Did you know that research has shown that while money is a motivator for employees, there are many other factors which can influence their productivity and loyalty? The bottom line is that staff who feel appreciated and acknowledged will in turn reap rewards for your business, as they will be more satisfied with their overall working experience.

Let’s face it, we all like to be told we have done a great job! And we are all more likely to do better next time, or aim for higher goals, if we are encouraged in our endeavours. As employers, it can be too easy to get absorbed in ‘running the business’ and forget that our greatest assets are our employees. You may be under the impression that providing more incentives and rewards will cost you money. But there are many no cost ways to increase motivation and retain your staff.

-       Offer the option for flexible work hours. In our age of 24/7 access, there are many tasks which can be done from home or outside of standard business hours. You may be missing out on some highly skilled staff if you insist on everything being done between 9am and 5pm.

-       Acknowledge the journey and say thank you. Not only do we sometimes forget to celebrate achievements, it is also important to provide encouragement as progress is made toward a goal. A simple thank you (for tasks big and small) can go a long way – especially if this is done in the form of a handwritten note.

-       Create some fun moments. This might include ‘casual Friday’ or giving staff a long lunch break once a week or monthly light-hearted ‘awards’.

We all know that finding great employees, and then retaining them, is vital not only for the costs involved in recruiting and training, but also for the impact on productivity. When you have got staff that you want to keep, make sure you do things that will make them want to stay!

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

Women are leading the way when it comes to finding new ways of working. The traditional workplace that is designed by men, usually with stay-at-home spouses, isn’t working for many women – or men for that matter.

Women are finding that many workplaces are inflexible (and unrealistic) when it comes to catering for family needs and living a life outside the office.   In the US, women are starting companies at more than twice the rate of men. And in doing so, they are rewriting the workplace rules and changing culture. This is particularly evident in relation to when, where and how work gets done – gone are the expectations that work can only be done 9-5 Monday to Friday. Flexible workplaces are beginning to emerge that focus on the best way to achieve results while allowing staff to maintain a more balanced life.

Many female business owners (myself included!) list flexibility as one of their main reasons for starting a business. Being able to work around family commitments is highly valued by most women and a great motivator for finding a way to create a workplace that has flexible work hours and ways of getting work done.

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender