teamwork

teamwork

It can be difficult to keep your team motivated, in any job.  But in the dynamic world of startups, this can be even more difficult due to the number of opportunities.  So how can you keep your team happy and motivated?  Keep reading to find out more:

Share The News

This means the good news and the bad news.  Frederieke Wolter, the Founder of Favoroute , a website to help you find your favorite travel guide, had this to say:

“Transparency is the key to happiness and staying motivated in a startup company. Whether it’s the financial situation, investor feedback, short or long term goals, it makes a difference when everything is clear. I used to keep all these aspects of the company to myself because I thought it was my burden to bear. But by being transparent, obstacles can be solved with the support of the team, which gives a sense of ownership and self-motivation tied to the company’s success. Therefore, I’ve created regular one-on-one session with each member to exchange feedback and be on the same page with everyone.”

Mix Business With Pleasure

No, not in a romantic way, but you want to inspire your team.  So why not take them somewhere they can get inspired? Frederick Gentis, Managing Partner of Gallerese, suggests that you combine business with the pleasure of art.  Mostly because that’s his business.  But that doesn’t mean that you can’t find a way to inspire your team.

“Since Gallerease is a global platform for art galleries, we inspire our team members by taking them to art fairs and cultural, art-related events. This way we combine the business with the pleasure of art. And of course we end the day with a good glass of wine to discuss as a team what we enjoyed most. As you spent most of your time with your colleagues, business and pleasure should be combined in your working life as much as possible.”

teamwork

Get the Best From Everyone

There’s nothing worse than feeling like you’re just along for the ride.  Like someone else is leading the way, and you are at their mercy.  Sem Schuurkes, the founder of CityHub, suggests that you give employees responsibility within their job.

“One key motivator is to the give employees responsibility on their job. We try to involve them in our strategic thinking and allow them to come up with the best way that their work could benefit the company. In an open discussion, we come to conclusions that they themselves have co-created. If we then also show them the results of their work, they feel responsible and therewith a sense of fulfilment. This results in a team that feels connected with the company.”

teamwork

Give Credit!

I think this is important.  You should get recognized for your job.  Especially when you’ve done a good job.  This is a definite motivator.  Which is what Jan van Casteren suggests.  Jan is the Vice President Europe of Flexport.

“We keep the Flexport team happy and motivated by giving as much ownership and responsibility as possible. Nothing motivates our team more than owning customer success end-to-end, and getting the praise when they solved a particularly gnarly situation. To allow this, you need to be specific about the field your team can play in and then let them run free! Oh, and a well stocked refrigerator and good lunch go a long way too…”

teamwork

Encourage Personal Growth

If you feel stifled professionally, you’re going to want to leave.  In fact, if you feel stifled in any relationship you’re going to want to bail.  Gwenda Retuadan, People Manager at Open Social, suggests that you don’t have to be laid back for this to work.  You just need to stay connected and keep listening.

“We offer plenty of opportunities for personal growth and development. When you create an environment of transparency and trust, you’ll notice your people will grow and go the extra mile. That doesn’t mean you can take the laid-back approach: stay connected, interact and keep listening.”

Lastly, and maybe most importantly, don’t forget to have fun.  People want to stay in their jobs where they feel valued, where they can grow, but having fun has a lot to do with it as well.  Having fun isn’t always easy in certain industries, but if you want to keep your employees from jumping ship, you need to find a way.

By Staff Writer

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