5 team motivation ideas to help your business end the year on a high note

Team motivation is a widely covered topic in the Organizational Behavior stream, yet most managers often feel a disconnect between the practice and theory of motivating employees to achieve more.

Questions about how to bridge the gap between theory and practice and how long it takes to make a difference often arise, but there’s another, darker side that must also be addressed: the cost of work-related stress.

Last year, Dr Renata Schoeman, a board member of the Psychiatry Management Group, shared that work-related stress and major depression cost South Africa’s economy almost R40 billion each year.

She recommends that companies focus on turning the tide by creating healthier environments for employees. With December just around the corner, there’s no better time to focus on easing staff through the last, and possibly busiest period of your year.

Here are our five tips on team motivation to help your company close off the year on a high.

1. Go casual to boost team motivation

There’s something rewarding about going to work in casual clothing, especially if your office dress code is formal. According to a recent study, 61% of employees say they are more productive when their work dress code is relaxed.

Casual clothing has a way of releasing tension that’s typically associated with your work environment, and at the end of a long year, that’s a good thing.

Going casual may not work in your line of business, but if you are able to offer your team the opportunity to at least go business casual, it could go a long way to making this year-end more bearable.

2. Incentivise

Using incentives to boost team motivation is sometimes considered complex and hard to accomplish. This is largely due to the administrative costs related to programme design and planning, and tracking and issuing rewards.

While these are valid concerns, neglecting the opportunity to incentivise your team could be the reason why your business is not as successful as it could be. In 2010, the Site Foundation found that incentives can contribute to an increase of 25% to 44% on team performance.

TuYu offers companies a streamlined, innovative way to reward staff instantly, ensuring a quick turnaround time between qualifying for a reward and being rewarded appropriately. Companies issue staff cash rewards through a secure online self-service portal. Cash rewards can then be redeemed in-store at 70 000+ till lanes, using a feature phone or smartphone.

NEED TO INCENTIVISE YOUR TEAM?

If you’re looking for an easy and quick way to boost performance with incentives, give us a call on 021 812 1495/6.

3. Treat them to a meal

One of the best kept secrets when it comes to team motivation tactics is meal sharing. A recent study showed that staff who share meals collaborate much more than those who don’t.

You needn’t break the bank to feed your team; the goal is simply to create an environment where as many team members as possible can share a meal together.

4. Offer time off

December is a tough season for many employees because their kids are on holiday without them. Introducing a time-off schedule, where team members work half days on Fridays, gives your staff the opportunity to connect with their family and promotes a healthier work-life balance.

Not everyone can be off at the same time though, so be clear about the rules of the offer, and take the opportunity to provide employees the power to work out how their responsibilities will be managed while out of the office.

5. Be real

Team motivation has a nasty side to it. When it’s forced and seems artificial, staff tend to build resentment towards management and the company.

When you’re rolling out your programme, focus on the ‘why’ behind it. For example, if your team isn’t into pep talks, don’t start having them. Instead, have a meeting and share what you’ll be doing and why it matters.

Conclusion

The November/December period is a busy time for many businesses, and the effects of a long year can cause your staff’s motivation levels to wane. Using dress code, mobile rewards incentives, team meals, time off and staying true to character can help you motivate your team to give their best this year-end.

NEED TO INCENTIVISE YOUR TEAM?

If you’re looking for an easy and quick way to boost performance with incentives, give us a call on 021 812 1495/6.