PCA Articles

Hiring great employees is only the first step in growing your business. After you have a great team in place, it’s important to keep them motivated and happy. Keeping your employees happy does not always have to be costly. Here are some tips for boosting morale and creating an amazing work environment without breaking the bank.

Provide Ongoing Training

It is crucial to give your employees the support and training they need. This will set them up for success as they tackle any challenge in the workplace. Enhancing their skills is a perfect way to keep your employees and your company moving in the right direction. Determine what training will be beneficial to which employees and implement it. PCA members get access to a variety of ongoing training resources, like webinars, videos and podcasts.

Welcome New Ideas and Feedback

As a manager, it is important to value and implement two-way communication. You should listen to the ideas and feedback of all employees, no matter what their position is in the organization. A new idea might be the strategy to take your business to the next level. One piece of feedback might create a much better working environment. Always listen to what employees say and make an effort to put ideas and feedback into action.

Allow Employees to Set Their Own Goals

Team members will take a greater sense of ownership in their work if they are allowed to set their own goals. Independence and accountability will translate into a job well done. Sit down with each employee to outline a plan of what they hope to accomplish in their position. Be sure to encourage them to create specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely (SMART) goals. After a few months, revisit the goals they set and see how they are doing.

 

Help Employees Identify Their Strengths and Explore

After spending time with employees, you can pick up on their strengths. If you notice a particular skill set, point it out to the person and praise them. For example, if a painter is particularly good at providing estimates, consider allowing them to do more estimating and use their skills to bring in more business. 

 

Celebrate a Job Well Done 

Give credit where credit is due. If you notice an employee did an exceptional job, tell them. This will make your employees feel good about themselves and your company. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide on a celebration style. You can simply praise employees or host team parties. Either one will do the trick, just make sure you have some sort of reward system in place.

Clearly Communicate

The best way to accomplish goals is to communicate exactly what needs to be done. Be clear and concise with employees. Do not leave them wondering what the next task is. A steady stream of clear communication makes employees feel important and valued in your business.

Offer Incentives

In some cases, money is a motivator for your employees. If you have the budget to provide cash bonuses on occasion, then do that. If you can’t offer a cash incentive there are other alternatives. You can try things like providing additional vacation days or late-start days. Often, bringing lunch to the work site or office will make your employees happy and motivated.

Ask Employees What They Want

The best way to make sure your employees are happy is to ask what they want. Approach employees with the question, “What can we offer you to make your job better?” Take their answer seriously and, within reason, give your employees exactly what they ask for.

Not every employee will value the same incentives, but you can implement these tips to keep your employees productive and pleasant.

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