It goes without saying that a company’s key to success is their people. Companies need motivated employees that are willing to go above and beyond expectations to drive revenue. The question is, what motivates employees to perform at their peak day in and day out?
People need to feel that their very human need for finding meaning and purpose is being met by the work that they are doing. Easier said than done. As a business owner, you need to make sure that every task you create for your employees is beneficial to the direction of your company. Let me add that to my list of growing tasks! This is crucial though and you have to make sure you’re doing it right, and soon. If your employees feel like the work they are assigned to isn’t contributing to the direction of the business, and doesn’t mean anything, they’ll be less motivated to put in their greatest effort. By strategically creating tasks that are perceived as valuable by your employees, you are motivating them to perform at their peak.
Practice What You Preach
Talk the talk and walk the walk. One of the best things that you can do to create a positive working environment is practice what you preach. Your employees need to see that you are 100% committed to the well-being of the company. For example, if you want your employees to show up on time everyday but aren’t doing so yourself, they probably will not think that it’s very important to do so. If your employees see that you are going above and beyond expectations everyday, they will be more likely to do so themselves.
Coaching with Feedback
Create an environment where both positive and negative feedback are welcomed. Make them useful by turning them into coaching opportunities. Specific feedback is a critical part of personal growth and development. Let your employees know when they are doing outstanding work to make them feel appreciated, and don’t be afraid to let them know when they are falling short. They will be able to learn from their mistakes and improve their skills. You shouldn’t favor one form of feedback without the other, because if you only give out positive feedback, your employees aren’t very likely to improve. If you only give out negative feedback, your employees won’t feel appreciated or valued.
The Most Important Thing
Last but definitely not least, make work fun. Bring high levels of energy to the office. Enthusiasm is contagious. Come into work everyday and spread laughter and joy around your office. I know this can be challenging as we are human and everyone has a bad day here and there. However, people often feed off other team members emotions so it’s important to focus more on the positive aspects of your business and or life. Whatever this might take, make sure that your employees are happy where they are at. When the basic human need for fun is being met in the workplace, productivity levels go up. Laugh, have fun, and don’t take everything so seriously.
Every company is different, but these guidelines for creating a work environment that drives success is sure to bring motivation and productivity to each and every business.
I’d love to hear from you and your thoughts on creating a positive work environment!
Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.