Motivation can be a fluctuating feeling that many employees face throughout their careers. This is where good leadership comes in. When employees lose the drive to complete their tasks, the assumption is that they are stuck in a rut or need a better incentive. The process of determining if an employee is properly motivated isn’t black and white. There have been studies that dive deeper into the analysis to determine employee engagement and motivation, compared to employee happiness. Although some employees may be happy working for their employer, they still may not be 100% motivated. Therefore, companies need to take the time to discover the most effective ways to motivate and inspire employees.
Here we will discuss a few simple leadership techniques that will help employees become more engaged in their careers.
Provide Functional Tools and Resources
An often overlooked tactic that motivates employees is supplying them with updated and relevant tools that will help them complete their tasks more seamlessly. Employees can lose motivation for a myriad of reasons and leadership should be able to recognize the cause. A recent study reported that the main reason why employees have left their jobs is that leadership didn’t listen to their concerns and lacked empathy. These qualities are key principles of good leadership and an important factor in leadership success.
Providing employees with updated tech devices and tools can help them complete tasks more efficiently, communicate better, and broaden their abilities. In some cases, employees work from outdated office spaces or remotely, which can disrupt their motivation and productivity. Companies should reassess and determine what employees need most and work to supply them with the appropriate equipment and resources, within reason.
Functional tools that drive employee motivation can include an updated computer and keyboard. Also, with increased use of technology and the risk of sedentary employees, management might also consider investing in workspace upgrades, like ergonomic office chairs. These can reduce the risk of work-related injuries and increase comfort and productivity when sitting at a computer for the majority of the day.
In addition to ergonomic chairs, supplying employees with protective blue light glasses can make a big difference in their overall health by preventing them from experiencing chronic headaches and eye strain, which may arise with heavy use of digital screens. If management were to enforce the use of workplace tools like these, they could create a healthier office environment for employees by supporting not only their performance but their physical and mental health as well. Actions like these can help motivate and drive productivity even further.
Set Weekly Goals and Incentives
Companies should be transparent with employees about their long-term goals. However, when creating deliverables to support those goals, leadership should set more tangible weekly goals as it will motivate employees to finish tasks in a shorter amount of time while also promoting accountability.
Many employees lose motivation when goals and expectations are too vast or unmanageable. If a leader sets a weekly goal it will give employees something to strive for each week, which will help them achieve higher productivity rates quarterly. Active leaders can try using one of the many time tracking services that are available today to help employees simultaneously manage their time weekly and review their success quarterly.
Management should also recognize a job well done as it will motivate employees to strive for success more often. Once weekly and quarterly goals are met, offer performance-based rewards to employees. This will drive them to work harder to meet their goals and decrease their apprehension to certain tasks. Companies should offer rewards that take into consideration the employee and the company’s budget. The three general categories that performance-based rewards fall into are cash, gifts, or experiences. Although certain rewards will motivate different employees, a dedicated leader will need to determine what those might be.
Understand Employees
A common mistake that leaders tend to make is grouping employees together, rather than treating them as individuals. If the team has aligned incentives they will happily work together to achieve a common goal, however, it’s the responsibility of a leader to understand what will drive each employee individually.
Framing the strategy in multiple ways ensures each member of the team has a clear understanding of how working together benefits them. This technique allows you to motivate employees as individuals and bring them together as a team.
Similarly, take the time to discover which leadership style drives certain employees. Management should engage with employees during one-on-one check-ins to get a deeper understanding of what pushes them to go the extra mile, what their personal growth goals are, and what ideas they may have for the company. This will allow great insight into how you, as a leader, can effectively lead your team based on their individual identity.
Let your employees’ individual needs shape your leadership style. The more you know about your workforce the more effectively you can lead them to success.
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