It’s the question that’s on every business owner’s mind: How can I motivate my employees to contribute their best work? The answer is to create an environment in which employees are motivated to succeed and to reward them for their success, according to the Society of Louisiana CPAs.

Here are tips to achieve maximum production:

1. Keep employees informed. Employees feel motivated when they understand how their work contributes to the organization as a whole. Letting employees know what is going on in theorganization and industry helps fulfill this goal. Keep your employees aware of sales forecasts and returns, earnings, new products and projects, competitive information, management changes, and emerging opportunities and challenges.

2. Lead by example. Modeling the behavior you want from your employees is the most effective way to change behavior. If you want employees to demonstrate enthusiasm, be passionate about your job.

3. Give workers control. Having input into how the job gets done is inspiring. Employees tend to be more creative and committed when they are given the freedom to make some decisions as to how the work should be done. Give clear goals but let employees decide how to reach those goals.

4. Give them feedback. Employees need to know how they are performing. Engage in regular goal and performance discussions with each employee and praise in public, correct in private.

5. Celebrate achievements. Publicize achievements on a regular basis and tailor your reward system to specific accomplishments. If you have an employee who sells 25 percent more than everyone else and you give him the same bonus as others, he is not going to be particularly motivated to excel in the future.

6. Provide Developmental Opportunities People like to learn. Discovering new and better ways to do things can ignite an employee’s desire to perform. You can be a catalyst, one who sets the atmosphere that will encourage people to develop themselves. The company’s willingness to provide educational opportunities and pay for employees to attend technical or other professional education classes sends the message that the company truly values its employees.

7. Create an Atmosphere of Open Communication Talking to the boss is a great motivator. Give individuals the opportunity to voice their questions and concerns. To be sure people are comfortable coming to you; always treat what they say with respect, consistency and dependability.

Sustaining an environment where employees can motivate themselves is an ongoing process. When people feel appreciated, acknowledged, and respected, they’ll give more of their time, effort, and commitment in return. Your job is to make that happen.