5 Strategies For Motivating Top Performers

Bringing out the best in people is by far the most important task a manager is entrusted with. After all, only people can push a company towards its goals and help it reach its full potential.

Unfortunately, companies often allocate the bulk of their resources trying to lift the skills of below-average employees, which can indirectly cause their top performers to feel neglected.

In order to boost the engagement of the latter category and ensure their loyalty, there are certain time-tested strategies that should be employed by all companies regardless of their size, including the following:

1. Allow them to function independently

People enjoy being able to think on their own and having the freedom to take whichever actions they feel are best at any given moment. While this kind of privilege cannot be extended to new employees for fear of too many mistakes happening, your older performers who have already proven their worth should be allowed to function independently to a greater extent.

Generally, this translates into flexible working hours, a deadline-based approach to work and less oversight. Of course, every situation is different, and you definitely still want to have an adequate checks-and-balances system in place so as to nip any potential issue in the bud.

2. Ensure their safety

Safety should be a given for all your employees, regardless of their position or seniority. That being said, it can’t hurt to let your top performers know how important they are by providing them with adequate security clearances and other amenities to ensure they feel safe at work. To that end, be on the lookout for potential threats, and keep communication lines open so that your employees are always aware of the latest safety procedures.

Remember that it only takes one bad accident to tarnish your company’s public safety record, and that trust can be hard to regain once it is lost.

3. Expose them to inspirational people

Employees are people first and foremost, and people need to feel inspired and motivated in order to put their hearts and soul into something. Top performers, especially, need to feel like they’re in a constant evolution in order to reach their full potential. For that reason, one of the best ways to boost their productivity lies in inviting inspirational figures and letting them hold seminars and conferences at your company.

Whenever possible, aim for true leaders and icons of their respective niches, people who your top performers will be instantly drawn to based on their names and previous achievements.

4. Fight boredom

Boredom is the enemy of progress, as it inevitably dulls the atmosphere and leads to disengagement and decreased productivity in everyone it affects. While some responsibility for facing it belongs to your employees, generalized strategies for overcoming malaise should be promoted at the corporate level as well.

From team-building activities that can lead to the formation of lasting bonds between employees to the integration of a dedicated relaxation room where people can go to hang out and socialize, there are a plethora of things you can do to keep boredom at bay.

5. Involve them in company decisions

People generally enjoy having their opinions take into consideration. So it stands to reason that a great way to ensure the long-term loyalty of your top performers is to offer them a say in the company’s decision-making process. Letting them voice their opinions on things like where to expand next or what projects to concentrate on is not only conducive to fostering employee satisfaction, it may also lead to new and innovative approaches to old problems.

You can even take things to the next level by offering your very best employees a stake in the company itself, so that they will be extra-motivated in their everyday work.

As it is plain to see, keeping your top performers happy is a surefire way to ensure the continued prosperity of your enterprise in the years to come. Always try to create continuity and make sure your employees feel appreciated for their hard work while at the same time being careful not to foster self-congratulatory feelings among them.