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Motivation and engagement are difficult issues to address, and if they aren’t tackled correctly, they can have a detrimental effect on your business. Maybe recently you have noticed an increase in staff turnover, absence through sickness, disciplinaries and customer complaints… If so, it could be because your staff aren’t feeling motivated or engaged within their role.
Less obvious signs might include a lack of respect or conflict amongst colleagues, managers or internal departments. Demotivation can lead to a lack of commitment to achieve results or deliver great service. In turn, this will see employees merely fulfilling their day to day duties, rather than going above and beyond what is expected of them.
We have put together some advice to help you spot the signs of demotivation, enabling the prevention of issues before they escalate.
Understanding the Cause
Focusing on how different individuals are motivated can benefit your team and business. It’s not necessarily what a business does that causes these issues, but how they make their employees feel during their time at work. By listening to what your employees want and need from you will help you to overcome these hurdles.
Feeling undervalued is often the root of the problem, but there could be many contributing factors to feeling this way. Having no career vision, not being valued, not being involved in business decisions that affect them, a lack of communication, a lack in development or career opportunities, feeling insecure and the biggest factor is the way they are managed by their direct leaders. In fact, belief in one’s leader is often cited as a major motivational factor in the workplace. Studies suggest that 70% of engagement comes from how employees feel about their direct manager, whereas only 30% of their motivation comes directly from their work.
Addressing these Signs
Understand what is important to your employees, build rapport and gain respect will enable you to address issues easier. To help meet the needs and expectations of your employees, you can ask for feedback on what is working well within the business and if there’s anything that needs to change to enable improvements. Not only will this create a happier environment, but it is also a great tool for adapting your management style, meeting individual requirements, inclusion and working effectively as one team.
Staying Motivated & Engaged
Employees can remain focused and motivated when treated with respect. By communicating and consulting with employees frequently, it will make them feel like they are adding value to the business. By receiving recognition for their contributions, employees will feel much happier with the desire to succeed. It’s important to remember that no individual is the same – take the time to talk to your employees and see what their future goals and ambitions are. You can then tailor a plan to suit them. A great way of implementing this is through monthly reviews or informal one-to-one chats and coaching sessions.
Need help?
Here at Outlook Partnerships we are experts in recognising how a lack of motivation and engagement can affect your business. P.E.O.P.L.E are our values and we believe in bringing learning to the heart of your business so people can become the best they can be. We have used the Strength Deployment Inventory® tool now for over 20 years, we believe that this is an amazing relationship tool to increase emotional intelligence and understanding of others. Our Motivating & Engaging Relationships Workshop is aimed at helping any employee to develop self-awareness of their own motivational values, their individual strengths and potential blindsides, as well as the ability to adapt their style. In turn, maintaining rapport, reducing conflict, communicating effectively and keeping staff engaged to increase productivity and bottom-line results.
Amanda has recently been interviewed on the topic of Motivation & Engagement in the workplace and the article has just been published. You can read this article here to find out more. If you would like to ask Amanda any further questions or to book a Training Review Meeting, to discuss how we can help you to improve your results then get in touch – we’re always happy to help!
