6 Ideas for Non-material Incentives in Employee Motivation

Companies that monitor their employees' performance regularly need to develop methods not only for stimulating underachievers but also for rewarding highly productive workers. However, many employers prefer to save the financial incentives till better times. Non-monetary means of motivation come to the foreground. CleverControl picked up six of the most effective ones. The word “motivation” is familiar to everyone. Each of us has felt this invisible push forcing us to move in a certain direction. But the problem is that often we feel the opposite – not enough of the motivation. According to Maslow, a person feels the need for something and therefore gets motivated when he or she feels the lack of something physiologically or psychologically. How to simulate this "lack" so that employees would be naturally motivated to work effectively and so that the company did not bear any expenses?

There is nothing easier than to genuinely recognize everybody’s merits. Any of us need praise and will be happy to get approval and positive evaluation. Says Philip Ortiz from the Association of experts of management systems "Phiiz Media": "Sometimes such simple and little signs of attention to an employee as public praise, recognition, and underlining his or her important role are more important than material incentives".

Of course, it is important to give people the opportunity to grow. Not everyone has the time and money to gain experience and to make progress. Therefore, many organizations send their staff to additional training to increase their qualification without any additional costs (if you employ internal resources or arrangements with partners). Diana Grant, the editor-in-chief of the "Quick Environment" magazine, believes that free education has several indisputable advantages: "During any crisis, one of the most effective ways of non-material motivation is the free education. The management and staff are well aware that the first ones to be reduced are ineffective employees. Training is a real chance to learn to work better, and hence not be reduced." The greater the set of knowledge, skills, and qualities of a particular employee is the more valuable he or she is for the company.

A great idea is to send your team to a resort! Christina Hughes, the head of the HR Department at Delivery Hit says that it is a wonderful way to maintain the employees’ productivity which goes down sooner or later: "A short trip without interruption of work is a great idea to cheer up the team and shake up the tired employees. It's kind of a second breath: the reconciliation of work and resort." Travel fills your team with new energy says the press-secretary of "Exhibition" Charles West: "After successfully reaching another business goal we organize a corporate trip. The point is to connect with the beautiful, to see the masterpieces of culture, and to get into a new atmosphere. Such trips "load" employees with new experiences and "unload" their minds, broaden their horizons and fill them with creative energy.”

Some companies gift their employees with what they sell and thus kill two birds with one stone! Employees become loyal and have a splendid opportunity to study all the properties of the product. "The knowledge gained in this way gives sellers the opportunity to describe the product in just a few sentences, quickly compare 2-3 options and demonstrate professionalism and sincere interest in the customer," says the business coach and director of a training center Brandon May.

You can motivate the employees with regular competitions figuring out who made the "best sell" or who is "the most efficient employee of the month". This method is very effective from the point of view of psychology; in addition, the desire to be better and the spirit of the competition always increase the efficiency of the team. "It is important to encourage not only the sales but also the service. The winner can get an extra day off or a certificate from the company's partners, plus the placement on the wall of honor. The main thing is not to overdo it with the non-material motivation or the excitement disappears," said Emma Weber, the General Director, founder of the Consulting center "WE".

"One of the best ways of the non-material motivation is a free admission to theaters, exhibitions, and other cultural events", – says the musician and music producer Ronald Bates. His production center often receives invitations to one or another cultural event for providing information support to concert agencies. "This is a great bonus for employees," emphasizes Bates. In conclusion To summarize, we can say that ensuring high productivity and efficiency in employees with non-monetary ways can be done in any company with a deliberate and practical approach of the Manager. And with such a motivated team you can bring the company to a new level. And...maybe think about the financial motivations too.