How to Encourage a Hard-Working Office Team

Every manager and business owner dreams of managing a team of hard workers. It’s not as simple as hiring great people and leaving them to it, though. To get the most out of your staff, you must first ensure they’re working in a great atmosphere. While it’s a lot of hard work to finally reach that dream team, the result is more than worth it, as you’ll be managing a productive team that genuinely enjoys being at work. Read on to learn how to encourage that. 

Host Brilliant Workplace Events 

Events are a part of work culture, and how you throw them says a lot about your company. Hosting boring office parties that barely last an hour and serve stale cake isn’t the way to go. Instead, treat your staff to brilliant events that they’ll talk about for months to come. 

If you’ve passed a milestone and you want to celebrate, consider going the extra mile and throwing an event on a yacht. You’d be surprised at the cost of a yacht party; you won’t have to spend as much as you’d think to show your employees a great time. Everyone will want to work for you!

Hire Happy People 

While it’s important to cultivate a positive work environment, who you hire is also crucial to a hard-working team. Hiring those with extensive work experience is great, but you should also consider hiring happy employees, as they will be the ones to boost the atmosphere and inspire others to go the extra mile. When interviewing a new candidate, some things you should look out for include:

Basic manners 

This one is obvious, but it’s so important that it needs pointing out anyway. Someone who can’t say please and thank you or show basic respect isn’t someone you want working in an office, especially if their role involves a lot of teamwork. 

A genuine interest in the company 

Those who interview for the sake of it usually show that by their lack of interest in the company. Instead, hire people who already know a little about the company but are eager to know more in their questions. 

Preparation 

Those who show up prepared are more likely to do so when they work for you. If someone arrives without a resume and with no idea about the company, it’s a sure bet that they won’t put the effort in as an employee. 

A good conversationalist 

People who are good at conversation are generally more enjoyable to be around. That doesn’t mean hiring someone who talks non-stop; it means hiring those who communicate well through their own words as well as their listening skills. 

Smiling 

Smiley people bring a certain air to any room they walk in. If an interviewee makes you smile just by their presence, then it’s a sure sign they’d bring something positive to the work environment. 

Offer Rewards to Hard Workers 

Hard work should be rewarded, not only because that’s what is right, but also because it encourages even more hard work from the individual and those around them. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to reward your staff, including afternoons off, pizza Fridays, and coupons. It might even encourage a little friendly competition, which is also helpful when encouraging a hard-working office. 

Set Clear Goals

Hard work comes easier when you know what you are working toward, so set clear goals, so your staff know where they are heading. They don’t have to be huge goals; often, small, achievable ones can be better for motivation. It is also a good idea to use real-time feedback alongside this to help them stay on track towards achieving these goals.

Make sure your team knows why they are working on something, too. It’s not enough to say write a selection of great blog posts – tell them how it will benefit the company overall. When a staff member knows the impact of their work, they tend to put in a little extra effort. 

Actually, Listen to Feedback 

Most offices allow employee feedback, but not all of them listen to it. In order to create a team of hard workers, you must first accommodate their needs, which means listening to feedback and acting on it if necessary. Sometimes, an ear might be all a staff member needs, whereas other times, you might need to rejig the way the office runs to boost happiness and productivity. 

Create a Positive Office Space 

People work better when they’re in an environment they enjoy being in. A monochrome-colored office with fluorescent lighting and tightly packed desks isn’t the recipe for hard work; instead, focus on creating an interesting and mood-boosting office space that uses layered lighting, comfortable furniture, and colors that complement each other. Get as creative as you want! 

Pay Well and Offer Great Benefits 

As important as work events and a positive environment are, you can’t ignore the simple fact that people work harder when they’re paid a fair salary and receive great benefits. You might think you’re saving money by avoiding pay rises, but in reality, you’ll only discourage staff growth, resulting in a lack of productivity and an unhappy workplace. By spreading the profit a little more evenly and paying everyone a great salary alongside offering useful benefits, you’ll find people walk into work with a little more spring in their step. It’s a move that benefits everyone. 

Trust Your Team to Do Their Job 

Most staff members don’t like a hovering manager, so trust your employees to do their job by leaving them to it. They’ll come to you if they have any questions! The more responsibility you give people, the harder they’ll work, as they will feel personally responsible for their end of the task. 

Offer a Flexible Work Schedule 

Holding people to the typical nine until five routine isn’t always the best way to boost productivity. While it might fit well with your schedule, you must understand that your staff has other obligations and body clocks that make a flexible workday much more beneficial. 

You should allow people to work remotely, too. Remember – everyone works differently, and you might discover you get the best work out of some people when they can work from their own environment.

 

Deal With Conflict Immediately 

Conflict arises in every office at some point, and it’s up to you to squash it as soon as it arrives; otherwise, the entire office may suffer. Whether it’s something as small as a missing piece of stationary or something more serious like a harassment allegation, you must see to it that it gets resolves quickly. 

Get to Know Each Team Member 

Every single team member is unique. That means, to manage them properly, you need to understand where they work best, what their motivators are, and where their talents lie. By knowing these things, you’ll be able to provide the best environment possible for bringing out their best work. It’s no use asking someone to set the entire team’s weekly goals if they’re more of a creative and flexible worker! To get to know each member of staff on a more individual basis, start holding one on one meetings and getting out into the office from time to time. 

Offer More Training and Advancement Opportunities 

People work harder when they know they’re progressing, so give your employees goals by offering training and advancement opportunities. Their goals don’t have to be to become CEO of the company to be relevant; if someone is happy to progress to a more creative position or simply wants to learn more about leadership, it’s important to accommodate that. Of course, you should accommodate the more ambitious of the bunch, too. By doing so, you’ll end up with a team of talented people who are inspired to work hard to meet their goals. 

Celebrate Great Team Work 

Rewarding the entire team is just as important as rewarding individuals. Not only does it show appreciation for hard work, but it also boosts camaraderie in the team, which in turn creates a more positive and motivating work environment. The next time you reach a milestone or make more profit than expected, consider taking the team to lunch, ordering takeout, or even allowing everyone a day off. 

Use Collaboration Tools 

In a flexible office full of people, it’s essential to find ways to collaborate, and that’s where collaboration tools come in. You can find plenty of collaboration software and apps that’ll allow you to team up on projects no matter where people are based. By making the workday even easier, you motivate productivity. 

Lead By Example 

Nobody wants to work for a lazy manager. Not only is it disheartening to watch someone who is paid more work less, but it also shows staff that they can get away with not putting in one-hundred-percent. For this reason, it’s crucial to lead by example and go to work ready to put in lots of effort. You’ll gain the respect of your employees while motivating them to follow suit. 

Building a dream team of hard-working employees takes time, but by using this advice, you’ll soon see a huge spike in office productivity.