Five ways to turn your startup employees into powerhorse!

While in cricket, a team with a good captain but a de-motivated and disoriented set of players is likely to lose more matches, the scene is not very different when it comes to corporate and the startup world. You may have great business acumen, business plans and ideas but unless you have an equally motivated team, the chances of success remain slim.

So the next big, obvious question would be on the ways to keep the motivation levels high. Money surely could be the big motivator but it’s not always the be all and end all. Smart startups, entrepreneurs and founders look beyond just mere finances to offer the employees a strong, motivational drive.

1: Offering of educational incentives

Every employee looks at asset enhancement and one of the best ways to do it is to offer financial incentives than educational incentives. Offer your employees educational incentives in terms of new accreditations, sending them to develop new skill sets and programs.

Not only can you have a loyal work force but also smart employees who would help you run the business more efficiently.

2: Ensuring praise and positive recognition when due

Surely the employees work for the company and it is their duty to perform as per their adjudicated role. This is exactly the mindset of the many failed startup founders who learned the hard way. There is nothing like offering a world of praise or appreciation for an employee who is performing well. A simple word of praise, a kind pat on the back or a small token of appreciation could go a long way in building human relations, making employees work much more efficiently.

Depending on the budget, the company could offer a letter of appreciation, a small gift in cash and kind, a trip or weekend excursion for the family, as part of the positive recognition of hard work. Praising employees in front of other employees is also a good exercise to spread the positivity in the entire team.

3: Offering useful workplace amenities

Offering employees useful workplace employees like gym or cafes are not a waste of money but result in increasing productivity. It is no surprise then that successful companies such as Google, Microsoft, Infosys and the likes, all offer cafes, gyms, and other workplace amenities to their staff.

For example, when an employee is commuting a long distance everyday from home to reach office and back, he might be missing on his daily dose of exercise. A company offering a gym amenity works to the benefit of the employee making it a good way to increase employee loyalty.

4: Creating a platform for proactive idea exchange

When it comes to idea exchange, not many companies seek ideas from employees at lower positions. It is usually the managers who are brought on board for idea sharing. Successful companies meanwhile have a smart idea exchange program wherein employees could offer ideas on products and services without worrying about seniority or rank.

A reward program for suggesting a great business idea could increase employee confidence and motivate them to perform even better.

5: Partying could be both unwinding and motivating

Remember, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. If your company employees have not been partying together to celebrate small successes, then you are missing out on a great way to increase motivation and comradery.

Consider having in-house official company sponsored parties for all small successes allowing employees a reason to cheer, a platform to unwind their stress and work in a positive environment. If the top management, founders and co-founders are all part of the company party, there is nothing better to increase unity between core team and employees.

A right combination of these and a positive work environment could turn your employees into real powerhorse.