Increase employee motivation with these 4 strategies

Inspiring employees can often be hard to do when you’re running a small business. Funds are usually limited and there is not a lot of time to spare. Keeping your employees motivated, however, is vital to the success of your business.

Luckily, there are a great deal of ways to keep employee morale high without breaking the bank. Here are a few creative and easy ideas:

1. Ask for input

By asking for employees’ opinions, you are showing them that their thoughts are valued. Employees are bound to be more inclined to work harder when they feel that their actions and opinions truly influence the company overall.

2. Change it up

Sometimes boredom occurs when employees fall into a rut. By mixing up their projects and responsibilities, and allowing them to display their skills, you are likely to spark a little inspiration that wasn’t there before.

3. Focus on a great company culture

Some of the best companies to work at are the ones that employees feel are unique. Creating a great company culture can actually be quite simple and may help you to find and keep strong employees. A game room where employees may take a break and decompress when they’re feeling burned out can do wonders.

4. Recognize people for a job well done

One of the largest de-motivators can be working away on something and feeling like nobody is even aware of your hard work. Because of this, it’s necessary to let employees know that you recognize their hard work and appreciate it.

Something as simple as discussing their accomplishments at a company-wide meeting or sending around an email recognizing their achievements can make them feel appreciated. Although they may shy away from attention, they will likely be pleased to know that they’re being recognized.

All of these techniques are easy, affordable and can do wonders when it comes to motivating employees. Explore one or two of these ideas to see how they may affect employee morale and motivation.

For more examples of inexpensive employee motivators, check out this article.

3 smartpens that can help improve your efficiency

Smartpens are a cool office trend whose possibilities are constantly evolving.  They’re still quite new to the scene, but so far, they are full of convenient features to make office life a little more efficient.

Most smartpens essentially translate your handwritten notes into computer files for easier review. Precisely what each smartpen is capable of doing, however, varies greatly.

IOGEAR Mobile Digital Scribe

This was the first smartpen on the market and, because of that, it comes without some of the special features that are available on newer pens.

The Mobile Digital Scribe captures and stores everything you write down for later review. Unlike other pens, you don’t need to write on a specific surface in order for it to register, a simple piece of paper will do. It even lets you connect the pen directly to a computer so that everything you write down will be displayed on the screen.

Logitech IO2 Digital Pen

The Logitech IO2 Digital Pen carries out most of the basic functions that you can find on IOGEAR’s pen. Once you transcribe your notes, you are able to save them in a number of different formats and file types.

You are then able to search your notes for keywords and phrases by date, file name or file type. This makes it much easier to scan your notes for details of a meeting or conversation. One of the inconveniences of this smartpen is that you cannot simply write on any surface – you must use Post-Its or a digital notebook made specifically for smartpens.

Livescribe Echo

The Livescribe Echo smartpen is by far the most technologically sophisticated of all the smartpens out there. It not only transcribes everything you write down, it also records audio and converts the recording into a number of different audio file types.

One of the coolest features that you can find on the Livescribe Echo is the introduction of Pencasts. Pencasts are basically when you are able to play back the audio along with the written notes, so you can see it all in one place. Apple has created an app that allows you to play these Pencasts, so sharing is simple and quick.

Smartpens are a cool technology that is sure to keep becoming more popular in the office setting. They make it easier to become a more efficient worker with little effort.

To check out a review of the Livescribe Echo, click here.

Take a look at Gmail Motion – the new, cool feature

As you may have heard already, Google has just revealed its new feature, aptly named Gmail Motion. In an attempt to keep up with the ever-changing technology of the Internet, Google has built a series of motions that is translated into actions and commands in Gmail.

Basic actions like search, forward, reply and mark as unread can all be executed with gestures, instead of the click of a mouse. This makes users feel more in touch with both their email and their computers and makes for an overall more pleasant email experience.

How does it work?

Gmail Motion works by integrating your computer’s built-in webcam with Google’s new, patented spatial tracking technology. The camera registers your body’s movements and translates them into commands in your Gmail account.

How to use Gmail Motion safely

Safety precautions are very important when it comes to using Gmail Motion. Just like any other physical activity, injuries are possible and the proper steps must be taken in order to avoid them. Making sure the area around you is clear is the first step. The technology may overwhelm you at times and cause you to make fast, jerky movements, which can result in injury.

Google also recommends that you take regular breaks every 30 or 40 minutes, just as you should with any other sort of deskwork. It is easy for your muscles to get fatigued as well, which is why you should always take time to stretch between sessions.

If this technology intrigues you, try taking a look at the Gmail Motion website, which profiles how-to videos and a printable Motion Guide that contains all of the possible gestures. If you are a business user who is wondering when you will be able to take advantage of this technology, have no fear – you will soon be seeing Google Docs Motion.

This is a huge technological advancement that could change the way all of us interact with our computers and complete daily tasks. Google’s latest announcement may seem foolish and kind of crazy to some of you, and it is – it’s just another one of Google’s yearly April Fools’ Day pranks.

Happy April Fools’ Day!