How to Inspire Your Employees

Inspired employees are productive employees and who doesn’t want that? A company filled with inspired employees is a company whose chances of success are way higher, it’s people way happier, and it’s work far greater.

So, what does your work environment have to do with inspiring your employees?

Real Motivation in the Work Environment

Creating a work environment that your employees love is the first step in inspiring them. If you are trying to create a fun, fostering environment that will truly inspire your employees, you have to go a little crazy (although running your own company probably already has you a step of the way there).

Take the effort to go out of your way to create a bright, colorful work environment. Do everything you can do to avoid stuffy offices and dreary boardrooms for your employees. No one can get excited about working in such a boring environment!

Nothing stifles creativity more than a drab, dreary, old-school office. Those clichéd “motivational” posters on your wall don’t cut it. In fact, they’re most likely only motivating your employees to want to smash them into pieces.

A Cutting-Edge Environment

You better have a crazy compensation package on your dreary table if you think you are going to attract any top talent to your sad, little office. The fact is, top talent read blogs and watch enough TV to know what kinds of work environment cutting-edge start-ups are offering their employees.

For example, ReThink is one of the top advertising agencies in North America. In order to stay there, their stakeholders have gone a little crazy. How? Well, does using a ping-pong table for a boardroom table or installing artificial turf for carpeting sound reasonable to you? It does sound fun, but not quite “reasonable.” Yet, still, this is actually an absolutely brilliant strategy. It’s a literal physical embodiment of their corporate culture, one that insists on doing things differently and thinking outside the box.

What About Costs?

The most brilliant thing about ReThink’s work environment is that it didn’t cost them thousands and thousands of dollars. You don’t need fireman’s poles or foosball tables to compete with their look either. Bright paint, funky furniture, and an open concept go a long way in establishing a unique working environment for your current staff. 

Not only that, but it will help you attract a-level talent in the future. Plus, you know if they don’t like your inspirational, funky work environment, then they simply are not unique and inspired and have no place with your company. Don’t trust someone who’s inspired by beige walls and fluorescent lights.

How Can You Get Started?

One of the easiest ways to show how quirky your work environment is, is to let go of tired naming conventions for your boardrooms. Some offices name meeting rooms after planets, with the furthest aptly named Pluto. 

Have your employees brainstorm ideas for making it a contest to see who can come up with the best name options. This is yet another way to get employees engaged and excited about work and coming into the office everyday. 

Make it More Social

Some people balk at the idea of making the work environment more comfortable to socialize in, but it’s actually hugely beneficial. One of the most natural and most authentic ways to build a world-class culture is to bring in a barbecue and use it often. The break from the grind is welcome, conversation flows naturally, and who doesn’t love a free lunch? This gives employees something to look forward to that is not related to their job and allows them to get to know each other outside as real people.

It’s also a great idea to stock your lunchroom with fresh fruit and healthy snacks and to build “nap rooms.” If you expect your employees to work long hours to help you grow your business then you have to provide amenities that make it easier and more healthy to do so. You might be thinking “Let my employees nap at work? Ridiculous! I’m not paying them to sleep!” Google “productivity and naps” and then rethink what you just thought. 

Creating an inspirational work environment is essential. It’s benefits far outweigh the work, so give it a try! What do you do to make your workplace fun and unique? Let us know in the comments.

If you have questions or would like more information, I’d be happy to help. Please send an email, and my team will get in touch with you!

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in December 2017 and has been edited for accuracy and comprehensiveness.