Despite employee motivation being integral to an organization’s success, studies suggest that only 15% of employees are motivated worldwide. The lack of a driving force leads to issues in meeting company goals and objectives, which can cause deadlines to be delayed, resulting in the business losing money. Time is money. Motivated employees work 20% better and show increased productivity, higher output levels, and more commitment to their assigned roles.
Higher employee motivation levels increase business benefits and reduce the risks of a high labor turnover rate. An efficient manager should be able to tackle motivation issues by building a respectful and engaging environment. So how do you keep your employees motivated?
Table of Contents
Establish effective communication and empathy
The most important aspect of communication is connection. You can’t connect with your employees unless you understand their point of view. Many employees leave their jobs because they feel disrespected or insignificant. Understanding your employees is the most basic skill to establish as a manager. No matter what you do to motivate your employees, it’ll be all for nothing if you don’t know what type of encouragement they need.
In the remote and hybrid work settings, establishing a strong bond among employees is essential for effective communication and collaboration. By implementing online team building ideas from Escapely, remote and hybrid employees can enhance their connection, build trust, and foster a positive work environment, ultimately leading to improved teamwork and better overall performance.
There is no issue that respectful and effective communication can’t resolve. A good manager should be assertive and have a high EQ (emotional quotient). According to emotional intelligence statistics published on Crunchbase, 95% of established business leaders and managers say that EQ is more relevant than IQ in today’s business environment. