It is generally agreed that motivation is the key factor for generating higher production levels. A well-motivated workforce greatly influences the operational efficiency, especially in production-intensive industries like manufacturing and construction. Since the construction industry is highly labor dependent, it is essential to not only keep your team well-managed but to also maintain high levels of employee motivation across the board.
Listed below are 4 of the most effective ways a construction company can motivate and manage its workers.
Recognize
The most common form of employee motivation is appreciation and recognition. It’s a natural human need to be recognized and feel valued. Appreciation doesn’t always have to be in the form of monetary rewards or raises. It can be something as simple as saying ‘Good Job’ or ‘Well done’ whenever a worker has produced quality work or put in some extra effort.
Such acknowledgment accounts for intrinsic motivation which leaves a greater impact on the worker than other motivational factors. Another way of recognizing hardworking staff members is by naming employee of the month or employee of the day. This not only encourages the worker to keep doing better but also creates a healthy workplace competition.
Reward
Even though monetary rewards aren’t the only form of praising an employee, they are effective ones. Bonuses and raises act as a strong motivational tool, especially if the worker has worked extra hours or done additional jobs. Apart from bonuses, rewards can also be in the form of gifts, vouchers or a company-organized day out. In general, it can be anything that shows the workers that their employers notice their hard work and their efforts never go unnoticed.
Empathize
Simply recognizing and rewarding employees is never enough to ensure a fully motivated workforce. Employees expect their employers to be concerned of their wellbeing and value them as an important part of the organization. This can be done by being respectful towards your workers and showing them your concern in significant personal events like birth of a child or demise of a family member.
Specify Goals
It is impractical to expect your staff to know exactly what their tasks and goals are when you hire them. Everyone needs to know what exactly is expected of them. Employers must set smart and achievable goals for the workers and clearly brief them about them. The best approach is to discuss these goals with the employee beforehand. This would promote ownership in the worker towards an assigned task. However, if goals aren’t clearly defined, it results in poor performance and hence substandard production.