Employee Motivation Archives

Motivational Techniques that Work!

Last week we discussed some of the various ways to help keep your employees motivated and engaged. We often work with employees who have personalities very different from our own, or have to deal with those who need a little extra push in the right direction when it comes to motivation.

As a manager it is imperative to learn what makes these employees tick to determine what encourages them to do a good job. Here are some factors that may be the key in making your unmotivated employees encouraged and engaged.

Attainment

Some employees are goal-oriented and enjoy challenges that will sharpen their skills. You can often load these people with several short and long-term goals simultaneously. Motivate them by constantly introducing new tasks that build upon the ones they are currently working on.

Power

These employees want influence and control, need to feel important, and like being in the spotlight. They express an interest in leadership roles and are highly motivated by special privileges or perks. Treat these employees like in-house experts and frequently ask them for advice (within reason). They will instantly be motivated because they savor the chance to offer information.

Belonging

Easily motivated, this group wants to feel a sense of camaraderie. Allow them to build rapport with their coworkers. Create meetings where they can collaborate and share ideas, rather than just sit and listen to a lecture. If you satisfy their need for affiliation, they will give you a solid effort.

Independence

If you attempt to manage an employee who seeks autonomy and strongly values their independence too closely, you’ll kill their desire to excel. The best way to connect with what motivates these freedom seekers is to give them overriding goals and let them find the best way to get the results.

Respect

Some employees simply want a little respect. If you listen to them, they’ll feel more motivated. You need to give them full attention while listening, or they will feel disrespected. They love to hear praise and feedback on their performance and have a deep need for esteem. Give it to them and they will be motivated.

Equity

Everyone likes a fair, unbiased boss, but some individuals see the world as either black or white. They weigh and measure everything to make sure everyone is treated the same. They will pick up on inconsistencies and decisions that appear to vary from previous occasions. Approach them as if you were a lawyer and give them objective evidence to prove that you are fair and equitable.

Always keep in mind that each employee is a unique individual and what may work for one person won’t necessarily work for the other. Be observant and learn what makes them tick. Some employees are motivated by power and praise, another may just want some respect and to have their voice heard. Take the time to learn what you can do to help each employee succeed and reap the rewards of more engaged, productive, and an overall happier team.

Motivation Roundup!

Upon returning from maternity leave, Katherine knew that she would struggle with balancing work and being a new parent. In addition to being able to cut back to a part-time work schedule, her job as a consultant fortunately allowed her with the flexibility to work from home. Her supervisor, Richard, worked with her to create an accommodating schedule and a way of coordinating and managing projects and tasks that was mutually beneficial.

As amazing and understanding as her supervisor was, and as lucky as she was to have been given the opportunity to figure out how to juggle the two jobs, Katherine found herself struggling from time to time. No matter how hard she tried to stay engaged and dedicated to her work, projects that were already on the back burner stayed there, procrastination reared its ugly head, and Katherine started to worry that soon her boss would have a serious chat with her about her lack of motivation and inability to complete tasks she never struggled with in the past.

Having always had open lines of communication with Richard, Katherine brought up these issues during their weekly meeting. Being genuinely invested in the performance and well-being of his employee, Richard took the time to implement effective motivational techniques and reach solutions that would help get Katherine out of her funk and back in the game.

Even the most committed and loyal employees run into these obstacles. Life happens, other priorities take precedence, and we slowly begin to slack. This month we have been discussing the various types of and needs for motivation in the workplace, including self-motivation, motivating employees, motivating those who you don’t supervise or “shouldn’t” have to manage, and motivating an efficient team.

Whether it be yourself, a coworker, or an employee, learning how to recognize when motivation is lacking and when to take the appropriate steps to rectify any issues is a skill necessary to any professional individual. Reaching out to help a colleague who is struggling, and knowing when to ask for help when you are in a funk yourself helps to ensure job satisfaction, maximum productivity, and the overall positive morale of yourself, your employees, and your team as a whole.

A Push in the Right Direction

As a manager, motivating your employees and encouraging them to be productive and meet the expectations of their positions should be a top priority. Productive employees are typically happier and have a higher sense of morale, contributing to a more pleasant work environment overall. However, this isn’t always easy, particularly for those employees who struggle with self-motivation. How do you motivate and engage these employees who need that extra push to steer them in the right direction?

