Money is not a main motivator.

Money is not the main motivator for your team members.

To further develop your business over a sole owner/worker size, you need to motivate your team members to assist that growth and development.

In the past owners thought that you just paid people more money as a carrot and they would be loyal and work harder, even others scared team members that they would lose jobs and a huge big stick attitude.

Research has shown that these do not increase loyalty or gain any extra outcomes in the majority of cases.

Below are 9 other methods of motivation of the most important part of your business - your people.

They have been proven to be much more effective in the outcomes, especially long term for the business, creating a culture and synergy of the team that can take the business a lot lot further  than a focus on you as the leader.

Here are 9 things that work about employee motivation, and most come from a culture based on ;

"People don't care how much I know, until they know how much I care."

1. Praise frequently. Everyone wants praise. Plus, it’s one of the easiest (and most inexpensive!) things to dole out. Not to mention, praise from the CEO goes a lot farther than you might think. Find a way to recognise every improvement you see your team members make.

Once you’re comfortable delivering praise one-on-one to an employee, try praising them in front of others.  

2. Get rid of the managers. Yes, it’s possible to take care of projects without managers. By removing the project lead or supervisor, you will empower your staff to work together as a team, rather than everyone reporting to one individual.

Think about it. There’s only one thing worse than letting your supervisor down: letting your entire team down! Allowing your employees to work together as a team, on an equal level with their co-workers, produces better projects faster.

People will come in early, stay late, and devote more of their energy to solving problems.  

3. Ask questions. No one likes being told what to do and how to do it. Instead of commanding your employees to do things, ask them a question to plant the idea. For example, don’t say, “I’d like you to do it this way,” say, “Do you think it’s a good idea if we do it this way?” This encourages your employees to take matters into their own hands.

4. Never directly criticise or correct. No one enjoys hearing that they’ve done something wrong. In fact, if you’re looking for a de-motivator, this may be it. Switch up the way you correct your employees by trying an indirect approach to get people to improve, learn from their mistakes, and fix them. Ask, “Was that the best way to approach the problem? Why not? Have any ideas on what you could have done differently?”

This creates a solution-driven conversation, without pointing a finger.   

5. Inspire everyone to be a leader. Highlight your top performing employees’ strengths, and let them know that because of their excellence, you want them to be the example for others.

Setting the bar high will inspire their motivation to live up to their reputation as a leader.  

6. Take an employee to lunch once a week. Make this a surprise rather than announcing it as a new policy. Literally walk up to one of your employees, and invite them to lunch with you.

It’s an easy way to remind them that you notice and appreciate their work.  

7. Give small rewards. Rewards don’t need to be larger or strictly monetary to leave a mark. Try giving a shout out to someone in a company meeting for what she has accomplished. You could also try running contests or internal games and keep track of the results on a whiteboard everyone can see.

8. Throw company parties. Doing things as a group can go a long way. This can be anything from a company picnic to a birthday monthly birthday celebration. There is no reason to wait until the holidays to get your entire company together.

Organise events throughout the year, like happy hours, to remind your employees that you’re all in it together.  

9. Share the good times and the bad. When your company does well, celebrate as a team. This is the best time to let everyone know that you’re thankful for their hard work. Go out of your way to show how far you will go when people help your company succeed.

But it’s also important to share the disappointments. Be honest and transparent when you expect high performance.

Motivating your employees doesn't have to break the bank. In fact, why not take money off the table altogether?

How do you motivate your employees?

See what the Business Gardener can do to assist your business at www.businessgardener.com.au and contact me - Head Gardener Tony Park at tony@businessgardener.com.au