8 cost effective ways to motivate your team

As a manager or supervisor, it's your responsibility to motivate and inspire your team, even on their off days. Fortunately, there are many cost-effective ways to achieve this. Here are eight ideas to get you started:

1. Upgrade job titles: You don't need to promote someone to motivate them. Instead, consider changing their job title to better reflect their responsibilities. This can make employees feel appreciated and valued, especially if they have input in creating their own job titles. Use yearly reviews to discuss whether their job title accurately reflects their role and come up with a more fitting title if needed.

2. Create flexible working arrangements: Allowing your team to work flexibly can have a significant impact on their motivation and productivity. Consider allowing them to work from home or amend their working hours to fit their personal commitments. This needs to be agreed upon by both you and the employee, but it can lead to increased dedication and better work.

3. Lead by example: Be the kind of leader you would want to have. Don't micromanage or show favoritism. Spend equal amounts of time with each team member and act as an enabler, rather than just delegating tasks.

4. Delegate fairly: Avoid hogging all the good projects or giving them all to the same person every time. Instead, distribute tasks fairly across the team.

5. Create informal appraisals: Annual reviews can be stiff and formal, so consider breaking them down into smaller, more frequent feedback sessions. This can help foster trust and transparency between you and your team.

6. Be social: Organize team lunches, coffee meetings or social evenings outside of the office. Bonding outside of work can help build stronger relationships and improve morale.

7. Recognize success: It's easy to recognize and celebrate success. Send a group email or gather everyone together to celebrate someone's achievements.

8. Encourage external training: If you have a budget for training courses, encourage your team to put forward suggestions on what they would like to attend. Evaluate what will be most beneficial for the individual, team and company as a whole. Investing in your team's skills is always a good idea.

Remember, as a manager or supervisor, your role is not just to cheerlead but to support and motivate your team every step of the way.