It can be challenging to keep employees motivated in any organization in the face of deadlines, workloads, interpersonal conflicts, rules and directives. Proactive leaders are able to motivate their employees even when times get tough because they understand how to help people inspire themselves instead of forcing them to think and act a certain way.
Here are 15 practical tips on how to keep your employees motivated:
1. Praise employees
Catch people doing things well and let them know that you value their work. Praise desirable behaviours, it will increase the likelihood that people will behave that way in the future. Reinforce positive behaviours rather than correcting people when they’ve “Done something wrong.”
2. Design and implement motivational activities
Create a weekly program in your workplace where people celebrate each other. You’ll appreciate how much you can boost morale by setting aside twenty minutes weekly so people can praise each other for a job well done.
3. Assign people meaningful work
Learn what your employees’ talents and interests are and give them duties based on things they enjoy doing. People feel more energized and important when they are given work that means something to them rather than being required to do unfulfilling tasks.
4. Provide meaningful feedback
Praise is always welcome, but becomes far more meaningful when it is linked to concrete examples. “Great presentation, well done,” is nice feedback to receive, but “Great presentation, your explanation of how this impacts our customer base will help us improve customer loyalty,” pinpoints exactly how someone’s contribution benefits the company. Giving specific, targeted feedback tells the employee that you’re paying attention.
5. Value people equally
Stay away from having a favourite employee who gets special treatment or extraordinary attention. Treat everyone equally and emphasize that each person is vital to your organization’s success. Show people they matter by appreciating their unique input and efforts.
6. Have a plan to keep people motivated
Motivation doesn’t happen unless you commit to creating a culture that builds and supports it over time. Focus on a long-term process and have key people continue training others and motivating people throughout the organization.
7. Offer Continuous Learning Opportunities
Encourage professional development to keep your employees engaged and evolving.
8. Foster a Culture of Recognition
Regularly acknowledge and reward employees for their hard work and achievements.
9. Ensure a good work-life balance
Promote policies that support a healthy balance between professional responsibilities and personal life.
10. Give employees a heads up
Whether you’re having a pre-planned conversation, make sure to give the person enough notice, so they can make informed decisions about what they might like to say. It is important to initiate conversations with empathy and openness. Starting a conversation like, ‘How’s it going? What’s keeping you up at night?’ allows people to share their own challenges.
11. Give employees a voice
During times of uncertainty, people need to feel heard. Consider setting up listening sessions or an ‘ask me anything’ forum where employees can share their concerns and perspectives, and hear from their colleagues.
12. Discover what motivates each employee
Money and material rewards don’t always encourage an employee to work harder. Of course, they help, but not everyone is motivated in the same way. Some people feel their career path is more important than incentives.
Every person that works in a company is an individual and should be treated like one. This means talking to people and asking what motivates them, which will build trust. Do this face-to-face or with an employee motivation survey that lists a series of employee motivation interview questions.
13. Create Clear Career Pathways
Show employees a clear trajectory for advancement within the organization.
14. Be Respectful and Honest
These are basic to any successful workplace. Employees love to work and stay with bosses who are honest and respectful in their approach.
Make clear communication a priority. Show that employees can come to you with their problems and that they can expect a fair response. Such leaderships will help organizations attract and retain employees in the long run.
15. Culture
Nurture a culture where problem solving and learning is encouraged by”
- Listening to their ideas
- Embracing their unique skills
- Encouraging self-directed learning
- Allowing employees to take ownership of their work
- Creating a safe space where failure is framed as a learning opportunity
Keeping your employees motivated requires commitment, attention and ongoing support.
Try the fifteen ideas, practice them over time and enjoy the benefits of a motivated workforce.
This article was contributed by Emeritus Professor Gary Goh, who is an Author, Educator and Entrepreneur.