What Motivates Employees to Work Harder: The Carrot or the Stick?

Employees constantly need motivation and encouragement to perform their best. They have to live up to the expectations of the organisation they are working for. And organisations also have to meet the expectations of its staff. It needs to be a collaborative effort. Organisations cannot entirely depend on their employees to get the work done. Even though they hand out salary checks at the end of the month, they are not doing a favour. They are paying for the services, hard work and dedication of the employees. Organisations need to respect its staff members. They need to work together with everyone from the seniors to the management to the ground-level employees. The organisation needs to involve everyone even in decision-making. It will make employees feel valued and important. 

Tips to Motivate Employees

It requires more than a paycheck! Employees need reassurance and inspiration. They need to feel secure in their positions in the organisation that they are working. Every employee is unique, and they have different skills and strengths. They are all assets. Organisations can motivate their employees by: 

•    Communicate -interact with the employees. Listen to their ideas for the work at hand or future projects. Have them give suggestions.

•    Beat boredom - it's normal to get bored doing the same thing over and over again. Bosses can organise a small tea meeting or send pizzas around. The employees will love it.

•    On-going training - provide on-going training or workshops. It will strengthen, improve and upgrade the staff skills. It will also make them feel valuable and important.

•    Awards - employee of the month certificates; half-year best etc. It motivates the employees and encourages them to do their best. Organisations can honour them with movie passes, restaurant meals, discount coupons and holidays, etc.

•    Competitions - organise competitions between the employees. It will bring out the best in them. The organisers should make sure that the competition is healthy. It will give them the much-needed boost.

•    Individuality - while team effort is often applauded and encouraged, it's good to build and work on individuality. Every employee is different. They come from different background and have a different identity. This is what makes most of the working environment diverse.

•    Praise - time and again, employees should be praised for the effort they have put into a project. Their hard work and dedication should be praised.

•    Growth - employees don't like to stay in the same position or designation which they initially got. Organisations should give them the space to flourish. Deserving employees should be given promotions.

•    Open mind -in a professional environment, bosses and seniors should work with an open mind. They need to welcome ideas and criticisms. They shouldn't target or pick on employees who gave a negative comment. Rather, it should be taken as a constructive feedback.

•    Adopt and Adapt - accept and adjust to changes that are going around. Working style never remains the same with advancements in technology and working strategy now and then. If the employees are told to embrace change, so should the organisation as a whole.

•    Unity -this is very important because it's the core of every team work. Unity helps in achieving team and individual goals. No one should feel left out.

•    Sympathy -if an employee is going through a tough personal phase, the organisation should try and understand. It should be compassion and consideration. Everyone goes through tough moments in their lives.

•    Appreciation -this is what makes the employees give their best. Appreciation can be in the form of a salary raise, or a celebration cake, or a small get-together after work.

Every employee wants their work to be recognised and appreciated. They want the attention and good salary packages. It only happens when they work hard. Nowadays, many organisations and businesses are applying it in their day-to-day operation. It is because they want their employees to give their best every day. And for that, they are ready to look for more resources and funds. At the end of the day, it's a gain for the organisation. It boosts their sales or profits. The employees have a different level of qualifications and skills. They contribute differently to the organisation. But they all need motivation. Organisations are ready to do whatever it takes. They have put their employees first and working for their betterment. The organisations are using various tactics and techniques to reach out to the employees. If the organisation is not ready to value its employees, employees quit. They look for better companies and working environments.