Image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay

By Henry Brown

When it comes to keeping a business team motivated, small business owners arguably have the toughest luck. Why, you ask? Because it is hard to define the roles for each member of your staff. With a small business, employees often have to play multiple roles. This can be discouraging because there isn’t a clear career path for them to follow. The ambitious people who joined your company may soon be content to stay in their comfort zone without challenging themselves to achieve extraordinary things.

So, what can an entrepreneur do to keep people charged and ready to do their best for the business every day? Read on to find out.

Make uncertainty exciting

If there is one thing that a small business owner can count on, it is uncertainty. A fast-growing business often experiences unexpected turns, and this can be off-putting to some employees. The best way to deal with this is to make uncertainty palatable to your team. Rather than worry about the future, encourage your staff to think of it as a world of endless possibilities. Let them see the countless opportunities that lie ahead. Make them feel as though the next big idea will be theirs.

Once you attain this paradigm shift, your team will likely get to work to make the most of the available opportunities.

Invest in your team

If you treat your employees as if they matter, they will always give their best shot at work. Consider investing in your team’s education as a way to keep them motivated. For instance, you can hire an executive leadership coach to and encourage them. Consider sending them to seminars and workshops to improve their skill set. Let them attend conferences so they can network and get different perspectives on how to approach issues.

Sure, investing in your team could mean added costs for your business, but the returns are worth every penny.

Understand what drives your employees

With a small business, it is easy to tell what motivates each of your employees. Unlike a big company where catering to individual interests may be impractical, a small business owner has the leverage of giving each employee what matters the most to them.

It is easy for you to observe or even ask your employees what inspires them. If they want to see consistent career growth, consider creating better positions for them as they hit different milestones.

If more free time makes them happy, use this to motivate them. Bonuses and other forms of recognition also work well as motivational tools.

Allow room for mistakes

Your employees will, undoubtedly, love to stay in their comfort zone if they fear making mistakes. As a business owner, you ought to encourage them to make more mistakes because that is the only way to grow.

More often than not, failure teaches more lessons than success does. Additionally, falling and picking yourself back up can instill unparalleled confidence in a person. This is certainly a desirable quality for employees.

Conclusion

A business team that lacks drive and motivation will likely lead to stunted growth. Fortunately, lack of motivation is a problem that can be fixed quickly. Consider acting on the tips shared above so that you can inspire your team to continue soaring.

________

Henry Brown is an online marketing executive. When he isn’t talking shop, he’s roaming the streets of London, uncovering the extra-ordinary in the ordinary.