Keeping staff motivated can be a difficult task. You want your workers to feel valued by giving them the freedom to self-motivate, but you want to be able to trust that they will continue to be productive. A modern workplace needs to avoid micromanaging and work on staff motivation.
Staff perks can be great for motivation. They should be split between rewards for good work and general benefits for working at a company. A business needs to be pleasant to work at in order to get the best from its staff and boost staff retention.
Ideas for Workers’s Perks
As mentioned above, workers’s perks should be for both good work and available to all workers. Smaller rewards should be available on a daily basis, while bigger perks should recognise a job well done.
Not all perks need to be tied to performance, though. Ongoing support for staff wellbeing is just as much a perk as any reward, and often has a bigger impact on how people feel about their job day to day. Something as simple as giving employees access to companies like Occupational Health Consultancy can help pick up on health concerns early and shows staff their wellbeing is taken seriously, not just their output. In the long run, this kind of support can be just as motivating as any reward scheme, as it builds trust and loyalty that staff carry with them every day.
Staff car parking
A big bugbear for workers is not having anywhere free to park near their work. Long-stay car parks can become very expensive when they’re used on a daily basis, but the only other alternative is a long walk from a free parking area. One way to ensure your car park remains staff only is to install a barrier. Places like Barriers Direct sell barriers and bollards that are perfect for parking security.
Free hot drinks
Keeping workers happy can sometimes be as simple as providing their caffeine fix as a perk of the job. You’ll never find a more hostile workplace than one where workers have to bring their own supplies. There has never been a more heated argument than between a staff member who suspects a coworker has been drinking their milk!
Flexi time options
Workers who feel in control of their working day tend to feel more satisfied with their job overall. Trusting staff to complete their work on a flexible basis makes them feel valued as a person, which is essential for motivating them in their job.
Staff parties
An end of year celebration is both expected and essential for building team relationships. It’s something for the staff to look forward to, and a great way for the business owners to thank them for the hard work they’ve put in all year. Extra gatherings should be arranged for special milestones (such as 10 years in business, or a record quarter). Thanking your staff with a night out keeps up staff morale ready for the next milestone.
Staff gifts
Not all companies give their workers Christmas presents, but companies with happy workers do. In addition to putting on a staff gathering, small gifts at the end of the year to say thank you go a long way. People like to feel appreciated and for some, only a tangible reward will cement that feeling. Lots of companies make Christmas gift baskets specifically to be bulk bought for staff, so keep an eye out during the festive season.
Internal Incentives
On top of annual perks, small monthly incentives can also help with motivation. Rather than creating contests that reward the best and ignore (the just as valuable) lower achievers, why not set individual targets and host a monthly raffle for those who meet their target. All targets should be based on individual strengths and although they should be a challenge to achieve, they should be achievable for the individual.
Getting to know your staff and understanding which other areas motivate them will help your business come up with its own motivation scheme. The thing to remember is, hard work and great performance always deserves rewards.