Want your team fired up? Here’s six secret keys

No entrepreneur can escape managing staff. To motivate your staff, there’s a lot more you can do than offer a pay rise. Here are six tricks to squeeze the best out of your staff.

1. Communicate
Talk to your employees to find out what they love – and hate – about working for your company. Are working conditions conducive? A problem known is a problem half solved, so find out what your strengths are and where there’s room to improve.

2. Assign Leadership Roles
Putting staff in charge of a department or giving them additional responsibilities structures responsibility roles and improves output.

3. Training
Supervisors or other employees who are skilled in a certain field can train the rest of the team. You can even invite experts to offer short training courses. Training sessions enhance long-term skills, so it’s a good bet you’ll see the benefits later on.

4. Celebrate Performances
Recognition encourages employees to work harder. A smart way to do this is by issuing annual awards or small gifts to the best performing employees.

5. Involve Employees
When making a decision, do you involve your staff?  It’s important to allow employees to participate in decision making processes, especially if it affects them. Consult them to find out their opinions and what they think is the best way forward.

6. Organise Team Building Sessions
Weekend events and other bonding activities like lunch or dinner strengthens relationships. These events will not only motivate your staff, but also foster unity within your company.

Unity is important in any workplace. As rugby coach John Mitchell says, “Look at character and commitment, before potential, when assembling a team. Not always the best people, but the best mix“. Your job as the company head is to now ensure this team gels, and the first step to doing that is to motivate staff.