1. Show recognition and appreciation
Its fine that you say THANK YOU, but it is not enough. What you need is to implement a robust employee recognition program, which will definitely have a much greater impact on your employees. Remember: an employee, whose performance is little appreciated, is an unmotivated employee, who will lose all enthusiasm very soon.
2. Celebrate Milestones
Whether its a birthday, work anniversary, or project completion, celebrating significant events is a great way to keep employees feeling motivated and valued
3. Encourage Professional Development
Its very important to create a special working environment where being professional is a top priority. Remember: when you offer professional development and learning opportunities to your employees, you get rid of boredom and stale thinking. Nothing saps an employees motivation like the feeling that shes stuck in a dead-end job.
4. Encourage bonding outside of working place
Provide your employees with opportunities to bond outside of the workplace, helping them get to know each other a bit more and build trust in the team.
5. Reward your best employees with experience perks
Arrange cooking festivals, paint nights, wine tasting, massages, parachute jumping and so on to provide your top employees with an opportunity to do something they enjoy as a direct result of their hard work.
6. Practice Transparency
A lack of transparency can destroy the trust and credibility that youve worked so hard to maintain in your team. Only by being put in the picture will your employees feel being a significant part of sth really great
7. Break big goals into more manageable chunks
Even if everyone on your team looks forward to tackling a huge new project, when the time comes to get to work, motivation can start fading because in reality it will seem too aspirational to imagine completing it.
8. Give Your Team a free hand
Nobody enjoys being micromanaged. We all want to feel in control of our time and energy, so giving your team a free hand will demonstrate your trust, which will boost motivation
9. Gamify your most important tasks
Try turning work into a game, introducing elements of gameplay to your teams most important tasks.
10. Introduce champion friendly competition
Competition can be a great motivator but if you let it get out of hand, conflict will rise as you see morale and teamwork deteriorate. Avoid pitting your employees against each other.
11. Lead with vision
Employees need to know that all their efforts are driving towards something, it is where vision comes in. Make a visual reminder of your companys roadmap with cut out words, phrases, and images that express the destination you have in sight for the business. Encourage team members to add to it, which will give them a sense of ownership and help ingrain the vision into their daily activities
There are some expressions to help you go in this direction:
HOW TO SET EXPECTATIONS
You know what you need to do. Do I need to spell it out for you?
I expect a lot from you, but I also expect a lot from myself.
I set the bar reasonably high, so just do the best you can.
I dont expect you to become a workaholic, but you need to do your best
Id like to go over some goals for this quarter. Are you game?
HOW TO ASSIGN TASKS
Everyone just needs to carry their own weight; the rest will work itself out.
Please let me know what youd like to do; I want everyone to be happy.
Id like to talk about assigning individual tasks. Everyone should let me know their preferences.
HOW TO DELEGATE TASKS
I think this would be right up your alley. What do you think?
I think youd be the best person to handle this particular job.
I will delegate some tasks, but feel free to let me know if something doesnt suit you.
Everyone has a specific task to accomplish; if one fails, we all fail.
It ultimately comes down to this: I delegate, you do it, we all win.
Your assignments are fixed and nonnegotiable.
HOW TO REWARD EXCELLENCE
We consider working here the highest reward of all.
Were very proud of your dedication and hard work. Keep it up.
I knew I could count on you.
Have I told you lately how valuable you are to this company?
Our success is a direct result of the outstanding work you do here. Thank you!
If you keep this up I think a bonus may be in the works.
Given everything youve done, Id like to reward you with a few paid days off.
What would you like best: a vacation, a bonus, or a raise? Or would you like all three?
HOW TO PROVIDE INCENTIVES
Since you need some motivation, here are the incentives for this project.
Everyone needs something attainable to shoot for, so here is what I can do for you.
What sorts of incentives would motivate you the most?
Id like to tailor these incentives to each person individually; that way, theyll be much more effective.
HOW TO BUILD/INSPIRE CONFIDENCE
You have every reason to be confident and self-assured.
I wonder why you are so modest about your accomplishments.
Your stellar skills/experience should make you much more confident than you are.
Feelings follow actions; if you pretend you are confident, soon you will be.
I think this would be right up your alley. What do you think?
I think youd be the best person to handle this particular job.
HOW TO BOOST YOUR TEAMS CONFIDENCE
Without confidence, youve got everything to lose and nothing to gain.
I hired each of you because I know you can get the job done.
If you were honest with yourselves, youd know just how great you are.
Dont feel shy about your accomplishments; let them shine
HOW TO PRAISE AN EMPLOYEE
I dont typically praise people, but in your case Ill have to make an exception.
You do creditable work here.
Im proud of all youre done here.
I dont know of a better employee, here or anywhere else.
Youve outdone yourself once again.
HOW TO PRAISE YOUR TEAM
This team is clearly a cut above the rest.
No single team has ever done as much; you are all to be commended.
I have never witnessed such excellence in a team. This is absolutely unprecedented.
HOW TO BOOST TEAM/DEPARTMENT MORALE
Look, these ebbs and flows are a part of life. Just roll with the punches.
I know things look bleak now, but Im hoping they will get better.
I have a plan to help get us out of this morass, I promise.
Lets work together to figure out a way to rediscover our joy in our work.
HOW TO NUDGE UNDER-PERFORMERS
If Im coming down hard on you, its because I know youre capable of so much more.
Its going to take some work, but I know youll succeed if you really try.
I know youre having trouble, but I am certain you will figure it out.
What can we do to encourage you to raise the bar on your performance?
I can see that youre in a rut, but I would like to help you out of it.
HOW TO MENTOR A PROMISING EMPLOYEE
You know Im always here if you ever want to talk about your career.
I wish there was some way I could help you avoid common pitfalls on your way to the top.
Ive taken an interest in your career and would like to offer whatever advice I can.
Some wise person once showed me the ropes here; Id like to do the same for you.
If you have the desire to succeed, I have the skills, experience, and time to mentor you.
HOW TO ENCOURAGE INNOVATION
Sometimes innovation is just a matter of looking at the same thing through a different lens.
I think we really need to embrace the motto «Think different.»
I think we are ripe for one of those eureka moments. Are you game?
There are no mistakes here only creativity and innovation.
COMMON COMPLAINS
Now, we would like you to look at the most common complaints people make about their work and figure out what to do and what to say in each situation. Show your best managerial skills. Lets start!