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How to motivate your workforce
Kath Howard explores how to motivate your workforce beyond giving free breakfast and throwing social events in order to retain staff long term
I see organisations continuing to search for new and novel ways to motivate their people, and it has to be a good thing that they’re putting energy behind this. However, as I see some of these organisations throwing in free breakfasts, cosy sofas and table tennis under the auspices of ‘employee engagement’, I think it’s useful to remember that such interventions are merely the sprinkles on any cupcake of employee happiness.
It’s been somewhat fashionable in recent years for organisations to provide shopping discounts, free food and activities. This sits particularly well with creative industries where such activities may provide a space for free thinking and moments of creative genius. I can see why this is helpful, but let’s not pretend it helps to keep those people when another job offer comes beckoning. Not unless you’re working to put other parts of the motivational puzzle in place.