3 Tips for Motivating and Inspiring a More Productive Team

It’s no secret that happy teams produce better results. One study by the University of Oxford even quantified it, finding that happy workers were 13% more productive. But how do you grow and sustain a happy team?

At Certum Solutions, we recently breathed new life into an old standby, celebrating not one, but two team members as employees of the month. 

The decision to recognize our team each month was an easy one. We’ve always been big believers in recognizing team members for standout performances. Not only do they deserve it, but we also believe that giving employees the chance to celebrate one another builds unity, camaraderie and motivation for us all to go above and beyond for you and your business. 

Last month, we recognized Tamela McNeal and Abigail Toney. They were proactive and recognized by their Certum peers for excelling multiple times throughout the month. They tied in “kudos” votes, which we collect from our team via DailyBot — a tool that integrates with Microsoft Teams (as well as Slack and Google Chat). It’s a great fit for us because it allows team members to be recognized by their peers, which our team seems to love doing. Individuals who may not necessarily get that visibility from management on a recurring basis get the recognition they deserve.

Of course, you don’t need an employee-of-the-month contest to keep your team happy. There are plenty of team-building options out there, for both remote and on-site employees. Here are a few ideas to get the ball rolling.

1. Team Member Spotlight Awards

Keep in mind, not everyone is motivated by “words of affirmation.” Some team members thrive most on financial recognition — kudos in the form of bonuses or spotlight awards. Tools like Workhuman’s team awards make it easy for managers and even peers to recognize employees monetarily. Plus, spotlight awards can be traded in for gift cards to favorite retailers, which is understandably motivating. It’s a great way to acknowledge exceptional team member contributions, while also letting employees know their work is highly valued. 

2. Free Lunch Fridays

They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but in fact, that’s true for just about anyone — including your team. It doesn’t have to be lunch, and it doesn’t have to be every Friday, but springing for treats now and again is a great way to let your team know you care. Sometimes, a small gesture of kindness and appreciation can lead to big results.

Make a record of everyone’s favorite kind of coffee, ice cream and take-out order. Take note of food allergies so everyone can participate. Finally, carve out some time to enjoy those extra calories as a team if you can. Quality time isn’t just good for personal relationships — it builds bonds between professional partners, too.

3. Recognize Events as well as People

You might ring a bell. You might set up a notification in DailyBot. You might design a message to show up on screens throughout your workplace. However you decide to do it, recognizing incredible events and the people behind them is one way to ensure everyone who contributed knows their work has been seen and appreciated. Plus, it gives others more visibility into what their peers are working on and the opportunity to learn more about their team members’ professional skills and accomplishments.

You know that when it comes to serving clients and meeting goals, it’s the happiest, most inspired team members who bring their best selves to work. It’s certainly that way here at Certum Solutions. And if you think employee incentives like DailyBot kudos or spotlight awards are silly, we can tell you from experience that they’re not. 

In fact, just since we began our employees-of-the-month contest, we’ve noticed a boost in overall team morale. People are more excited about recognizing others than themselves, and it has been neat to see how that attitude has progressed. 

Being a great leader means treating those around you the way you want to be treated. It’s how we strive every day to treat you — our clients — and one another. And we hope that each time you interact with a Certum Solutions team member, that kind of respect, passion and happiness is abundantly clear to see.

Find Out for Yourself What Our Happy Team Can Accomplish for You

At Certum Solutions, we pride ourselves on our friendly demeanor, continuing leadership development and complete dedication to our clients’ needs.

Whether you’re looking for a guide to show you the ins and outs of QuickBooks, wanting to tap into transformational software tech and apps to grow and scale your business, or building out an e-commerce platform, our Certum team is here to help. Let us free up your time and set your business up for success.

If you’d like to learn more about how Certum Solutions can revolutionize your business plans, set up some time to chat, or email us with questions. We’re looking forward to helping you grow.