At some point or another, we’ve all been motivated by money. But, does money always motivate people to do their best work? Recent studies have found that what motivates people is a strong sense of autonomy and mastery. To motivate your employees, you have to consider their needs and what they want from their job. Money is a motivator for many people, but other incentives might work better for you and your company. By understanding how the different needs trigger motivation in individuals, you can find methods that work best for you and your team members.

1. Give them a more flexible time-off request system

Employees can be suffering stress, job burnout, or personal issues but be afraid of asking for time off. If scheduling time off is difficult, your employees may get stressed out and end up making a wrong decision on the job.

Managing your team’s time off requests can be streamlined and simplified by using a time off manager, which acts as a portal for employee schedules and time off requests.

When you implement a sound time-off management system, employees will easily schedule and manage their time off. And, since your employees can manage the request in advance, you can all make sure that they can handle their time off responsibilities effectively without having to stress out about it.

2. Give them a sense of autonomy by letting them choose how they complete tasks

As a business leader, you have the power to give employees autonomy in almost any situation. So, while they may not be making $70,000 a year, they still can take risks and try things they’ve never done before. When they feel comfortable and trust in their job, they’ll be more motivated to go above and beyond.

If employees feel they have the freedom to choose how they do their jobs, they’re more motivated to succeed at tasks. When they feel independent, they’ll do their best work and set the bar higher for themselves.

3. Offer opportunities for creativity and learning

At some point or another, you need to consider how to boost productivity in your business. You have to consider how you can help your employees see the big picture to do that. You have to give them the tools they need to succeed in the long run. In other words, they need to see the bigger picture and use the skills they’ve learned to design new solutions.

When your employees see the big picture and understand how they’re making a difference, they want to work hard for the company. Even if they don’t want to move to a larger company, they’ll always have that personal satisfaction that comes from doing the right thing for the company they’re working for.

4. Reward small wins with big acknowledgements to boost confidence and motivation

Most people love compliments and rewards. The best way to boost your employees’ confidence and motivation is by highlighting and recognizing the small wins. When you reward the small wins, they’ll be motivated to make sure they stay on track and make progress on their projects.

A positive change will happen when you create a working environment where your employees are encouraged to achieve small goals and make progress. Remember, if you want your employees to keep succeeding, it’s best to reward them for small, positive achievements.

5. Create a safe work environment where employees can speak up without fear of consequences

Most people don’t mind working hard or making sacrifices for their employer. But, what they hate is when they feel unsafe or feel as though they can’t speak up. A safe work environment is the best way to achieve both. It’s a space where your employees feel comfortable speaking up if they see something wrong or feel they have a better way of doing things.

You can encourage a safe work environment by creating a culture that encourages employees to speak up and share their opinions and ideas.

6. Promote the benefits of working as a team to strengthen bonds amongst coworkers

No one wants to work in an environment where people aren’t sharing their ideas and learning. For example, people may have ideas and solutions to a problem, but not all of those ideas are best for the company.

One of the ways to motivate your employees is to encourage them to discuss those ideas and explore new concepts that may work better for your company. This way, you can learn from your employees and help them become more successful at the work they do.

Once your employees know the benefits of working together, they’ll feel they can come to you with any suggestions, and you’ll be there to encourage them to move forward. They’ll feel empowered, and it’ll be reflected in their attitude and productivity.