Motivating and engaging staff
Wouldn’t it be great if every member of your team turned up day-in and day-out bubbling with enthusiasm?
To have that type of team member, it is up to you to make them feel motivated, engaged and energised.
Here are 6 tips on that you can use today to motivate your team.
1. Motivate yourself!
Enthusiasm is contagious! So too is its opposite, apathy or indifference… Before you can know how to motivate your team, you should work on yourself first.
That’s largely a personal matter. For some of us it is an early morning run and a cold shower, for others it is standing in front of the mirror and telling ourselves how hot we are…
One thing we should all do is to set ourselves daily, weekly and annual goals.
Ask yourself every day, “What do I want to achieve today?” and then look back at the day and rate your performance. Your goals should be a mix of tangible (e.g. sales targets) and intangible (e.g. putting a smile on a colleague’s face).
2. Share the company vision
There is plenty of jargon on the internet about branding and marketing out there, but let’s speak in a language that’s actually accessible… If you’re running a bar or restaurant, you want your customers to be able to complete the following sentence without having to think about it: “I go to [name of establishment] because …”, right?
The answer could be something straightforward, such as “because they serve the best coffee and snacks in town.” The point is that your team should feel that they are contributing to the mission. If you make them feel indispensable, you’ll turn them into sales weapon and making your vision a reality, whatever their job.
Why is this important? Your team will see how their efforts impact the success of your company as a whole, rather than just through the small lens of their day-to-day routine.
This will make them feel more motivated to give their very best. It’s been scientifically proven: we all want meaningful work; by making a difference to other people’s lives, we feel a psychological boost.
3. Show your appreciation
A word of praise or a pat on the back is always very welcome, but there is a lot more you can do. Some Bizimply customers show appreciation for their employees by sharing their achievements and occasions like their birthday’s on their Facebook or Instagram page.
Take a genuine interest in them as individuals with lives outside of work. By asking questions about their family, hobbies and activities, people feel more valued!
Celebrate staff members’ birthdays and use the occasion to make a short speech praising the contribution.
In an industry where high rates of turnover are the norm, it is vital to acknowledge, celebrate and reward longevity. Five years in the job deserves something extra special: showing your appreciation will be money well spent.
Remember: celebrations are for the staff, as individuals or as a team. Bosses sometimes make the fatal mistake of thinking it is about them, which will be seen as arrogance and vanity.
4. Listen
Employees like to feel that their opinions are valued, and they like to let off steam now and again.
There is nothing more demotivating than a boss who already knows everything and does little to interact meaningfully with other team members.
Sometimes employees will come up with good (even great) ideas, but simply listening to what they have to say will make them feel more engaged with the business. Make time for this – no boss should ever be so busy that they have no time to listen.
5. Offer incentives
A little competition between employees can be a good thing. It is important to take care to strike the right balance between results and company values. You can and should reward achievements such as top sales results or best attendance record, by giving out awards for their accomplishments, but they should not be excessive, and there should never be any hint of favouritism.
Incentives can also be linked to more specific objectives. Perhaps you are you trying to push a new menu item for takeaway this weekend? Tell your service staff that whoever manages to sell most will be rewarded. A gift voucher or a small cash prize should do the trick.
6. Fair distribution of tips
If yours is a business where it is normal for staff to get service charges or tips, you should implement a tronc scheme and explain it to employees. Tronc schemes (from the French word for a collecting box) allow customer tips and service charges to be distributed to your employees in a tax-efficient manner and provide a cost-free method of motivation, incentives and rewards.
Click here to download your free Tronc calculator!
