power of a great development program.
It can be as simple as making time for your employees
Feeling heard and that your opinion counts can be one of the biggest motivators. Make sure you’re making one on ones with your team members a part of your weekly planning. This is not the same as a development conversations. This is about measuring performance on an ongoing basis and providing regular coaching and redirection when needed. It is also about connecting with your team and keeping the emotional bank account high.
Create a Culture of Recognition
No matter what your position, we all like to feel appreciated. Create a culture of recognition that rewards great performance and behavior. Challenge your management team to ensure that recognition is top of mind.
Which is your favorite way to motivate without money? Aside from monetary rewards, what factors motivate you?