When you run your own business you know that there is one thing that is absolutely critical to the success of your company, and that is your team. Your team are at the forefront of your business and they are integral to everything that you do. As such, it is important that they deliver a good job for you every day and stay focused and enthusiastic. That is why today we are sharing with you a few tips around how to keep your team motivated.

Hire the right people

First and foremost you are going to need to hire the right people.

When you are hiring someone new, along with their skills and experience, do think about how well you will be able to work with them and how they will fit in with your existing team. Ask them to share with you what motivates them as the answer to this will give you a good idea about whether your business will be the right place for them.

Train your team effectively

Everyone should benefit from training, both induction training and then ongoing around any changes or developments. It is also worth revisiting areas that you have previously covered during training sessions to ensure that everyone fully understands.

Receiving training and support allows your staff to carry out their jobs competently and confidently This in turn will bring them job satisfaction and it will avoid any frustrations if they feel unable to complete their tasks.

Recognise and reward good performance

You should always seek to recognise and reward good performance. It will help to encourage your employees, both individually and as a team.

Be on the lookout to give thanks to people throughout the day for the little things that they do, from coming in a few minutes early to help out by making a round of coffee. These things might not appear to be significant, but your employees will appreciate that you notice and keep on putting in that little bit extra effort daily.

If your team does a good job, then tell them, thank them and go and buy a round of cakes to celebrate.

You can then seek to more formally reward your team through things such as one to one meetings, promotions, extra staff development, pay rises and bonus structures.

Add in a few creature comforts

Your team should be comfortable and safe in their work environment. Ensure that their basic needs are met first and then look to add in a few creature comforts.

You might benefit from getting a cantilever canopy to encourage the cycle to work scheme or a hot drinks dispenser in the canteen, so do spend time shopping around for the best that you can afford and then get it ordered and installed as quickly as you can.

Then take a look at the office or work area that your team spend most of their time in and brighten it up for them. You might upgrade the lighting, add a few pictures to the walls or buy a few pot plants to dot around.

Adding value like this will help to ensure that your staff are well looked after and they will appreciate that you have gone the extra mile to take care of them.