Empower Your Staff: Incentives & Ideas for Engaged Employees

According to a poll by Gallup, 70 percent of American workers aren’t reaching their full potential, 52 percent are not engaged and 18 percent are actively disengaged. Gallup also estimates that disengaged employees cost the U.S. $450 billion to $550 billion in lost productivity.

Engaging your employees is one of the biggest challenges and responsibilities of managers. But with your bottom line at risk, getting your staff to take ownership of their work and sales number is crucial. Motivate your team for success with a few key factors that could skyrocket their sales.

Empower Your Team to Succeed

Pressuring employees to hit goals and take more ownership of their sales numbers won’t do much without the right tools. Empower your team to succeed by giving them the technology and resources they need to complete tasks. For example, if your sales people need to take payments on the road, set up a mobile payment processor to close a sale on the spot. Take the time to listen to what your team needs from upgraded devices to new apps and customer relationship software. Ask your team members to write up a proposal on what they need and how it will affect their sales numbers. Letting your employees project their own success motivates them to execute.

Create an Incentive

Incentivizing your sales team for success takes more than just a pat on the back. Figure out what motivates your employees whether public recognition, a goal toward a promotion or the chance to work on a choice assignment. You can anonymously survey your staff to come up with an incentive program that works within your company’s goals, or ask each member independently what they want. Lay out your expectations of how your staff will work toward their incentives and create a schedule for how those incentives are given out.

Set Realistic, but Challenging Goals

Setting up impossible goals will only result in high turnover and stressed out employees. Create realistic sales figures that can be met within a specific period of time, but that are still challenging. Setting the bar too low can encourage employees to get complacent and opt for ease and mediocrity. Study their current sales figures and metrics to determine a realistic goal that stretches the employee outside their comfort zone.

Build in Checks and Balances

Blindly assigning goals without any adjustments to the finish line can drive down your sales. Regularly check on the progress of each rep and check-in to discuss new strategies and collaborate on tweaks as needed. Sales people who are lagging behind the team can use your scheduled check-ins and advice as an incentive to push forward and follow-through before your next meeting. Your team will see you as more than just a manager, but a leader with the ability to guide their success.

Publicly Recognize Their Work

Employees want to feel appreciated and that their work is valued to stay engaged. Keep your team integrated and involved in each other’s success by publicly recognizing their work. Instead of an Employee of the Month program, add the rep’s success to an upcoming newsletter or inter-office email. Take a moment in meetings to call out high-performing sales reps and compliment others who came up with solutions to challenges or dealt with a difficult client.