Written by The Brew by rent 24 – an official Calmer partner.
In the past, motivating employees to increase productivity often meant promising them an end-of-year bonus and hoping they’d keep it in mind as they worked. This kind of motivation can be beneficial under certain circumstances, but in most cases there are more positive and sustainable ways to develop a healthy and productive team. Here are six of our favourites…
1. Develop a workspace conducive to productivity
Having the right workspace will help achieve the right outcome. For example, a Formula One driver needs a car built specifically for their skills, and a surgeon needs their operating theatre set up specifically for the next surgery. Your team will also benefit from a work environment that facilitates their daily tasks as effectively as possible.
For example,
Desk and chairs are the right size and position so it is comfortable to work
Enough storage space so desks don’t get clogged up with paperwork
Lighting and heating are suitable and adjustable
Meeting rooms and private areas are readily available
Toilets and kitchen are clean and well-stocked
Break out areas for lunch or informal meetings where you want to think more creatively away from desks
Coworking spaces for additional support and networking opportunities.
Also think about how the workspace can reflect the personality of the business. Do you want a relaxed coworking space which offers unique décor, or a stunning private office with a quality finish?
How can you inject your brand into the space? Maybe try adding some company photos, inspiring quotes, or even company products and/or awards.
2. Put trust in your staff
It is important to have faith in the people you recruit. It can be difficult to let go, especially when it’s your own business, but you have chosen them to do a job so have trust in your own decision-making process when you hired them!
Handing over a project shows that you have confidence in their ability, and they are much more likely to flourish than if you micromanaged them.
In Calmer’s last guest post for The Brew’s blog - the top five ways you can motivate your team - they mention the Ben Franklin effect which finds that people are more likely to do favours for you when they have been entrusted with doing a favour in the first place. So, the more you entrust someone to do something, the more likely they are to go out of their way to support you and the business in a daily basis.
3. Stay hydrated and eat well
School children are encouraged to bring a drink and snack with them into exams. Why? Because low blood sugar and dehydration can affect concentration levels. To keep your team focused and productive, try introducing a water cooler or a weekly fruit basket. It may cost a few pounds but the rewards will come through your team completing those projects earlier!
4. Making meetings worthwhile
Meetings can be an effective way to connect with your team, break up the working day, brainstorm and inspire creative ideas. But can you make the meetings more efficient? Could you cut meetings in half and achieve the same, or even better, results?
If meetings typically run long, create an agenda beforehand so that time is used efficiently, but still allow time for a brainstorm where creative ideas and solutions can flow.
5. Invest in team notebooks
Writing notes and mapping ideas by hand creates better retention and encourages creativity, so consider investing in a good A5 notebook for each team member. Scribbling notes and ideas can be easily done during the day or even on the commute to work. It can also help off-the-cuff meetings become more efficient because its quick to grab a notebook and chat.
6. More breaks lead to better productivity
If one of your workers is suffering from an afternoon slump, encourage them to take a short walk to get their energy flowing again. Constant sitting - whether at your desk or endless meetings - puts you at higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, depression and obesity. So taking regular breaks will help improve overall physical and mental wellbeing.
Also, when we work, our prefrontal cortex (the front part of the brain) helps us to execute our goals. But for a challenging task, research shows that briefly taking our minds off the goal can facilitate creative solutions and renew motivation. Why not introduce a team lunch-break once a week or take turns to bring in cakes every Friday? This will help show you are actively encouraging the team to take breaks and it helps bring coworkers together more socially.
Conclusion
A comprehensive approach to motivating employees can help increase productivity and increase staff loyalty. Study the culture of other successful businesses - if you are based in a coworking shared office this can be an ideal place to take notes and tips from other enterprises – staff from other companies may even be willing to chat about what they enjoy about working for their employers.
About The Brew by rent24
The Brew by rent24 provides coworking spaces and private offices in London for teams of 1-100 people. The Brew boasts free meeting rooms, superfast internet, excellent community managers and a friendly atmosphere as standard.
We also offer social events, educational business seminars designed to enhance business growth and a curation of wellness workshops and content to support work/life balance and mentally healthy workplaces.
We recently announced exciting expansion plans that are powered by global coworking provider, rent24. As a result, Brew members now have access to over 50 coworking spaces around the world, including Berlin, Amsterdam, Chicago, Moscow, New York and Tel Aviv. And that’s just for starters, as there’ll be more than 185 global locations worldwide by 2020.
Check out www.thebrew.co.uk for more on our coworking offerings or stay up-to-date with the latest in small business news by following us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.