At Pacesetter, we believe productivity is more than just an abstraction—it’s the hard work associates put in every day, and as such is indicative of a healthy, collaborative workplace.

Everyone is productive to some extent; companies typically do their best to maximize productivity in the workplace to get the most out of their teams. But telling your associates to work harder isn’t enough to yield consistent, quality outcomes at the rate you demand. Productivity has to be incentivized, not demanded.

Here are a few ideas around incentivizing associate productivity.

1. Treat your team like a family

Pacesetter is at its heart a family business, and as such we care about our associates and their families. More importantly, we treat the workplace like a family—this develops trust and bonding among team members, we win or lose as a team and we all take the success of Pacesetter personally.

2. Think outside the work box

They say you get what you give, and when it comes to work it’s definitely true. Companies that expect quality work without giving anything in return may be in for poor output. Competitive salaries are a great way to start, but incentives don’t have to be just financial. By thinking outside of work and prioritizing your associates’ wellness, their comfort, their entertainment, and their community, you feed their soul and imagination, too.

Giving to associates in ways not totally related to work boosts morale—think company events, benefits, recognition programs and other initiatives designed to treat your team well. It’s been proven time and time again that a happy workforce is a productive one, so I think you’ll find it’s worth the extra effort.

At Pacesetter, we also offer flexible work schedules and a summer hours program. It may seem counterintuitive, but providing flexibility improves productivity because associates can get some relief when they need it, and work hard whenever they are on the clock.

3. Invite everyone’s ideas and input

It takes more than gestures to incentivize a team. They need to not just feel, but know that their voices are heard. Motivated teams are almost always comprised of individuals that value one another’s thoughts and ideas—this way everyone is working toward common goals, and everyone has a stake in the outcome.

So elicit ideas from associates at all levels. Hold meetings or huddles to brainstorm, and take the time not just listen, but act based on what you hear. It’s easier to be productive when you know you shaped the process in some form.

At Pacesetter, associates are encouraged to present their ideas to not only their manager, but to other areas of the company as well. All levels of associates can lead projects and initiatives that are presented to the executive leadership team.

4. Appreciation is key

Lastly, appreciation may be the most important incentive you can offer to your associates. When an individual or team is recognized for their great work, after all, they are far more likely to keep it up than they would be if it fell by the wayside.

Employee of the month programs and weekly “shout outs” are one way many companies recognize their associates’ contributions.

At Pacesetter, we also hold monthly associate appreciation celebrations, where associates recognize one another for their work, their extra help, collaboration and ideas. Yearly, we recognize one associate from our corporate office and one associate from our service centers who exhibits the behaviours of our Pacesetter Way fundamentals, an award that is determined by associate votes and considered to be the highest honor of recognition at Pacesetter. In addition, we give out a Community Involvement award to the associate who has devoted time, effort and leadership to serving and advocating for others. This includes a donation to the charity of their choice.

In the end, a team that lifts each other up, treats each other well, and has each other’s backs is a more productive team. We’ve found that to be true at Pacesetter, and think you will too.