How to Inspire Staff to Perform Better

|| For Freelancers & Entrepreneurs |

Any manager worth her cap will tell you that nothing elevates a company more than competent and properly motivated staff. Great products and ground-breaking innovations are often products of a few motivated individuals. Meantime, good products that are represented by inspired sales teams are certain to dominate the market. On the other hand, even an ingenious idea or a potentially profitable business will regularly encounter stumbling blocks when the people that make it run are uninspired or have very low motivation to succeed.

Senior executives are aware that staff motivation enhances individual and team performance and makes the work environment highly conducive to success. But not all managers fin it easy to motivate their teams. Here are some sure-fire techniques that will help you inspire your staff.

1. Give them a tangible model to emulate. By setting a good example yourself, employees will have a work pattern to copy. When managers come to work on time, communicate and collaborate intensively, respect their peers and staff, and deliver exceptional outputs, staff will have no choice but perform in the same way.    

2. Share the company's successes. Nothing makes employees feel they belong to the company more than sharing the rewards it receives. Profit sharing, bonuses, and perks can be excellent motivating factors when implemented smartly. Be wary, however, of using monetary rewards as your main motivating factor.

3. Never clamp dissent. Allow employees to safely air complaint and feedback and encourage discussions to formulate relevant and effective solutions.

4. Integrate fun and happiness in your corporate culture. Happy employees are easy to motivate and creating a fun work environment usually results to surprisingly exceptional outcomes.