Last year, there was an increase in employee engagement compared to years prior. Even with that gain, only a third of employees said they were engaged in their jobs. Even more, 70% of employees are actually unhappy with 52% ‘feeling blah’ and 18% downright hating their current position. No leader is unaware what that can mean for productivity and the business’ bottom line. While organizations are aware of the detriment, many are scratching their heads and frantically searching for the answer to their employees’ motivation problem. Oftentimes, organizations turn to the budget. Pay is a factor, but only 12% of employees are leaving for more money that leaves a good majority looking for something other than material goods. That’s great news for your budget, but now what? Here are 4-budget friendly ways to motivate your team!

Feedback
Okay, some employees might not admit it, but the truth is, humans like to be noticed. Ever heard the phrase, “Any PR is good PR”? Feedback is to an employee what a magazine scandal reveal is to a Hollywood star. Good or bad, employees want to hear how their work is affecting the company and leadership. It’s obvious why positivity and compliments leave workers happy, but even constructive criticism is important to their motivation. Research suggests employees truly want negative feedback. When a leader takes the time to invest in his or her continued growth, an employee can’t deny that the company sees potential and wants to make them a better professional. For the employees who value support in their workplace this attention is pivotal to their satisfaction as they generally thrive off the resulting direction.

To Do: Do you know how your employees accept feedback? Get to know their work styles, values and personality traits that make them unique and tailor the delivery of your feedback to align with their preferences.

Demand Time Off
Offering vacation is so important to the productivity and overall happiness of your employee. Itcan be assumed those who work more are more stressed and research is proving that fact.Employees who use PTO are more likely to receive a raise or bonus than those who do not. Unfortunately, there’s a trend in the US of less and less people actually taking advantage of the days they are offered. To many employees, work and life balance is necessary to be happy. The problem comes from the fear that vacations will stunt advancement. As a leader, it is important that you encourage the rest and relaxation of vacation days. Remember, no one likes to work for a stressed or exhausted boss either, so it is definitely mutually beneficial that you also follow suit and take time to recharge.

To Do: Read up on our tips for employees who value work/life balance. Learn how to best motivate them and see how you can get other employees on board to balance their work/life too!

Offer a Destination
This is not a piggyback off of point 2. Though many employees might love for you to offer a vacation, the destination they truly benefit from is that of their career goals. In fact, one study found 45% of employees left their previous job because they saw a lack of advancement opportunities. From applicant to new hire, employees see companies as a place they want to be nearly every day until they retire. That’s saying a lot. Show employee appreciation for that dedication by actually getting to know their plans. For those employees who value opportunity, a conversation that delves into their strengths, weaknesses and passions is everything they have dreamed about. Take note of what you think does and doesn’t work and always be transparent about what is truly possible.

To Do: Find out what your employees value in their career with a personality assessment. You’ll be able to see which employees value what so you can put this step into action!

Hire from Within
When employees see that their coworkers are moving up the ranks, they will innately want to experience similar success. Considering internal hires before external shows first hand what hard work can mean. How does this affect your bottom line? Well, training and onboarding become so much less intense as the new hire isn’t all that new to the company. Additionally, internal hires take less time in the recruitment and application period. Chances are the employee has already met the hiring manager and recruiter anyway. Even more, those in charge of hiring have a better view of the strengths, weaknesses and skills of the employee being considered.

“A culture of advancement also encourages team members to work harder, which boosts productivity, fosters innovation, cultivates loyalty and keeps employees focused on business goals.” – Paul Spiegelman, Chief Culture Officer at Stericycle

When companies feel turnover on the rise or see disengagement trickle through their workforce, there is an urge to turn the tide quickly. Nothing less is expected. That’s why more and more companies are looking for those preventative things that will increase employee motivation. What truly motivates your workforce lies within the people you’ve hired. There are many “things” that will make employees happy, but sometimes it’s the time you’ve taken to get to know who works for you that will make the real difference.

This blog originally featured on the Vitru blog. 

Bio: Ryan Mead

Ryan Mead is the CEO and Founder of Vitru, an employee assessment tool that provides recruiters, hiring professionals, coaches and managers with the insights they need to manage their teams and make better hiring decisions. Powered by science, yet practical and easy to use for a variety of teams, Vitru works for organizations of all size. Want to learn more? Visit our blog or sign up for a free team building personality test account to assess your team today! Tweet me at @GoVitru