You spend more time sat at your desk than curled up on the sofa, and you see your colleagues far more frequently than you do your best friend – like it or not, the 40-hour working week means your office is pretty much your second home.
But whilst it’s fine when business is ticking along nicely and everyone’s getting along, hit a rough patch and it’ll quickly become a nightmare.
Demotivation and boredom are the biggest threats to the delicate and temperamental office environment. Left unchecked, they’ll instantly extinguish a creative atmosphere and send productivity spiralling downwards.
As the boss, it’s your responsibility to hold the mood-killers at bay and keep everyone feeling happy and engaged all day long.
To help you, we’re sharing three motivational strategies that’ll give your employees a boost and push office morale sky high. Take a look.
#1: Promote continuous learning
It’s easy to get stuck in a rut when you’re doing the same job day in and day out, so give your staff something new and different to get to grips with.
Whether you set up an in-house training programme or encourage key team members to pursue career-related online degrees through a reputable distance learning university like Anglia Ruskin, continuous learning and skill development is the perfect incentive for an office that’s lacking inspiration and drive.
It’s a win-win strategy, letting your employees add to their CVs and leaving you with a more knowledgeable workforce with the expertise to keep your business at the top of its industry.
#2: Embrace flexible working
The drudgery and constraints of the traditional nine-to-five corporate routine will eventually wear down even the most motivated of employees, but it’s an outdated way of working you don’t have to inflict on your team.
More and more companies are realising the benefits of trusting their staff with a flexitime approach to office hours, and it could be the just the motivational revolution your business is looking for.
If people can effectively manage their workload from home or schedule their day around other commitments without missing deadlines, then let them. By affording your staff a healthier work life balance, you’ll soon see their productivity increase.
#3: Create a welcoming environment
Your employees might never be excited about coming into work, (let’s be honest, there’s plenty of other stuff we’d all rather be doing) but you can make it as pleasant an experience as possible.
Create a welcoming environment by giving your office a makeover, ditching soul-destroying cubicles and dull grey walls for a fresh, open workspace.
Inject a little fun into your breakroom with a pool table and comfy furniture. Providing relaxed communal spaces is a subtle way of encouraging teamwork and a more collaborative approach to business.
Do you have the lowdown on any other motivational strategies we’ve missed? Leave a comment and let us know.