How to Motivate Employees

In today’s world managers face challenge in making employees perform his or her task efficiently. Employee satisfaction is utmost important in successful completion of work in an organization. For job satisfaction apart from monetary value job motivation is important. Each person has different motivation for working. Some people work for money, some work for recognition and some may work since they have passion towards they do. However whatever be the personal causes for job motivation may be the bottom line fact is that everyone works for money, whatever it may be called compensation, salary, bonuses, benefits or remuneration.
But money is not the sole factor to motivate an employee towards the work. For example manager might increase salary or may give bonus to an employee but it may not motivate the employee, reason is that unless and until the employee is satisfied with his or her job he would not be dedicated towards the job. Managers need to think of innovative ways to motivate employees. When an employee achieves something managers need to give recognition and praise the same. It helps if he/she acknowledges the performance of the employee in front of the entire work force in the office.
Awarding appreciation certificate, ‘Keep it Up’ notes on a regular basis helps a mile to keep an employee engaged, which monetary benefits may not achieve. These acts as recognition and matter of pride for the employee. Recognition can be given at meetings or company-sponsored social gatherings, office lunches, outbound etc. Employers can create an employee newsletter to share updates and recognition. They may also post a bulletin board for employees to share news, hobbies, and recognition.

Managers need to hold periodical staff meetings and should communicate openly with the employees. One to one coaching is important for career development. Employees need to know what is potentially ahead for them, what opportunities there are for growth. Regular monitoring process should be done to set the career path for the employee. Employees are human beings so managers need to treat them patiently. Employers can congratulate the employees on life events such as new babies and can wish them on their birthdays, marriage anniversary, Diwali and Christmas by giving them cards.
Managers can call an employee into office just to say thank you without discussing any other issue. If any task is fulfilled by the employee, managers can write a thank you card or e-mail. They may send a card to the employee’s spouse/family thanking them for their support. Employers should take employees for an informal lunch and dinner once a week. Managers should call for frequent parties to motivate the employee throughout the year. This will create a bond of togetherness among the employees.
Employers should make employees understand that how much he or she is important resource for the organization and if possible should arrange some interaction with the company’s customers. These non-monetary ways motivations are small acts on the part of management but they make huge impact on an employee’s job career. Apart from getting attracted towards money when an employee is motivated to do his or her job then only a sense of bonding and high levels of commitment is developed and an employee thus will perform efficiently.