Peak Performance on a Penny: How No-Cost Perks Drive Employee Motivation

As some of you know, I spent several years as a personnel manager for a ten-store chain in San Diego.

I learned a lot in the position.

I had to learn the legal aspects of hiring and firing, but I also had to learn the human elements of handling employees.

Employees are not your personal slaves.

They may be saving for a home, upgrading a vehicle, starting a family, or getting more education.

Your business is the conduit that will make that happen for them.

They're human beings and deserve your respect for the duties they perform.

When your goals and dreams become stronger than theirs, they will soon be moving on.

An emergency on your time doesn't automatically become an emergency on theirs.

In other words, you can ask them to work extra hours or more time in a day, but asking is all you can do.

If they have other plans, you can't demand they change their schedule to fit yours.

The best you can hope for is paying them extra to alter their schedule to fit your needs.

You can't threaten to terminate them if they don't work the extra time unless you enjoy spending time and money in court.

One of an employer's most essential jobs is keeping employees happy and motivated to do a good job.

Why Are They Employees?

Your employees trade their skills and expertise for cash.

But sometimes, the job itself is complicated, tedious, or stressful.

Even the best employees need motivation to come in and work a full day.

Here are ways I motivate my workforce.

Recognize Good Work: Owners and managers only see a small part of employees' great work.

Other employees let me know when another employee went the extra mile.

I tried publicly recognizing each employee for something at least once every six months.

Too Many Knowing Too Little: Ask your best workers to volunteer to be cross-trained in other jobs you need.

If someone is sick, someone else is prepared to jump into that task with minimal downtime. Employees like this because it makes them more valuable.

Flexible Schedule: Only some employees are needed between 8 AM to 5 PM.

Can some employees come in earlier or later so their schedules are less stressful, and the needed work still gets done?

Create a Family Atmosphere: A business with fewer than ten employees can create a family atmosphere much more quickly than a corporation with thousands.

There is usually more pride in the work done, and a strong team is easier to create. It's more fun to work with friends than strangers.

Make It Easy to Complain: A disgruntled employee can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars in lost business by spreading their unhappiness to anyone who will listen.

Make it easy for employees to complain and listen to their concerns.

They may have found a more efficient or better way to do things.

Break Rooms: They're called break rooms for a reason. Is there room for a ping-pong table or Foosball?

These are stress reducers for many small businesses.

Work should be fun. Fun is an emotion. A feeling.

The environment created by ownership and management should be one where work gets done, but no one walks out exhausted or overly stressed.

Look around your place of business.

What small, simple things can you do to create a culture where people like where they work and share that with others outside the workplace?

Try some of these tips and watch your bottom line get blacker.