Hiring great people to help build your business is an important part of being a successful business owner. You need to have people on your team who love your brand and can help take your business to the next level. While finding the right people can be a challenge in itself, keeping your staff happy and inspired is a lifelong pursuit. However, if you can succeed at creating an awesome team, you might find that the happiness of your employees can directly affect your business results. Here are five ways to inspire your staff at work.
1 Reward your staff
Nothing will motivate your staff more than offering some kind of reward system. It doesn’t have to be much, but thanking staff for hard work and good ideas can go a long way in helping everyone feel appreciated. It could be something as simple as a team lunch or a kind email acknowledging hard work, or a gift card or monetary bonus. Creating a culture in your business that celebrates team contributions will inspire your staff to do the best work of their lives.
2 Be open to contributions
Everyone wants to feel valued and appreciated, so make sure you are acknowledging the expertise in the room. If you want to take your business to the next level, ask your staff for their suggestions and any perceived areas of improvement within the business. If a staff member is particularly passionate about a topic or idea, let them run with it and track their results. Get your staff involved with the running of the business, so they can enjoy a sense of ownership.
3 Build trust
In the opposite spirit to micro-managing, building trust within your team will foster a creative and more relaxed work environment. Team members who can enjoy their work, without fear of being watched or criticized, will do a better job. Show your trust by allowing your staff to enjoy a flexible work environment or even work from home on occasion. You can also build trust by giving your employees ownership of projects and tasks and letting them run with it.
4 Embrace technology
Inspire your staff to do great work by implementing new technology in the day-to-day running of your business. Doing the same tasks everyday can quickly become monotonous, but if you embrace innovation, you can help everyone get their work done faster. Look to automation to help with mundane tasks, and chat bots to assist with customer service. Staff that have access to great tools, resources and technology will be able to perform more effectively.
5 Be social
Not everyone in the workplace is an extrovert, but it’s important to foster a good team culture in your organisation. Your staff will be more inspired to rock up to work each day if they have developed good friendships and relationships within the business. Take time out for socialising, away from your desks or the office, at regular times of the year. Whether it’s a team lunch or breakfast on occasion, after work drinks or a team building activity, socialising can help everyone feel included and inspired.