In the age of the internet and frequent procrastination, motivating the modern workforce can be tough. After all, many people are also unhappy at work too, so it can be tough for you to get the best out of people who perhaps don’t want to be at work in the first place. Still, there are ways to make things better.
If workers are unhappy or lack motivation, interpret this as your failure too. As an employer or manager, it’s your role to help workers believe in your goals. Consequently, here’s how to motivate your modern workforce.
Dress Code
Dressing smart is no longer an indicator of a good worker. While some people think dressing like you know what you’re doing and knowing what you’re doing are interchangeable concepts, the truth is a worker in a hoodie and jeans can perform just as well as anyone in formal dress. More and more, workplaces are beginning to wonder; what is the point in a smart dress code?
Whispers of discipline or tradition might float around in answer to the question, but any reasonable person knows these answers to be feeble. If workers arrive in more casual clothing, they will firstly be more comfortable and perhaps be more inclined to sit at a desk for 8 hours a day. They may also be happier, building better relationships with colleagues as a result. Finally, it just acknowledges the truth; results impress people, not looks.
Work from Home Schemes
Employers used to love a busy office space. However, just like the trends involving formal dress codes at the workplace, the actual workplace itself is seeing decline in its use. More and more people are now becoming eligible to work from home, particularly in office jobs. While some boss’ will resist the change for awhile yet, there’s really no reason to. Employees are far more productive, and much happier, when working from home.
For example, there’s more time to focus on their job from a lack of commuting, less noise from the hustle and bustle of the office, more comfort from a familiar environment, and far less time going to and from meetings. This all means they can double down on their work free of distractions, then have a few minutes to say, walk their dog or take a quick Skype call from some colleagues. In the end, this all eases up the typical ‘grind’ aspects of the working day.
Rewards and Respect
Employees aren’t just there to fill seats; they’re people, and people require respect to feel happy and content. In every instance when they’re reminded that they’re not just some faceless drone for a corporation, their motivation levels will go up. Some appreciation can go a long way, and workers who feel valued will work hard to retain that admiration and may even decrease the staff turnover rate in result.
You could offer bonuses to well-performing employees, or notify people that rewards are on offer; theater and concert tickets, prepaid cards, vouchers and more. These little incentives aren’t so extravagant to turn friendly colleagues into competitive rivals, but they’re enough to boost productivity that little bit. It’s a cherry on the cake, a bit of harmless fun to top off a busy day.
