The most common and powerful trait in any team of highly productive rock stars is undeniably motivation. And though it isn’t easy to instill motivation in others, it is necessary for employee retention, professional growth, satisfaction, and productivity. Motivated employees are imperative to the success of any organization. Since no single strategy will motivate all teammates, we did our research and came up with a list of seven different strategies and ways to encourage motivation in the workplace and create ultra-motivated employees.
1) Choose the right leaders.
Always keep in mind that leaders of any team and/or organization set an example for everyone else. So finding a person who exemplifies your company’s core values, who can perform under pressure, and who is motivated, is absolutely crucial to motivating others. Leaders set the pace and the work ethic, and directly influence the mentality (and motivation) of their group. To have a motivated team, the leader should be positive, resilient, and optimistic when facing challenges at work, so their perspective teammates will react similarly to adversity. And don’t forget to convey this to your leaders! Let them know their responsibility to motivate by example can positively affect the workplace and the morale of all employees.
2) Keep your teammates happy.
Wouldn’t you agree that happy employees are generally the best employees? It might sound a little obvious, but this one simple truth has the potential to double the productivity of any given employee. Happy employees are the best because they are able to both focus on their work tasks and be more creative in getting the job done. They are also not only better leaders (by being more resilient) but also better team players (by helping others and solve problems). Doesn’t the “happy employee” sound like the best employee ever? This one is usually often overlooked because one’s happiness has a strong “personal” variable. But spending most of our days at the office means that the workplace has a strong influence on the happiness of any given individual. So find out what would make your employees happier. Incentives? Better pay? Quarterly training? A few extra vacation days? Taking ownership and responsibility of employee happiness might sounds daunting, but it will pay off in the end for your company and the productivity accomplished by that employee. It’s up to you to figure out what will make your employees happy!
3) Reward progress.
There are three great ways you can reward progress: praise, prizes, and promotion. Even if it is just a simple nod of 
recognition, employees tend to work harder when they know that their efforts are noticed, their milestones have been hit, and their challenges have been overcome. Thank your employees when a job has been done well, and offer praise when deserved. If you have the means to take it a step further, adding a “prizes” mentality (perks, incentives, and bonuses) will ramp up healthy competition and motivation levels in any office. However sometimes the best prize is knowing that a job well done will lead to promotion. Offering opportunities for advancement is another way to reward progress and motivation in the workplace. Showing appreciation and recognizing hard work uplifts employee morale, and reinforcing positive behavior with a reward is a sure motivation-enhancer.
4) Communicate honestly and be transparent.
This one unfortunately isn’t always given much thought, but the importance of communication, honesty, and transparency from upper management is a huge influence on motivation, mainly because it creates trust. When employees don’t spend time worrying or continuously feeling out of the loop (and negative), they tend to focus their time on actual work tasks. Enter motivation and productivity! Communicating with employees on important company happenings actually includes everyone and makes the individual feel like an important part of the organization. Trust and open lines of communication also encourage honesty for employees — they are more likely to bring up issues sooner rather than later, and thus solve and overcome these issues quickly. Instilling this sense of community can do wonders for company morale and motivation.
5) Provide tools needed to succeed.
Whatever it may be — a short training course, individual attention, office
equipment, or new responsibilities and challenges — figuring out the right tools for the success of your team should be a top priority for any leadership role. A small investment of time or money in these tools has the potential for unlimited returns!
6) Build ownership.
One of the more difficult yet rewarding strategies is building a sense of responsibility and ownership for the job among employees. It is the most natural and instinctive way for a member of any team to feel motivated. The key for leaders to remember is to make employees feel part of a crucial team — making employees feel like “they just work here” is a huge motivation/productivity killer. You’ve got to give your team members genuine purpose, and show them in your own unique way that they are a crucial part of an important team. This feeling will grow the sense of ownership, responsibility, and urgency in completing any project. Genuine ownership has no bounds when it comes to boosting productivity.
7) Make the office a fun, comfortable place to work.
Okay, maybe not a slide. But creating an environment that your team will be excited to walk into everyday is priceless. A comfortable and fun office space eliminates the “stuffy” feeling that is often too common in workplaces, and instead allows for a relaxed and creative mentality. There’s not right or wrong way to do this — check out some of these recent examples if you are feeling inspired. Creating a work culture is a part of creating a fun and comfortable office environment, and strong work cultures tend to promote positivity, creativity, and you guessed it, motivation.
So do some research, or ask your employees! Guaranteed that they will have some ideas.