Small Business Employee Motivation and how Professional Employer Organizations Can Help

Motivating employees has always been key in any successful business. First and foremost, you need to understand what motivates each individual small business employee that you have. Depending on the work role, they may be motivated by some type of payed bonus, being asked to lead a new initiative, or by simply telling them, “I thought you did an incredible job.” Either way, this is the first step in understanding how to get more out of your employees; knowing their individual personalities. While implementing this important step, professional employer organizations may provide consulting and coaching on ways to do this depending on their level of outsourced HR services and expertise.

If it is money that motivates your small business employee, there are ways to use money effectively. Simply providing a raise, and one that may be outside of market pricing, may keep your employee in the short term, but studies have found that this is not a long term motivation tool. Many peo companies can help you understand compensation by job role, and offer advice on the best way to create bonus or commission structures that are appropriate.

Small business owners can also simply ask the employee what they want, what they are expecting out of their job, and how they feel they can help grow the business. Asking an individuals opinion and working with them to shape their responsibilities will go a long way for the small business employer, hence the employee is doing the work that they want to do as well as feeling as though their input and personal goals are being considered. The employee leasing company can assist by consulting on individual employee job growth and career paths.

One incentive often resulting in a more motivated employee is rewarding them with a paid day off. Sometimes after a small business project that took long hours or weekend work, free time (herego acknowledgement and reward) can go a long way. This lets the small business employee take a much needed break, and one that does not cost the business anything in addition to their regular pay. If you use this method, effective and compliant PTO polices can be reviewed with your professional employment organization.

Another tip: Does your employee live more than 45 minutes from your location? The drive is most likely not enjoyed by your employee, and may be cause for a less motivated one. What you can do, however, is allow for that employee to work at home every now and then. While their physical presence is absent at the office, they can very often still get work done from home. They may even be more effective, you have now given them ninety more minutes on those days to allow for more work or to deal with personal issues that would normally take them away from their 8 hour workday.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, no matter what happens at the US national level on health care, the small business that continues to provide relatively affordable health insurance and additional perks will show their employees that the business owner has their best interest in mind. PEO companies key role is pooling together thousands of employees, which provides the smaller business with cheaper and more stable costs related to these types of benefits.

Unfortunately, the small business is competing against large companies with deep pockets; small business owners should look to keep the employees that are important to their organization. In addition, professional employment organizations simply make the business world easier as they take on menial administrative tasks and offer expert advice and suggestions.