8 ways to keep your employees motivated
We are amid what some coin the Great Resignation. People have re-evaluated their priorities and have decided high pressure, low recognition posts are not for them in the face of a pandemic and war. Keeping employees around is mostly about how valued they feel by the boss and the level of meaning in work done. If, as a leader, you value your employees, you need to find ways to show it, and part of this is helping the employee find meaning in the work they are doing.
Here we explore eight strategies for motivating employees and encouraging the loyalty that helps an enterprise grow.
1. Showing gratitude
Feeling valued is about being recognised for the contribution you make. While none of us spends our day expecting our leaders to say thank you for all we do, an effort to acknowledge the effort people are putting in is essential. The way you show this gratitude depends on the size of the enterprise and the team. If you are working in a small team, personal touches will mean the most. If you are a large enterprise, creating a regular rewards system is highly effective.
2. Be solution-focused
Looking for solutions rather than seeking to blame is core to maintaining motivation. If you look for the problems in your team, they will feel pressured and undervalued for the work done well. Therefore, when an issue arises, work with the team to find the solution and assertively tackle the issue and not the person.
3. Be authentic
Being open and honest with a team about the challenges you will face and your concerns will matter a lot to your team. More than anything, trust garners motivation. While you need to share the successes, you also need to share the rough periods and ask for support to get through them. When you do this and ride out the tough moments, your team will feel the success with you, and it will give so much more meaning to their work.
4. Get involved
There is nothing more dispiriting than an absent boss. You do not want to be known as the Scarlet Pimpernel, where your staff search for you here and there. Having a daily presence in the workplace and completing activities helps a leader appear approachable and available. You are around to discuss people’s issues and are a central member of the team. If you want your team to feel motivated, help them to belong. To belong, they need to feel part of something with you.
5. Be the walker of your talk
If you want your team to feel motivated, they must see you doing what you ask of them. Nothing is more demotivating than a leader flouting the rules because they can. Leading by example is the most powerful way to train a team in what you value and show them why it matters. Break this fundamental rule, and you will soon find your people feeling dispirited.
6. Begin the week with a team gathering
Sharing the vision and values of the company is key to motivation. If you want people to feel the meaning in their work, you need to be open about the journey you are on as an organisation.
However, sharing this in a policy document during onboarding is weak compared to directing and redirecting the journey at the start of each week. Helping people be clear of priorities and delegating tasks keeps this sense of purposefulness alive. It also gives people the opportunity to voice any blockers and a moment when a solution can be found.
7. Work on the atmosphere in the workplace
Creating positive energy in the workplace is more about décor and furnishing than you imagine. Offering a comfortable workspace with stimulating pictures and a high-quality coffee area works a treat most times. Making it easy for people to do their work with the right facilities is a crucial approach to maintaining motivation, as you remove any discomfort from the day and leave them to only focus on the tasks at hand.
8. Be sociable
Finding suitable times to be sociable with your team will help the group bond and create that sense of belonging that breeds motivation. Get out of the office and know your team on a personal level. Feeling known is a core human need and can breed as much loyalty as a bonus payment at the end of the year.
