True and successful team management involves more than just the time and effort you invest once you step into your office or workplace. Naturally, you need to keep your employees as happy and comfortable as possible. Most employees would rather choose a great work environment with high employee morale than a bigger paycheck. Let’s take a look at some ways you can do that.
Allow Them Free Will
Don’t give employees the illusion that their work and decisions are linear. Offer them a chance to influence a decision or two. A good example would be to provide an opportunity for them to choose their incentives and rewards for a job well done. Set aside a small budget for employee happiness. This money can be given to employees to purchase items that would make them happy at work.
Offer Incentives for Going Above and Beyond
You want employees to grow their knowledge base along with their skillset. The best way to encourage people is to incentivize them for going the extra mile. If they invest time learning a task that is outside their normal duties, show that you appreciate it. Start a learning program that offers gift cards for reaching certain levels. This is particularly important if the industry you are in is constantly growing and changing.
Know Their Needs
When it comes to needs, think of an employee as a flower. What do they need in order to grow and bloom in their position?
Do your employees prefer casual dress over business attire? Do they need a professional atmosphere to remain productive?
If you’re unsure about what they need, then just ask them. Allow employees the opportunity to come forth and tell you what they want out of the deal.
Encourage Ingenuity and Growth
Allow them an opportunity to suggest new ideas for growth and improvement. On that note, you also need to have faith in them, even when they fail. It’s difficult to get things perfect when trying out something new for the first time.
It is a Symbiotic Relationship
The important thing to remember is that there is a symbiotic relationship between you and your employees. If you want something out of them, then you should offer something in return. It’s not about offering bribes it’s about keeping everyone happy.
At the end of the day, no one wants to work hard for nothing. So, give them something to be passionate about and a place they love to work.
About The Guest Author: Alicia Lawrence is a content coordinator for WebpageFX and blogs in her free time at MarCom Land. Her work has been published by the Association for Business Communication, Yahoo! Small Business, and Spin Sucks. You can also find Alicia on Google+.
Smiling Businessman Photo via Shutterstock
