Recent research provided a set of questions to the employees from 200 countries around the world. This test concluded that a staggering 85% of people are not satisfied with their jobs. With the number of resources and money being spent every minute, a good employer-employee relationship is important for the success of an organization. Whether you’re working on a short-term project or leading a permanent team at your workplace, understanding these factors that affect the level of motivation of team members can improve efficiency at your workplace.
Salary and Payment Frequency
Money is the major driving force behind an employee’s satisfaction. It is your obligation as an employer to ensure timely salary payment for your employees. Salary contributes to a mere 30% of a team’s contentment level. But, ignoring this section and working over the others will prove to be counterproductive.
You would notice that once this basic need is fulfilled, the other points will effectively work in smoothening the employer-employee relationship in your office. The happy minds working behind the desks will ramp up the completion of your new projects and the results would take your company to greater heights.
Company Values
Considering an average human’s mentality, people thrive in an environment that works for something bigger than themselves. Salary and other incentives would seem smaller to the team that is driven by a bigger purpose.
Every employer knows about the mission and vision of his company. Thus, it is important to communicate your company’s culture and purpose to your employees. A strong layer of trust and bond will inseminate in their minds, and they will feel like a part of the big family that your company is.
Additional Perks / Incentives for Motivation
Another point which acts as a motivational factor for your team is the incentives. Don’t fall in the trap of believing that your team is only working for the sake of money that you’re paying them. Put yourself in their shoes and imagine working for a long period of time without any additional perk. Isn’t that an unbearable situation?
Similarly, little treats of non-monetary incentives can improve the happiness level of your team. Appreciate a well-performing member publicly, express your gratitude for their hard work, and give them the temporary luxury of working from home. Let them feel worthy and important by giving them credit for their work.
Leisure Time for Team Members
Can you work constantly for 8 hours a day with just an hour of break? The answer that now pops in your mind is probably true for your team. Understanding the basic human expectations can run a long way in establishing a strong bond between your team members. This is one of the most important factors that affect the level of motivation of team members.
Create a small zone in your office that has board games or play cards. Furnish the room with comfortable bean bags and a sofa. You’re good to go with this setup. Arrange a fixed slot of 30 minutes every alternate day for every team member’s leisure. This will stimulate their better performance in the current and upcoming projects because a fresh mind is filled with fresh ideas.
Working Framework
Also known as the company process, this section emphasizes the influence of your working framework over the team. The more organized your process execution stages are, the better results they will produce in the long run. Take a moment to analyze the current system of execution in your company. Deal with questions as mentioned below.
- Is the workload divided strategically and equally among your team members?
- Have you considered the weakness and strengths of every member before assigning a job?
- Is your team happy with the execution stage?
- Are your team members aware of your expectations from them?
- Are your resources being efficiently utilized at each step?
These steps will help you evaluate the shortcomings and strengths of your process. With this new-found efficiency, your team will perform better and deal with the potential obstructions in a better way.
Empathy
Corporate life and personal life are surely different. But the people managing those lives are not. As a leader, you must understand that personal problems affect the work that your individual team member is performing. You must empathize with their situation and help them deal with them in a better way.
Firstly, you must build a strong bond with your team members just like they are your close friends. This will build a strong layer of trust and security between you and your team. So that if anything complicated happens in their personal lives, they would communicate it with you.
Consider the situation. Offer them assistance by giving them a short period of paid leave, work from home flexibility, and other benefits. As a consequence, they will come back with a rejuvenated spirit and perform even better this time.
Personal Development Opportunities for Team Members
Self-development is the priority of most employees in the current world. Learning and growth opportunities in the current job role of your team members can help them pay more attention to their work. When an employee knows that he’s learning something different, he will be enthusiastic to perform. His attention to the process will increase exponentially and the other members will be motivated by the same. This will prove fruitful for your company as the job will be completed within the assigned deadline.
Internal Growth Opportunities for the Team
A team member always craves for a better position in the company. With the increasing years of their tenure in the firm, it is normal to expect better returns and growth opportunities. If an employee in your company has been working in the same position for 5 years and there is no scope of his promotion, it wouldn’t be a shocker if he throws in the towel.
Ensure that your team understands the importance of their part in your company. With time, offer them good opportunities depending on their performance.
These little factors that affect the motivation level of team members can exponentially improve your workplace efficiency. It could work as a driving force to complete your goal within the expected time frame.
