Pizza Parties Are Out, How Can You Motivate Employees in 2022?

An astounding 69 percent of employees say they would work harder if they felt their efforts were more appreciated — and, unfortunately, a pizza party no longer cuts it when it comes to showing appreciation.

When pizza parties have become an internet joke about companies not appreciating their employees, what can you do instead to keep your employees motivated and productive?

A strong health and wellness offering can go a lot farther when it comes to A) letting your team members know you recognize their hard work and B) giving them the tools they need to continue putting their best foot forward.

Outlined below are some more effective strategies to motivate employees in 2022.

What’s Wrong with a Pizza Party?

Everyone likes pizza, right? What’s wrong with throwing a pizza party to show your employees you appreciate them?

There’s nothing inherently wrong with giving your team a free meal. For most full-time workers, though, a couple of slices of pizza don’t make up for the amount of effort that they pour into their jobs.

Think about it from your employee’s point of view. If you’re spending more than one-third of your day (especially when you factor in the commute) in an office working on projects and helping a business grow, does a quarterly pizza party cut it? Would it keep you motivated to continue going above and beyond for your employer?

In a world where things are getting increasingly expensive and stress is at an all-time high for most people, employees need more from their bosses to feel appreciated and motivated at work.

Ways to Increase Employee Motivation in 2022

If a pizza party isn’t sufficient, what should you do instead to motivate your employees? Here are some more effective strategies you can implement:

Offer More Health and Wellness Resources

It doesn’t matter if you have 5 employees or 500. You should be concerned about their health and well-being if you want them to be motivated and committed to their jobs.

Healthy employees are happy, productive employees. If you provide access to more health and wellness resources, you also show your team that you care about them and want them to take care of themselves.

Raise Salaries or Offer More Bonuses

One way to do this is to provide access to continuing education materials and courses. That way, team members can upskill and rise through the ranks at your business.

If people feel stuck in their jobs and don’t see room for upward mobility, their motivation will likely start to wane. They may also start to look for new jobs at companies that offer more opportunities for promotions, higher wages, and better perks.

Offer One-to-One Coaching

As a business owner, manager, or team leader, it’s important to focus on team-building and collective growth. However, you also shouldn’t underestimate the power of coaching individual employees.

Offering one-to-one coaching gives you a chance to express appreciation for your employees individually. It creates opportunities for you to let each team member know you see their hard work and want to help them grow in their position.

One-to-one coaching also makes it easier for you to learn how you can improve as a leader. Team members may be hesitant to speak up and offer feedback in a group meeting, but they may feel bolder when meeting with you face to face.

Prioritize Inclusivity

A commitment to inclusivity can go a long way when it comes to motivating employees and keeping them engaged.

Everyone wants to feel seen and heard, especially at work. If an employee feels overlooked because they’re the only woman on the team or the only person of color, for example, they’re going to be less motivated and less productive than their colleagues.

Investing in regular diversity, equity, and inclusion training or initiatives can help you avoid these issues and maintain higher levels of employee motivation.

It’s also important to diversify your recruiting and hiring efforts so you can bring in people from all walks of life. This can improve innovation within your company, increases engagement, and boosts your bottom line.

Benefits of a Stronger Health and Wellness Offering

Of all the methods listed above for increasing motivation, a stronger health and wellness offering can have a big impact on your employees, their engagement, and their commitment to your company.

The following are some specific benefits that can result from improving your employees’ access to health and wellness resources:

Better Attendance

Healthy employees are less likely to take time off work because they’re feeling sick or burnt out.

As a business owner, you know that frequent, unplanned absences can seriously eat into your team or company’s productivity. They make it harder for everyone to meet deadlines and customer needs, and they also impact your bottom line.

If you want to minimize these absences, you need to make sure your employees are healthy.

Remember, they spend at least one-third of every weekday at your company. This means some of the onus falls on you when it comes to giving them the resources they need to get and stay healthy.

Fewer Healthcare Costs

When you invest in better health and wellness programs for your employees, you can save money on corporate healthcare costs in the long run.

If your employees are not frequently calling out sick or getting injured on the job, you’ll spend less money over time. You will also have fewer healthcare-related expenses to manage. As a result, you can reinvest the money you would have spent on other things that grow the business and motivate your employees.

Increased Productivity and Engagement

In addition to minimizing employee absenteeism, better health and wellness offerings can also reduce presenteeism.

