Easy ways to motivate your employees

Productive employees begin with small business owners that can encourage them to think outside the box and show them that they are needed. A motivated employee is productive because they are eager and excited to do their job. They have a strong desire to be the best at their position and they want to earn the trust and respect of their co-workers and managers. How can you learn to motivate your employees to become successful at their jobs? Here are some suggestions:

1. Praise and recognition. Employees don't always need to have compensation when they do their job and they often feel resentful toward the company if you only recognize them when they do something wrong. You need to watch your employees closely and look for times when you can praise them for doing a good job. If you find that they are struggling, take time to sit down with them and give them a few tips on how they can do better as this will give them some extra confidence and motivation to work harder.
2. Make sure they have an adequate work load. Sometimes employees are overwhelmed and their employers do not notice. You also have the employees that are completely bored out of their minds. Increasing their job responsibilities is a wonderful way to motivate your employees. Calling them into your office and taking some of the burden off their shoulders will also feel like they can breathe again and they will be able to be motivated about their job again. When you find the right balance of work for your employees, you have successfully found a way to encourage them to find a satisfying career path and you can show them where they can go with the company if they continue on this path.
3. Be clear with your instructions. Employee morale and motivation will diminish when employees feel confused and frustrated with their instructions. Always give clear instructions to your employees and encourage them to come and talk to you if they feel confused. This is the best way to help them stay focused on their job duties and to feel a sense of pride when they work hard and accomplish their goals.
4. Encourage your employees to work together. Assign a few employees to work together on a team. Sometimes the employees that have lost their motivation to work hard need to have a little pick me up from their co-workers with positive attitudes and this is a great way to help them get back on track with their goals. Working as a team is a wonderful way to bring unity to your staff and it's a simple way to build a healthy work environment.
5. Give your employees feedback. When you give an assignment, be sure to follow up with feedback along the way. Quite often managers don't give feedback to their employees and this will leave a person feeling confused about their job and wondering if they are doing it correctly. Point out the positive and negative things so your employee can see what they are doing right and where they need to improve.
6. Hold regular meetings to show your employees how their job really does impact the entire organization. Sometimes employees feel unnoticed and they stop trying to do their jobs because they feel like no one will notice or care if they don't do their job. Always make sure they feel appreciated. Give them a longer lunch hour once and awhile or treat them to lunch. Doing little things to show that you really do appreciate them is one of the best ways to motivate them and to increase their job satisfaction.