Keeping your employees motivated is one of the most important things you can do, as a manager, to improve productivity. A team that feels motivated and appreciated by their employer is much more likely to produce high-quality work. Those who are unmotivated are much more likely to feel disconnected and consistently under-perform. But keeping employees motivated can be a challenge, to say the least.

Rewarding employees for a job well done is important, of course. However, many psychological studies of workplaces have suggested that employees who are rewarded for their performance don’t stay motivated in the long term. Not every employee will be reward motivated, and many will find their motivation wanes when rewards aren’t readily available.

Therefore, finding solutions that aren’t reward-based is an important part of building morale and motivation. Below, we’ve gathered five ideas to help motivate employees without rewards to help you get started.

Make Them Feel Like They’re Part of the Company

Developing a company culture is one of the most important aspects of creating a workplace that motivates people. A company that promotes personal growth and development will see higher rates of employee retention and motivation. After all, if an employee truly feels like they belong in their workplace, they will want to do better and perform well.

Creating this sense of togetherness and belonging doesn’t have to be difficult, either. One of the easiest ways you can make your employees feel like they belong is through sustainable company swag. Give them branded things that they can use – cups, umbrellas, shirts. Things that will last them for quite some time are a great motivator. It provides a sense of belonging and makes employees feel proud to work for their company.

Listen To Their Feedback

While you can’t accommodate every employee’s request and suggestion, having regular meetings with your employees gives them the chance to provide you with feedback on current workplace policies and make suggestions based on their experience. This is a great way to motivate your team, as it allows them to feel as though they are shaping the workplace.

Allowing employees to express themselves in an open forum like this also encourages teamwork and communication. This helps improve motivation in the long run, too. Employees who are friendly with coworkers are more likely to be happy in their roles.

Make Your Employees Feel Appreciated

It can be easy, under the furlough of the daily grind, to feel as though you’re unappreciated at work. Finding a way to celebrate employees who are doing a great job is relatively simple and can be done every day. You can try things such as:

• monthly employee potlucks
• highlighting employees who succeed or improve overtime in company communications
• learning your team’s coaching style and adapting the way you communicate towards them
• recognizing how employee strengths can be used to improve on weaknesses
• reaching out to your team and having empathy and an open line of communication

Get to Know Your Team

While it may seem silly, knowing your teammates on a personal level is super motivating. At the end of the day, if nothing you or your company does makes your employees feel motivated, a personal connection might. If your employee knows you and respects you, they often may be motivated to perform on your behalf. Furthermore, understanding your employees gives them a sense of belonging, which drives motivation.

Encourage Communication Between Employees

Loneliness in the workplace is often hard for many employees. As managers, encouraging your team to reach out to each other not only helps improve performance but also motivates your employees Something as simple as starting a daily team chat can get employees talking and building connections.

Conclusion

Trying to figure out how to motivate each individual employee may seem overwhelming, even for the most experienced leaders. Learning how your teammates respond to certain motivational aspects, however, and implementing those throughout the workplace is a great start. And, of course, if you aren’t sure what motivates your team, you can always just simply ask them.