The typical office can be imagined as a plain and boring place to be in. This also usually reflects how employees view their workplace as a gray environment that continually sucks up their energy as they go through their day. Business owners and managers may be exuding a lively passion in their line of work, but if employees do not feel the same, the entire office can become a stressful place for everyone.
Motivating employees can be a daunting task. This would involve identifying the things that stimulate each person in the company and finding a way to implement those things without spending too much to cause a major financial loss. More systemic changes can be done, like adjusting schedules, setting weekly goals, and promoting transparency to boost employee morale. But here are some practical suggestions.
Arrange for free healthy snacks
Food can be one of the simplest yet effective ways to motivate people. Arranging for your company to provide an assortment of healthy snacks or even lunch meals can boost energy while they are working. Many benefits come with providing food for employees, with the most important benefit of increasing workplace productivity.
Having free food inside the office will lower the number of times they go outside, giving them more time to do their work better. It will give them more opportunities to socialize with their superiors and coworkers to create an interactive environment.
Revamp the workplace
The workplace can be boring, especially when the space has been the same for a long time. This can make employees feel that their days and their work are too repetitive. Giving the office a makeover can help to reinvigorate and motivate employees in their work. The change can be as simple as repainting walls into a different color or as drastic as remodeling an entire room to fit a completely new theme or aesthetic.
Build an office playground
Building a play area for the office will offer employees a space to unwind whenever they feel stuck in their work. Having a safe space to temporarily let go of and let out their stresses through healthy and active activities will help employees work better. Instead of sitting all day in front of their desks, they will get to spend some energy and lift their moods through the recreational activities offered. Setting up ping pong, soccer, and pool tables is a classic option, but installing pickleball courts, tennis fields, basketball courts, and the like is gaining more popularity in modern offices.
Give out incentives
The most obvious way to motivate workers is to give out incentives. Apart from their salaries and bonuses, giving added rewards for a job well done can inspire them to do their best in their work. Of course, positive verbal feedback from their superiors is one of the biggest rewards and effectively recognizes their hard work. But tangible rewards like additional monetary compensation, a small company celebration, or honorary distinguishing titles and certificates like employee of the month can be awarded. They will definitely go a long way in pushing everyone to become more efficient employees.
Schedule breaks
It is important to give employees their deserved breaks. This will help them recover even just a little from job-related stress instead of overworking and burning out. Even employers and managers need some time to take a break. Scheduling a period for people to pause their works is a relatively easy task to yield immediate results.
Ask for employee feedback
Asking for employee feedback is a necessary step in boosting their work enthusiasm. The task not only seeks to get their opinions and adjust the system to help them work better. The act itself can show the workers that they are all being considered as part of the entire company’s progress. They are all valuable to achieving the goals of the institution. Feeling like a part of something bigger can definitely motivate people to be their best selves.
Although these are the practical ways to motivate employees, the task actually goes further than simple steps and solutions. Keeping an open communication that fosters trust and understanding between employers and workers is the key to driving people towards success. But it takes time and effort from all parties involved for results to become visible.