By Suzanne Caldwell, Contracting & New Business Manager, Business Link for Cumbria
SubscribeThe way employees feel about their job and workplace determines how motivated they are. There is a clear link between job satisfaction and productivity.
Job satisfaction depends partly on tangible rewards such as pay and benefits.
However, job satisfaction also depends on the culture of an organisation. This means the things that make your business distinctive and make the people who work there proud to do so. You can motivate people by:
- providing varied and interesting work
- high quality training and development, employees feel valued if investment is made into their future development
- an 'open door' culture where managers are approachable and there to listen and support their employees - it can be very de-motivating to know your manager is locked away in an office, not wanting to be disrupted or disturbed
- respect for a good work-life balance - understand employees have a life outside work and problems which may affect their work
- fairness at work - treat others as you would like to be treated
- proactive and regular communication
- regular appraisal and positive feedback
- requests for feedback, either in person or via staff surveys, on how employees feel about their roles, the support they get, and improvements to the business
- providing the chance to socialise with colleagues at organised events
- recognition and reward for ideas or competitive intelligence