Is everyone working for the weekend? Are they going off the deep end? Are you happy in your current position? If you aren't, maybe it is time for a change. That might be easier said than done, but it is worth trying!
In business, it can become very easy to be controlled by your bottom line and to be blinded from the bigger picture. Of course you want to be productive and profitable, but sometimes you have to spend money to make money. The cheapest and easiest way to get from A to B may not be the best solution if you eventually have to get from A to Z. Look at the innovative companies out there and what they do for their employees, much of their success is due to the fact that their employees are happy and productive. Building a positive and productive climate will help you retain your employees, which is key for long term success.
It isn't always about big, elaborate, over the top ideas. Perhaps small and semi regular incentives can make a significant difference. Recently I read that the number 1 factor in employee satisfaction was having a flexible schedule. Providing flexibility makes it easier for employees to keep up with their lives beyond the workplace and I would assume that subsequently, these people have much less life stress getting in the way of their work. Incentives are a great way to motivate people into action. However, there are caveats: a pizza lunch, or cupcakes might improve your team's dynamic and attitude for the day, but are there any long term effects of a cheap lunch once per quarter? I think not. Don't get too smug, just because you do a nice gesture once. Small incentives and gestures of appreciation can go a long way. Sometimes your situation may limit what you can offer. But if you have the ability to go big, do it! Bear in mind the old adage 'penny wise, pound foolish'. Don't become a victim of your bottom line.
"Once in a while you can squeeze a 70 hour work week from someone if you promise them a big bonus. However, if you want to dedicate their idle brain cycles to the success of the company, if you want them to act as a team and to avoid the pursuit of their personal gain in petty office politics, you need to enable them to win big when the company wins big. When a company decides not to give equity to it's employees, it focuses so much on the short term that it's bound to become irrelevant ten years from now." -
YG (In: Next Montreal)
Also, I think it is important to take a chance on those still rising to their full potential. Companies seem so bent on finding the best in the industry, someone with a proven track record, which intuitively makes sense. But that person has already developed their style and methods and may not fit into every situation. Instead there should be a shift in focus to moulding fresh talend to suit your company and team of employees. Everyone wants a guarantee of performance, but there is always a learning curve, no matter how much experience you have.
“Do not hire a man who does your work for money, but him who does it for love of it” - Thoreau
