Motivating employees - how to effectively increase employee engagement?

Work is a means to an end, not an end in itself. As much as possible, it shouldn’t be a hated necessity, because then it’s done without commitment. It’s the employer’s job to motivate employees to work effectively.

Employee motivation as a key factor in team management

Either the employees will keep themselves in check—they’ll care about doing a good job—or they won’t. In the latter case, the boss becomes a taskmaster, just like in the not-so-distant reality of serfdom. If the boss doesn’t want to micromanage the employees, he has to motivate them.

Ways to Motivate Employees

Broadly speaking, employee motivation can be divided into two categories: financial and non-financial. Both types of motivation are necessary to effectively encourage employees to work efficiently.

Motivating employees through compensation benefits

Financial incentives for employees can include money, but also other benefits.

The role of competitive salaries

A sufficiently high salary is probably the biggest motivator for employees to work hard. You have to expect that if competitors offer a raise, employees will start looking for opportunities to switch jobs.

Financial incentives are, however, the most expensive form of employee motivation. Yet having enough money to set some aside provides a sense of security, and the importance of this factor cannot be overstated.

Bonuses and awards for achievements

A fixed salary should be supplemented by a discretionary component, namely a bonus. Good work without any mistakes should result in a bonus. If duties are performed in a less-than-satisfactory manner, the bonus may be reduced. This serves as a warning to the employee: your work isn’t quite up to par; you need to improve.

It’s also worth adding rewards to these employee motivation strategies. They shouldn’t be given out too often, but it’s a good idea to present them publicly to boost the motivation of employees who weren’t recognized. The reason for the reward should be announced publicly. It must be a reward for a specific achievement, not for overall performance.

Benefit packages: insurance, gym memberships

Various employee benefits are a very common way to motivate staff. The ability to see a specialist without having to wait a year is valuable. Also valuable—though not for everyone—is the ability to work out at the gym or go swimming without incurring additional costs.

These are convenient ways for employers to motivate employees, because services purchased as part of a package are significantly cheaper than the same service purchased individually by an employee.

Motivatingemployees through non-monetary benefits

Non-financial incentives for employees are not very common in Poland. These are things that require employers to think creatively and be committed.

Training and courses

The process of motivating an employee should consist of many elements. One of them is sending them to training sessions and courses. This is beneficial for both parties. The employee gains qualifications and can look forward to a promotion, while the employer gains a better-qualified employee. Unfortunately, in Poland, many people work their entire lives without ever being sent to a single course.

Opportunity for promotion

Motivating employees through the prospect of promotion is limited by the number of positions available at each level of the hierarchy. However, it is undoubtedly desirable for employees to feel that it is worth striving for a promotion because the employer looks for talent within the company rather than outside it.

Flexible working hours

Motivating employees through flexible work hours seems to be losing its effectiveness. Anyone who could has already implemented such policies. Of course, there are places where flexible hours simply can’t be implemented. This is particularly true for production workers.

A supportive work environment

Unfortunately, new cases of workplace bullying continue to surface in Poland. What comes to light is just the tip of the iceberg. The feudal model of workplace relations also persists here. In state-owned companies, this is often due to the fact that the boss is less competent than the subordinate but has powerful connections.

Remote Work Programs

Remote work programs are an excellent way to motivate employees. This has become particularly important during the pandemic. At that time, employees at many companies realized just how much time they were wasting commuting to work. Today, it is one of the key factors in employee motivation. Many people say they would not take a job that requires them to commute every day.

Childcare

The days of company-run daycare centers are long gone, but it’s safe to say that such an offer is a desirable way to motivate employees—especially if the team is young.

Team-building events as a motivational tool

Motivating employees by organizing team-building events is a good idea. It doesn’t necessarily have to be an overnight retreat, which is usually associated with alcohol consumption—if not outright drunkenness. Renting a conference room for a team-building event might be a better option.

Building team bonds

At such a meeting, employees have the opportunity to meet people from other departments with whom they usually only exchange emails. This can help with day-to-day work. But it also provides an opportunity to build closer relationships.

Improving communication

Getting to know people from other departments undoubtedly improves communication within the company. If we know who we’re writing to, it’s easier for us to convey exactly what we mean. It’s also easier to give them a call, which is especially important for new and shy employees.

Building a Strong Organizational Culture

During a team-building event, you can show all employees key areas of the company that they may not interact with on a daily basis. They will also learn where they fit into the “organizational hierarchy.” If they find out they play an important role, this will motivate them to work harder. Understanding the company’s organizational structure and how different departments interact can be very valuable.

Motivating through shared goals and celebrating achievements

A team-building event can be an excellent opportunity to present the team with short-term goals and motivate them to work toward achieving them. Publicly recognizing their successes can help achieve this. Combining the presentation of goals with recognition will motivate employees to achieve the goals that have just been set.

Motivating employees to go the extra mile for the company is a complex process that requires taking into account a wide range of economic and psychological factors. There is no single formula for motivating employees. To effectively motivate employees, you have to constantly keep this in mind.