7 Ways to Motivate and Energize Employees

Do you have enthusiastic employees? People who are excited to do their jobs and contribute whatever they can to further your business? If you are like most entrepreneurs, you don’t.
But you can reverse this situation and turn your employees into real fans. It all starts on their very first day.
On a typical first day at an average company, the new employee fills out forms, orders business cards and sits alone. Maybe they get to go to lunch with the intern. After that long first day, someone at home asks, “How was your day?” And with that, they relive the awful start. You've squashed their enthusiasm from the very beginning.
There is a better way, actually seven better ways, to foster enthusiastic employees. Celebrate their first day
Be prepared before a new employee gets to work. Thank them for joining your company, maybe even with a greeting card. Have their business cards already printed the day they start. It is something to show when they get home that night. Tell them how excited you are to have them as a part of your team. Then, go out for a department lunch.
Define their role
Have a plan ready. Show, don't just tell, your new employee how important they are to your team. Let them know how you'll measure their progress so they know what to expect. Help them understand why their position is critical and beneficial to your company.
Use a buddy system
Designate an employee to take the new person under their wing. This needs to be a formal system. The buddy should meet with them regularly, address their questions and help them navigate the company. They should be available anytime the new employee needs some help.
Drop 'all business, all the time'
Break the barrier between business and fun time. Have departments take employees out for bowling or to a sporting event. Take a hike during company time. This might sound crazy, but the much-needed break will promote bonding time and build enthusiasm. Celebrate birthdays and personal announcements.
Have daily huddles
Get the whole company together every morning for a brief 10-minute standup meeting. Give rapid updates on the good news, as well as the challenges the company is currently facing. Have a high-energy person lead the huddle so that everyone is excited for the day ahead.
Recognize publicly
Announce in front of the company specific contributions or accomplishments that individuals make. This is so critical, and daily huddles are a perfect opportunity for this. Not only does this show your employees that they are appreciated, it motivates others to achieve goals or go above and beyond what you expect of them.
Reprimand privately
This builds loyalty. When you need to discipline or correct an employee, do it privately and do it with compassion. It's important not to embarrass anyone.
Employees are likely your company’s biggest assets, so treat them that way. Take the time to foster a community that promotes enthusiasm about work. Don’t lose your employees to boredom, apathy, frustration or the competition just because you don’t invest in them personally.
Enthusiastic employees keep up the morale of the whole team. They do an exceptional job and they're more committed to the success of the company.

06:44 by Robert dawne · 0

5 Ways to Retain Your Top Performers

Your best employee comes into your office Monday morning and gives their two weeks notice. Your heart drops and you start to panic. How will you replace such a stellar performer?
Hopefully you haven’t been faced with this scenario. And if you keep reading, you may never find yourself on the receiving end of such bad news. That’s because the following is some of the best advice on how to retain your rock stars. Take this list to heart and you may land a top dog for life.
Learn their language
You may think you know what motivates your top employees, but have you sat down and asked them? Tom Gimbel, founder and CEO of LaSalle Network, a staffing and recruiting firm in Chicago, sets aside time on a regular basis to learn what motivates his best employees. Then, when they do a good job, he rewards them accordingly.
“I have one guy who loves sporting events; I can’t give him enough tickets,” he says. “I have another sales person who loves to share her stories with me. She wants time with the CEO, to get my insights, so I schedule about 30 minutes every few weeks and that time keeps her happy and motivated.”
Involve them in company decisions
The more invested an employee, the more likely they will stay, so “bring them into the inner circle,” suggests Ralph Neal, vice president, educational services at Employers Resource Association in Cincinnati.
Consider bringing your top dogs into strategic planning meetings. Let them offer suggestions and seek their opinion about issues that will affect the organization as a whole, he adds.
“They will appreciate being part of the business planning process; it can be a big motivator,” says Neal.
While Gimbel agrees with this suggestion, he also offers a warning: some top performers don’t want to be involved.
“It all comes back to spending time with them and getting to know what they are thinking,” he says.
Give them ownership of their work
A micromanaging boss will only drive away a high achiever. Lori Dernavich, an employee performance advisor based in New York City, suggests letting them complete tasks on their own.
“Allow them to have a say on how to solve a problem; managers shouldn’t have all the answers, so give them a chance to own it,” she says.
Get rid of low performers
Top staff members don’t want to hang out with unmotivated, low performing employees, says Gimbel. Consider showing your bottom feeders the door.
“The majority of really good producers would rather work more than clean up the mess of an underperforming employee,” he adds.
Help design their career path
Don’t assume you know the desired career trajectory of a top performer, says Dernavich. Work with them on a personal development plan. Even if you can’t give them everything they want, your eagerness will land you a few brownie points.

13:06 by Robert dawne · 0