Successfully motivating employees Employee motivation for SMEs

Here are some tips SMEs can use to attract and retain talented employees and motivate them to keep giving their best.

Why is employee motivation so important?

Financial loss can occur quickly where there is a lack of employee motivation. Motivated employees perform better, are more innovative, are less likely to engage in misconduct at work, have fewer workplace accidents and have lower rates of absenteeism. Better individual employee performance has a direct and positive impact on customer satisfaction and strengthens customer loyalty. It's clear that companies that promote employee motivation in a targeted manner increase the chances of success for both the employees and the company.

What offers does AXA provide?

AXA offers its employees a wide range of extra benefits on top of their salary. You can now pass  some of our attractive offers on to your own employees – and thus offer them SME benefits similar to those of a large corporation.

Promotion of health – employee motivation through health care

Only healthy employees are motivated employees . For this reason alone, companies should have a real interest in the wellbeing of their workforce. Minimizing illness-related absences results in considerable time and cost savings in the long term. 

Fringe benefits  – Employee motivation through supplementary benefits

Fringe benefits are a rewarding alternative to bonuses and premiums. They can be awarded regardless of individual performance or the financial success of the company, and offer real added value to the personal and professional lives of your employees. 

Occupational benefits – motivate employees with higher retirement savings

Part of your duties as an employer is to use a pension fund to provide security for employees for old age and against the risks of death and disability. Companies that view this as more than just a duty can use the occupational benefits of their employees for the purposes of motivation and employee retention.

Practical tips for employee motivation

  • Tip 1: Motivate individuals and promote talent

    Employees want to be perceived and treated as individuals. The better you know your employees, the easier it will be for you to motivate them personally. It is the job of a manager to increase motivation with incentives tailored individually to the person.

    • Listen carefully to your employees in employee reviews and meetings and take their ideas and needs seriously.
    • Show empathy in how you manage your employees and build an emotional connection with your staff.
    • Strengthen personal growth in the workplace
  • Tip 2: Share information and keep your team together

    Shared experiences and an open company culture strengthen team cohesion. Create a pleasant atmosphere in the workplace and within the team.

    • Share good news from the company with your team.
    • Strengthen cohesion between the team and management.
    • Encourage sharing with joint activities and creative meetings.
    • Invest in an open  team and the corporate culture.
  • Tip 3: Set clear goals and lead by example

    Information and clarity help employees throughout their day-to-day working lives. You achieve this by setting clear objectives and by consciously acting as a role model.

    • Set measurable and realistic goals.
    • Define clear guidelines and include your employees.
    • Be authentic when leading your teams.
  • Tip 4: Show appreciation for challenges mastered

    Make sure that your employees do not feel underchallenged. And trust them to do a good job. This will provide relief for you as well. Focus on the positive.

    • Motivate your employees by transferring competencies and responsibilities.
    • Show appreciation by acknowledging good work.
    • Celebrate successes with your employees.
  • Tip 5: Communicate with your employees as an equal

    Many misunderstandings can be avoided with regular and open communication. Make sure that your employees receive and pass on the necessary information at an early stage.

    • Maintain the most transparent and proactive communication possible with your teams.
    • Cultivate respectful interaction with your employees.
    • Communicate the importance of the activity to be performed for the success of the business.
  • Tip 6: Consciously promote intrinsic motivation

    Intrinsic motivation means internal motivation. Promoting the intrinsic motivation of individual employees has a long-lasting effect. The strengthening of self-efficacy, or a person's conviction that he or she is competent, is particularly effective.

    Extrinsic motivation means external motivation.  Extrinsic incentives such as flexible work models, fringe benefits or bonuses tend to motivate more in the short term. In this regard, personal preferences of employees also play a large role.

    External motivation is easier to organize but internal motivation is much more subtle: It cannot be created, it can only be fostered. As a manager, it is important to find a good balance between the two types of motivation.

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