Keeping employees happy and motivated is one of the biggest challenges any organization can face. As the old adage goes, a happy employee is a productive employee. Good paychecks and interesting job descriptions can only go some way in keeping your employees happy, motivated, and productive!
Here are four more things you can do to keep your employees content:
Rewards and recognition: Not all employees have the same talent or work ethic. It is important for the organization to recognize those who are doing well and performing in a way that exceeds expectations. Recognition not only motivates that employee but also serves to motivate the others.
Also, if there is no recognition of performance, you might even run the risk of high-performing employees becoming disenchanted and unmotivated.
Give/Seek Constant feedback: Organizations should encourage managers to keep providing constant feedback to the employees. Either through a formal or an informal appraisal, it is essential that employees are told about their performance so as to be clear about what’s expected from them and how they match up to it.
You can also institute a reverse feedback structure where in employees gives feedback to managers, be it on the leadership style, any process improvements, or their style of functioning. This allows a frank, free and fair system of exchange between the organization and the employee.
Atmosphere of continuous learning: In the information age, knowledge is paramount. Organizations should seek to train their employees constantly and encourage them to have an appetite for knowledge. Through carefully designed courses, organizations can not only impart necessary functional knowledge but also give training on soft skills and productivity.
Apart from the obvious benefit of raising the skill level of the employee, this will also help identify those with a penchant for knowledge and self-improvement who could be nurtured for leadership roles in the future.
Collaboration/Communication: Organizations should seek to encourage a collaborative atmosphere at the workplace. Employees are likely to communicate and contribute more if they sense that the management is interested in their ideas/views/opinions.
Employees also gain a sense of personal responsibility and importance that comes from being part of a team which will surely reflect in their work.
What else can you think of? Please let us know.
