Employee motivation is vital to a company’s success, and a company’s success helps motivate its employees. You can even think of it as the classic question, “Which came first: the chicken or the egg?” Given that most companies won’t be wildly successful as a brand new startup, we’ll say that employee motivation comes first. So, what motivates your employees to work hard? What drives them to be diligent, honest, and engaged?

According to Forbes, there are five main incentives that work well for the majority of employees.

Perks

Company perks include things like half days, casual days, work parties, branded gear, and other such things that help make the workplace more than just a workplace. You create a specific culture and atmosphere for your company by offering different benefits. It contributes to a sense of belonging and encourages employees to be excited about showing up to work each day.

Bonuses

If employees know that their hard work will be rewarded financially, they will be more motivated to prove that they deserve a bonus. This is especially true if bonuses aren’t arbitrarily handed out to everyone, but if instead they are given to those that have shown their ability to go above and beyond. But be mindful—understand your employees and their work. There may be some who go above and beyond in quieter, less obvious ways. You can be a huge influence in many people’s lives by noticing those efforts which often go unnoticed.

Education

Some companies create opportunities for their employees to learn new skills. Providing chances to further one’s professional training and development is not only rewarding for the employee. In turn, it is beneficial for the company, since this new knowledge can be used in ways to better the organization.

As far as perks, bonuses, and education are concerned, each of these incentives will help the company prosper. Employees will feel that their hard work is paying off in a positive way. This is motivation for employees to work harder, but also helps the company. Business owners are more likely to continue and sometimes even expand these benefits, seeing that they are beneficial for the company.

Amenities

Be in touch with your employees’ lives. Providing opportunities like a workout center or a daycare center are a great form of motivation. Employees are more likely to feel positive and comfortable about entering the workplace. If people don’t have to worry about scheduling their fitness routine or watching their children, they are much more likely to be well-focused while at work. Coming to work will become less of a hindrance or a roadblock in their everyday lives.

Positive Recognition

Everyone loves to have their hard work recognized. It is taxing on an individual to work day in and day out with no one recognizing a job well done. Even an acknowledgement of a person’s hard work can go a long way for some employees. Be on the lookout for tasks that may be less obvious but still strenuous or tedious, and for those employees who quietly yet diligently add value to the company. Take note of your employees’ strengths, and find new ways to emphasize those strengths.

Positive recognition is a major factor in understanding how a company’s success motivates employees. It is encouraging to leaders and owners to see the organization succeed because of the efforts of their employees. Good business owners will then recognize the employee(s) on a personal and sometimes  company level. Employee appreciation in this way helps fuel the desire to continue working hard.

And so it goes: keep your employees motivated, and the company does well. The company does well, and it encourages your employees to work hard and be happy. If you can learn to encourage your employees in ways that work best for them, it becomes a win-win situation.

It is important to note, however, that not all people will be motivated in the same way. While one form of encouragement may work for one person, it may not work for another. You will have to find the balance that works best for everyone to help keep the success of your business going.

‍