Employees are the backbone of any business. Happy employees give good customer service. It’s a simple standard that makes for a positive work environment. Clients benefit from it. An employee can be miserable for various reasons; most of which are related to their daily work routine. An employee who is no longer motivated or challenged cannot grow.
This is why it is important that you understand how motivating your employees can make your business better. Here are 5 actionable tips that you can use to improve your business and help your employees feel more motivated.
Avoid High Turnover
High turnover can cost your business money. It takes time to interview new employees. It takes money to hire qualified employees. During the transition, you rely on other employees to pick up the slack until the position is filled. People leave their jobs for numerous reasons: life changes, new opportunities, or promotion to a new position. The number one issue that contributes to an unhappy employee is lack of recognition.
Effective Recognition Motivates Employees
Effective recognition shows an employee that their work is valued and appreciated. It gives them a sense of ownership and pride. It increases their loyalty and morale. It creates an environment of teamwork and support. When your team is happy, they stay motivated. When your team is motivated, your business makes money. You also have less turnover because your employees are happy.
Employees are often the face of your company. They are the people your clients interact with on a daily basis. Often, they are a big part of the reason new clients seek you out. Great customer service leaves a lasting impression.
Value Employee Skills
Utilizing the skills of your employees is key not just to the success of your business, but also to employee fulfillment. Each of your employees bring something unique to the table. You hired them because they stood out from the rest. They all have skills and talents. Many employees have unique talents that go beyond invoicing, data entry, or answering the phones. A new challenge that allows them to grow their skill set is a great opportunity for your business and your employee. Take the time to get to know your employees, their work, and the areas in which they excel.
The Bigger Picture
Share the bigger picture with your employees. Your team can only help your business advance if they know how their contributions help to achieve the overall goals of your business. Meetings and emails that engage conversation is a great way to communicate. If you are always telling your employees how to do something instead of asking your employees what input they may have, your business will not grow. Communication is acknowledgement. Acknowledgement is recognition. It’s that simple.
Constructive Criticism Versus Destructive Criticism
It is a universal truth that an individual cannot grow without accepting their faults and growing from them. However, focusing on faults creates self-doubt. Self-doubt leads to lack of confidence. Criticism is feedback from an outside perspective on merits and faults.
However, there are times when feedback in the form of criticism is required by you to help your employees improve. The key to keep in mind is that the goal isn’t to put down an employee. It is to help your employee improve. There are two types of criticism: constructive criticism and destructive criticism. It is important that you understand the difference and provide your employees with constructive criticism.
Constructive criticism builds on the basic concept of offering practical advice that allows the individual to reflect, adjust, and grow. It’s not attacking their faults. It is something that assists them by allowing them to improve.
Destructive criticism is the same concept with one exception. It becomes critical and attacking. It makes your employees feel like they have failed instead of making them feel challenged to grow. It focuses solely on the negative attributes offering no empathy or worth. It tears them down rather than builds them up.
Examples of Destructive Criticism:
- “You always do that wrong.”
- “Do you even try?”
“What’s wrong with you?” - “You won’t get anywhere with that attitude.”
Destructive criticism negatively affects employee morale and can lead to turnover or employees who simply don’t care. By learning to provide constructive criticism you are investing in the long term success of your business.
Free Process Review
If you are ready to learn how your company can improve in its back-office administrative functions, customer services, client intake, or accounts receivable management, contact Clients ARM today to book your free process review. There is absolutely no obligation. You can learn how Clients ARM can help your business improve at a fraction of the price of hiring traditional consultants or employees. Ready to learn more? Contact us now!
