How to Motivate Employees in the Workplace

In motivating people, you've got to engage their minds and their hearts. I motivate people, I hope, by example - and perhaps by excitement, by having productive ideas to make others feel involved.
- Rupert Murdoch

Today, most companies and organizations want to know how they can motivate their employees, so they can work with a zest and will that usually can go missing. Again, motivation is also reciprocal and shall help both, the employees and the company. Here are some tips for motivating employees that the management can use.

Most of the time, employees don't work efficiently because their potential isn't recognized correctly by themselves, and by the employer. This, in turn, hampers the employee's work, and creates a deficit of sort in his/her performance.

Actively participate in all the processes and operations at hand to motivate your employees. Employees work better when they know they have someone from the management working with them, side by side. Working together gives an assurance that work is valued by everyone.

Also, if the employees see you working hard, they're bound to do the same. If you take part in all the functions, and work to the best of your capacity, so will your employees. On the other hand, if you are laid back and carefree, the employees aren't going to care much either.

Another great way to motivate employees, is by enhancing communication between them. Communication in the workplace is very important. Without this, proper and effective motivation won't take place. The importance of communication is understood only when you actually see the results effective communication brings with it.

You need to communicate with your employees from time to time, hold meetings, discuss issues and deal with grievances to eradicate communication barriers. Once you start communicating, you will understand what needs to be changed, and how. When they see you taking this initiative, they will be inspired to reciprocate.

Resorting to motivational games is perhaps the easiest way to boost efficiency of your employees, and to make them work better. These games are a must in today's organizations, as they help relieve stress, and motivate the employees to work better, and fight competition. They tell us the importance of working efficiently, and working together.

These games also tell us how everyone can benefit from efficient team work. They revive the will to work, and employees gradually start loving the work at hand. Motivational games once every month, can really help in motivating the employees to a great extent.

Sometimes, employees lose the will to work because their work is not appreciated properly and/or rewarded in a satisfactory way. It is very important for the employer to appreciate, if not reward, work that is properly, or at times exceptionally, done.

Appreciation itself can boost the confidence of employees, and motivate them to work better than what they have done in the past. Rewards in terms of monetary incentives and perks can motivate employees to work better. If the employee knows what's in store for him after working hard, he surely will take genuine efforts.

Employees spend more hours awake in their office, than in their homes. Even though they work sincerely, spending time in the same place is bound to get boring. Arrange yearly trips with your employees, to give them a break from all the hard work. This way, you take care of their recreation as well.

Now that you know how to motivate your employees, you can instantly start with motivational games. This will bring a few changes in terms of confidence, and interest. After these motivational games, you can work on other factors such as rewards, as these will take time to form, and implement.

Always remember, you receive what you initially give. If you take care of your employees, they'll take care of their work for you.