Food Motivates
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs supports the forms of motivation that employers use. The concept suggests that people have to satisfy their basic needs first before they will be motivated by higher-level needs. For example, you have to be satisfied with food, water, and sleep before you will be motivated with security and health.
While employers give out bonuses in the form of cash, they also make use of the basic items that are believed to motivate any person. Some employers, for example, give out dinner treats, movie passes, and company memorabilia such as key chains, mugs, and paper weights.
The essence of these giveaways lies on the idea that nowadays, simplicity still works. Employees still appreciate little gifts and tokens as an employer’s means of recognizing the former’s exemplary efforts. Top salespeople, for example, are given dinner treats at the most prestigious hotels and restaurants in town. The best call center agent may also be given a number of movie tickets on top of a major prize.
These gifts, though petty, result to more essential things. If you treat your entire team out to dinner, for example, you get to have a mini-teambuilding activity. You can even do this on a weekday while everybody is at the office and while it is easier to gather them together. After lengthy hours of work, it would be fulfilling for your team to spend time with co-workers outside of their respective workstations. You may still be in your suits and coat and ties, but eating out with officemates is one way of reaching out to them.
Some people are not comfortable dining with their corporate attires still on because they might stain them. Some professionals, for example, become impatient at having their ties fall on their plates while reaching out for the delectable courses. Fortunately, there’s a solution to that apart from table napkins. There are a number of accessories that will clip your tie to your shirt so it will not swing anywhere uncontrollably. Some of these accessories include tie tacks, tie bars, and tie chains. These products are great at keeping your best and favorite ties in place.
After dinner with your team, you may then prolong the night with some social drinking. After all, some conversations are best discussed over a glass of wine or brandy. You’ll be surprised at how little you have known your officemates through the usual office dealings. These dinners and social drinking will definitely help you get to know your team a little bit better.