Employee Incentives_ Bringing Inspiration to the Workplace

Image: Aventr Managers and business owners: are your employees showing signs of on-the-job fatigue, low morale, and an overall sense of "meh?" Take heart- it's not you, it's just the typical effects of the daily grind. After years of following the same routine day in and day out, it's normal for staff members to have a case of the blahs, which can lead to lowered productivity, less on-the-job satisfaction, and trouble staying on task. If you're wondering what you can do to make the workplace more engaging for your employees, we've got a few ideas for you. Next time you catch your staff members falling into a rut, try one of these little pick-me-ups to jumpstart the creativity, pride, and ingenuity that makes a job rewarding.

Mix It Up at Meetings

You know what's boring? Weekly staff meetings that drone on for eternity. If your crew is looking a little glassy-eyed as they head into this week's meeting, try to change it up a bit. Divvy the staff into groups of four or five and have them role-play different scenarios that occur frequently in your business, then have the rest of the groups brainstorm ways to overcome the hurdles they encountered. Bring in guest stars to speak about topics that inspire your staff to be their best selves. Encourage your employees to share their thoughts in an open forum where their perspectives are heard and valued. Whatever you do, make sure it's not just another cookie-cutter meeting that is easy for your staff to tune out.

Gamify the Workplace

A little competition can go a long way towards motivating your staff. Give your employees an extra reason to do their best by creating weekly contests with gift cards as incentives. Your staff will strive to be number one if they know there's a chance of winning a gift card to their favorite restaurant, coffee shop, or retail store each week. You can either make it an individual competition within departments, or a company-wide game where each department competes to come out on top. Either way, it's a great way to get the fire burning and encourage productivity and commitment to a job well done!

Thank an Employee

Do you have a staff member who always goes above and beyond to do his or her best? Honor that person with a special token of thanks, such as a gift card or a certificate of appreciation, at your next team meeting. Not only will your rock star employee get the recognition that he or she deserves, but it just may inspire the rest of the staff to step up their game so that they may become next month's MVP. rnAs a manager, it's your job to make sure your team brings 110 percent to the workplace each day. How you choose to go about making your office a happy, thriving place to work is up to you, but if you keep your focus centered on helping your employees find a sense of fulfilment and pride in what they do, you're on your way to a much more enjoyable workplace for everyone!