Properly motivating your accounting staff remains an essential skill for any manager. The accounting and financial world offers no exception to this golden rule. Keeping your staff engaged, inspired, and productive helps boost your organization’s overall efficiency and ultimately its bottom line.
With higher levels of success as the ultimate plan, here are a few strategies aimed at raising the motivation and productivity level of your accounting staff. Leverage these ideas to ensure your team’s morale and inspiration stay as high as possible. It’s what being a great manager is all about!
Focus on Providing Positive Energy
A key part of boosting the productivity level of your team involves displaying the right energy – positive and contagious. This helps keep the staff inspired throughout the year, but pays extra dividends during the heavy workloads of tax season. Management psychology expert, Dr. Patricia Thompson, commented on the importance of positive energy in the workplace.
“In one study, [University of Michigan researchers] found that when people worked under leaders who were ‘relational energizers,’ they were more motivated to work hard and stay focused on tasks. They also reported feeling more driven and having greater enjoyment for their work. In turn, this leads to increased employee performance, said Thompson.
Display a Good Attitude
Always keeping a positive attitude, especially during crunch time, also plays a key role in inspiring your staff. Stay optimistic and supportive, especially when an employee is dealing with a difficult issue. Additionally, this approach helps when office conflict arises.
Know Your Staff on a Human Level
Getting to truly know your team enhances your interactions with them. The better you understand their professional – and personal – wants and needs, the better manager you become. Being a good leader in this manner also improves the sense of community and collaboration within your office.
Be a Passionate Leader
Projecting a measure of passion for your work (as well as that of your staff) also helps engender similar behavior across your team. It’s a key indicator in the overall success of any organization. Don’t forget about showing the “why” behind your approach to your profession as Thompson notes.
“The more transparent you are with the “why” behind everything you do, the more likely people will be convinced to get excited and involved,” she said.
When you want additional advice on getting the most out of your accounting staff, meet with the experts at Venteon. As one of the top financial staffing agencies in the Midwest, we also maintain a robust supply of great candidates. Click here and find out how we can help you today.
