Most of the employees in a company want to be part of the organization’s future, and want to discover the most important things at work and the way how excellence looks like. However, for a target to be effective and results-driven in motivating employees, it has to be tied to the bigger organizational goals.

A first advice in improving employee performance step is to encourage employee communication not only among employees, but among managers as well. Insight can be received from the employees’ side using team meetings, suggestion boxes or surveys. In this regard, you need to be open-minded and actually encourage ideas’ expressing without criticizing any part of it.

Additionally, you have to keep all your employees informed in regard to the organizational culture and the changes which take place in it. Tell them what to expect and which are the effective ways in which they can overcome future challenges.

When it comes to an under-performing employee, it’s vital not to jump straight to the conclusions, but rather approach this problem with an open-minded attitude. Get into a particular discussion with him/her and ask open-ended questions (those that cannot be answered with a simple yes or no). Listen patiently to the answers and discuss the behavior of this problem.

Another idea would be to ask the employee questions which can help you get more information on the problem’s background, such as “What makes you arrive so late at work in the last period?” Keep in mind that your ultimate objective is to determine the problem’s root. This will show you how to improve employee performance. If you discover that a certain employee has issues of domestic or personal nature, than you might consider making adjustments to your regular standards for a short period. But in case an exception is made, make sure that your other employees are informed about it, as such fact can easily form a precedent.

The office atmosphere that you create has to be one in which all employees feel important and worthwhile spending their time. Make sure that your staff doesn’t feel restrained at any moment. Keep all the office doors open. Also let the folks know that in case a problem arises, they can also come to you with questions or proposals. Keep in mind that a happy office will always a productive one.

Employees can be helped to improve their skills through in-house career developed or on-the-job training. Improving employee performance allow your workers to attend different seminars and workshops related to their job activities. You actually have to encourage them to take classes in order to perfect themselves.

Also keep in mind that training is not regarded as a one-time event anymore, but rather as a continuous activity, which takes place over an undefined period of time. For this purpose you can successfully take advantage of the various technology software which enable employees to learn on-the-go

Too much work can be harmful to productivity, so once in a while it has to be placed aside and let space for some fun activities. You could, for example, treat your employees with a well-deserved free launch or take everyone to the cinema after the work hours. Another idea would be to reward everyone with an unplanned day off or close the office a little earlier than usual. Speaking of technology, gamification has an important role in making the office activities more fun and approachable.

If you want to boost your employees’ morale and motivate them to give the best they can, than you have to recognize their individual contributions and accomplishments, regardless whether they are small or big. Be generous with your praises and you’ll notice that staff will become more creative and eager to work.  Some times, “it’s a small word after all.”

The success of any organization depends on the rules in place. Setting ground rules will ensure that the team works effectively and efficiently towards achieving your set goals. You should create time and have meetings to discuss various issues about your business entity more frequently. Your employee development plan template should have clear rules that every member of the organization has to follow.

Do not wait until your company begins to take massive losses before you swing into action when there is something you can do right now. Some of the most effective ways of how to improve employee performance include communicating clearly, creating group code of conduct and setting the rules for the organization.