How to Motivate Your Employees in the New Year

The new year is the perfect time to motivate your employees. They are rested after the holidays and with a little motivation can start the new year off right, increasing productivity and quality. Try these techniques to motivate your employees and get the ball rolling after the holidays.

5 ways to motivate your employees in the new year:

1. Celebrate Their Achievements 

Trophies and commemorative statues are among the best executive gifts, but they are not limited to your leadership team. They are ideal for recognizing when someone has gone above and beyond what is expected of them. There are a variety of designs available, from more traditional glass sculptural trophies that double as art pieces to more stylized metallic versions or glass blocks with 3D etchings. A trophy engraved with their name, accomplishment, and a special message will show them they are appreciated and will grace their home desk, bookshelf, or mantel for years to come.

2. Friendly Competition

By gamifying the work your employees do, you can create a friendly competition in your team or between teams in a division. The winner might get a trophy, a pizza party as a team, or company-branded items as rewards. You can add other factors in, as well, such as providing feedback, attending training, and more. If they can earn points or an award for actions, they are more likely to do those actions, helping the company. 

3. Meaningful Awards and Prizes

Your awards or prizes need to be more than an afterthought, or they could have the opposite effect and hurt motivation. If it’s part of an incentive program, not putting thought into the rewards or prizes causes the program to become less exciting. Generally, your employee will win through hard work, and the reward should recognize this. For example, Successories is a company dedicated to offering a wide variety of awards and appreciation gifts. Whether it’s a personalized watch or a tumbler with the company’s logo, make the award fitting for the achievement.

4. Create a Friendly Work Environment

Chances are you already sing your employees’ praises and help them out when possible. If you don’t already, institute an open-door policy and listen to your employees. Make the entire office look as friendly and appealing as possible, as your employees spend the majority of the week there. If the atmosphere of the office is welcoming and comfortable, and employees know you will listen to them and try to help with problems, they will be eager to come to work and get the job done. 

5. Motivate Individuals and the Team

Learn what motivates individual employees and use that to help them stay focused. By motivating at both the individual and team level, you can create goals that help further each worker and team. Hold one-on-one meetings and team meetings, checking in with how employees and their teams are doing, listening to ideas, and making sure each person is doing what they are good at to further the team’s goals.