Communicate – If your employees don’t know specifically what you want out of them, how can you expect them to perform at a satisfactory level? Communicate your expectations, whether that be the functions of their job, performance standards, or behavioral factors that they can work on. Communication should always be a two-way street. Give and receive feedback in a way that is productive and mutually beneficial.

Lead by Example – The “Golden Rule” applies to the workplace just as much as it did to the schoolyard as children. The simple concept of treating others as you would like to be treated means so much when applied in a work setting. Work on creating this kind of environment for your employees. Put yourself in their shoes and work in a way that would make them want to give back and put forth a genuine effort.

Be Fair and Consistent – Everyone likes a fair, unbiased boss. Apply policies and procedures the same across the board, and try not to play favorites when administering rewards or discipline. Many employees get discouraged when treatment is unequitable and when favoritism abounds. Really focus on how inequitable treatment affects others and be deliberate and unbiased with how you assign tasks and deliver praise and criticism.

Provide Opportunities for Growth – Many employees will respond well to an opportunity to obtain training. Use training and other learning opportunities as incentives for fine work. Select your most diligent or outstanding employees to attend outside seminars and conferences where they can pick up new job skills and spend time mentoring a dedicated employee for an hour or two a week as a reward for excellent performance.

Always keep in mind that each employee is a unique individual and what may work for one person won’t necessarily work for the other. Be observant and learn what makes them tick. Some employees are motivated by power and praise, another may just want some respect and to have their voice heard. Take the time to learn what you can do to help each employee succeed and reap the rewards of more engaged, productive, and an overall happier team.

Proven Motivational Techniques

Keeping your employees motivated and empowered is often an ongoing duty of any manager. The effort it may take at time is typically worth it, with highly motivated employees contributing to greater productivity, higher levels of morale, and

Even the very best employee will need an extra boost of encouragement at some point during their employment. Taking last week’s post on determining what motivates your “stuck” employees one step further, it is important for managers to be familiar with the countless proven motivational techniques that help to not only encourage them to not only pull themselves out of the occasional rut, but maintain a certain level of engagement and productivity.

Allow Employees to Exert Control Over Their Work

Often a manager’s great fear is losing control, but employees feel more respected when they are given an opportunity to call some of the shots relating to their job. Managers need to learn how to delegate responsibility. The more responsibility you can successfully give to an employee, the more loyal and motivated that employee will become.

Track or Measure Employee Performance

Let your employees know what you will be tracking or inspecting and always follow through. If you fail to inspect, you will lose the respect of the employees by delivering false promises. Most managers are not aware that they are being carefully scrutinized by their employees and need to constantly reinforce exactly what message they want to send to their employees.

Praise Excellence Publicly and Privately

Recognition is free. If you will salute genuinely good work, employees will be motivated to repeat the excellence. It is almost impossible to overdo praise, as long as it is genuine and the work praised was indeed outstanding.

Respond Promptly to an Employee’s Valid Complaints and Make Sensible Proposals

Nothing discourages feedback or communication quicker than failing to promptly respond to legitimate complaints and sensible ideas. If you want to motivate employees to come up with ideas for improving the workplace, then you will need to respond in a timely and respectful manner and let them know that you appreciate any information given.

Provide Opportunities to Learn and Grow Both Personally and Professionally

Many employees will respond well to an opportunity to obtain training. Use training and other learning opportunities as incentives for fine work. Select your most diligent or outstanding employees to attend outside seminars and conferences where they can pick up new job skills and spend time mentoring a dedicated employee for an hour or two a week as a reward for excellent performance.

Demonstrate How an Employee’s Performance Impacts the Company’s Profitability

Often employees are motivated by seeing how their specific job impacts the profits of the organization. The more you can demystify the innards of your business and help your employees to track the way profits are made, the more they will tie their job to the bottom line performance.

Appeal to an Employee’s Pride

When pay, praise, and promises don’t work, sometimes it is necessary to appeal to the pride of an employee. Many employees take great pride in their personal work and how what they produce benefits the company. If you make them feel truly valued and indispensable, they’ll continue to produce high quality work that is worthwhile and important.

Motivating “Unmotivatables”

We’ve all had to deal with them, the “Unmotivatables.” Those employees who do the absolute minimum and are unenthusiastic about their job and duties. Dealing with Unmotivatables is bound to happen at some point, and as a manager it is imperative to learn what makes your “stuck” employees tick to determine what encourages them to do a good job. Every employee is different. Here are some factors that may be the key in making your unmotivated employees encouraged and engaged.