5 Ways to Keep Employees Motivated in Your Startup

Popular culture has painted startups as these energetic entities with an amazing culture where everyone’s always motivated.

11:37 14 September 2020

However, you don’t create this culture simply by starting a new business in a trendy industry.

 

You’ve got to be responsible for creating the culture that gets the most out of your employees and keeps them motivated. This isn’t always as simple as it might seem, but there are some steps you can take.

 

Appreciate People’s Time

 

If your employees are going to give you their best work, then you’ve got to provide them with a schedule that allows them to thrive. People need breaks to do their best work, and if you don’t give them adequate time to recover, then not only is their performance going to drop, but they’re also going to lose motivation.

 

There needs to be a work/life balance, otherwise, you’re going to find morale is low, and your business doesn’t run as efficiently. Work with your employees to find a schedule that allows them to do their best work, and your company will benefit.

 

Show You Value People’s Hard Work

 

You want people to do great work, so reward them when they do. Good employees are naturally motivated to do good work and succeed, but it doesn’t hurt when there are extra rewards for reaching your goals.

 

The rewards don’t have to be huge; they just need to show that you appreciate people’s hard work. There are different ways you can introduce employee benefits to show you value your employees’ hard work, and they can make all the difference.

 

The extra incentives are going to help you attract talented staff, get more from them, and keep them in your company longer.

 

Communicate Clearly

 

It’s easy to lose enthusiasm when it feels like everyone in your business is pulling in different directions. Employees want to feel as like they’re working in a unified team with clear goals, and it’s the responsibility of business leaders to communicate this.

 

Poor communication can be one of the biggest frustrations for employees, so make sure you’ve got strong channels that allow you to get key messages across.

 

Create a Healthy Office Environment

 

We spend significant amounts of our lives at the office. If the office environment that we’re working in isn’t pleasant, then it can have a huge effect on our motivation.

 

Things like making sure there’s enough light in the office, introducing some greenery, and ensuring employees have basic amenities are easy to do. Still, too many businesses fail to do this. People don’t necessarily need to work in absolute luxury, but it is easier to motivate yourself when you’re coming to a nice environment each day.

 

Foster a Team Spirit

 

When you’re working in a big company, it can be easy to spend 8-10 hours a day surrounded by people and not know the first thing about them. When employees feel isolated at work, it can dent their motivation, so encouraging team building can be beneficial.

 

Not only does it help motivate your employees, but it also helps the business run more smoothly.