“Presenteeism” refers to employees who are present but not fully functional — often because they’re feeling sick, stressed, burnt out, etc.

Presenteeism isn’t just frustrating for bosses and the team members who have to pick up another employee’s slack. It can also lead to decreased productivity, more mistakes, and more on-the-job injuries.

When you care for your employee’s health and wellness, you increase their engagement and productivity. You help to keep them (as well as their colleagues) safe as well.

These outcomes, in turn, lead to better performance and help team members have an easier time meeting deadlines. It can also improve revenue and have a positive impact on the company’s bottom line.

Reduced Stress

As a busy executive, you know how damaging stress can be to your health, productivity, and ability to carry out the responsibilities of your job. You’re not alone, though. This same rule also applies to your employees.

If team members are chronically stressed, their productivity and job performance are likely going to plummet. People can only run-on fumes for so long before they check out and start doing the bare minimum.

By providing access to physical and mental healthcare, you can prevent this from happening and create a more supportive work environment.

Increased Employee Retention and Easier Recruiting

If you show your employees that you appreciate them and provide them with better health and wellness resources, you’ll likely see an increase in employee retention rates.

People are going to be less inclined to leave your company if you take care of them and take steps to keep them healthy and motivated. They’ll be grateful for the resources you’ve provided and want to stick with you for years to come.

In addition to being more loyal to your company, your employees will also become ambassadors for your brand. This means they’ll speak positively about the business outside of the office. They may even recommend your company to friends and family who are looking for work.

Easier Client Recruiting

Along with improving your employee recruiting process, offering better health and wellness services can also help you recruit better clients.

If you’ve been wondering how to attract clients to your company, you need to start thinking about your business’s reputation and how it comes across to others.

If people see your business as one that doesn’t take care of its employees, they might be hesitant to work with you. On the other hand, if they see that you go above and beyond for their health and wellness, they may change their mind and be willing to give your products or services a try.

Tips to Improve Health and Wellness Offerings

Everyone at your company can benefit from a stronger health and wellness offering, from interns and junior assistants to managers and C-level executives.

What kinds of changes should you make, though? How can you strengthen your offerings? Here are a few tips to give you some inspiration and help you get started:

Invest in Concierge Medicine

Concierge medicine plans are a great alternative to traditional healthcare plans.

Concierge medicine provides conveniences that other providers can’t compete with, such as same-day appointments, 24-7 physician access, and more. Some, like Tailored Health, also offer additional services, such as skin care treatments and nutrition consultations.

Investing in concierge medicine plans can be an effective way to go above and beyond for your team and show them that you value all aspects of their health.

Because concierge healthcare providers work around your schedule, this investment also makes it easier for employees to access medical care without having to miss work or reschedule important meetings.

Provide Access to Fitness Equipment

Regular exercise is beneficial to your employees’ physical and mental well-being. If you want to encourage your team to exercise regularly, make it easy for them to do so.

There are lots of ways to make exercise and health key parts of your company culture. For example, you can provide employees with access to fitness equipment — cardio machines, weights, etc. — and give them time in their schedule to use it.

If you don’t have space in your office for a gym, you may want to cover the cost of a membership at a nearby gym for your employees instead. Remember, though, that the more convenient it is for team members to exercise, the more likely they are to actually do it.

Offer Healthy Food in the Office

Snacking at work is going to happen, especially when people are working long hours to get projects completed.

If your employees are sustaining themselves on bags of chips and candy bars from a vending machine — or leftover pizza from the last appreciation event — they’re not going to perform their best.

Sugary, fatty foods will leave them feeling weighed down and sluggish. To avoid these issues, provide access to nutritious food like fruit, vegetables, and nuts instead.

Prioritize Mental Health

Finally, make sure you’re including mental health care in your health and wellness offerings. This might include access to therapists or counselors, as well as providing employees with meditation spaces or regular yoga classes.

When you address employee well-being from multiple angles, you can increase their motivation, reduce their stress, and let them know you care about all aspects of their health. You can also help them avoid burnout and other issues that contribute to presenteeism and a lack of engagement at work.

Improve Motivation, Show Appreciation, and Improve Employee Wellness Today

It’s official — Pizza parties are out. However, there are lots of other ways you can show appreciation, motivate employees, and improve their health and wellness in 2022.

Follow the guidelines discussed above so you can set your team up for long-term health and success.