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As a business owner, keeping your employees motivated and productive should be top on your list of priorities. Your employees are the lifeblood of your business. They produce the goods you sell and deliver services to your customers.
Long-term employees are the company’s most loyal and knowledgeable. Conversely, however, they can often be the most difficult to motivate. There are a number of reasons for this. They could feel burnt out, bored, or simply too comfortable in the workplace. We’ve put together a list of X ways to motivate long-term employees. Check it out below.
Use A Rewards System
One major factor that can result in decreasing employee motivation is their perception that they are underappreciated in the workplace. It can sometimes be easy to overlook long-term employees. You get used to them performing well, and so it becomes less apparent that they still require regular praise and encouragement.
Often, business owners opt for financial incentives to reward good performance. While this is certainly better than nothing, cash can often feel impersonal and can be ineffective as a motivating factor. Check out incentivesmart.com. They offer a points-based employee rewards solution that is perfect for keeping your long-term staff motivated. Rather than simply being awarded in cash, staff will accumulate points for their performance which can then be exchanged for exciting gifts and experiences.
Offer Training And Development Opportunities
New staff will come into a role full of excitement and ambition, eager to learn about a new industry. On the other hand, long-term staff can begin to feel bored and that their work is growing stale, which can be reflected in their performance and attitude. To avoid this happening, offer all staff ongoing training and development opportunities. This can help staff learn new skills that can make them more efficient in their roles and can offer long-term staff the chance to progress their careers and begin climbing the corporate ladder.
Utilise Their Experience
Long-term employees will likely be highly knowledgeable about the company and how it operates. This can be used to your advantage. Encourage these employees to take younger or newer members of staff under their wing. By acting in a mentor capacity, long-term employees will feel far more valued and appreciated. What’s more, this approach will also help newer employees acclimatise and settle into the working environment far more quickly.
Don’t Forget The Workspace
The physical environment in which we work can have a significant impact on our levels of motivation and productivity. Seeing the same surroundings every day can become tiring and boring, so consider regularly changing things around to keep the space fresh. This could be anything from rearranging the furniture to adding some new decorations. Plants are always a good option; they have been proven to boost employee productivity.
Conclusion
Your long-term employees are among your most valuable. Keeping them motivated is essential. The last thing you want is for these key assets to leave to join a competitor. Use this guide to keep your long-term employees happy and motivated at work.
