How to motivate your staff

As a manager I often develop new ways of motivating my staff and creating opportunities for team building and generally trying to develop a thriving and fun workplace environment.

I have found over the years that to motivate people can take very little effort; I mean it doesn't have to cost you the earth to do so. The majority of people only want acknowledgement for doing something outside of their job description. You know something that has shown initiative, something that has shown you that they are happy and willing to work for you.

Do you know what the best form of acknowledgement is? Or the best form of reward? It's simply saying the words "Thank you" or "Great Job". You watch what happens when those words are delivered to the appropriate person with the utmost sincerity. They will have a grin from ear to ear...!

A happy employee means a happy workplace..!

Other simple and yet powerful rewards to help motivate your staff and to develop team building are the following;

• Movie tickets
• Dinner for two at their favourite restaurant
• A nights accommodation at their favourite hotel/motel
• Take them out to lunch to celebrate
• Take your team out to lunch to celebrate

You know these things are not hard to do and I continue to see a failure in many managers to embrace this form of recognition and reward. Just think of it this way, you have worked throughout the night on a critical business presentation in readiness for its delivery the next day. Now to do this has meant you have sacrificed not only your time, but your family's, you've had a rushed dinner, missed your favourite television show, missed out on sleep, etc. The next day comes around very fast and before you know it you're in the boardroom about to present it to your boss.

Your boss comes up to you after reading the proposal and the first thing they say is "There's a few mistakes in here, do it again", man at that moment you feel like punching their lights out.
OR

Your boss comes up to you after reading the proposal and the first thing they say is "Fantastic effort, great job". Man, that makes the last 24 hours melt away and you feel on top of the world for hours to come.

You see what an influence you can have when a few simple words are said to an employee who is putting in 110 percent. A happy employee means a happy and productive workplace.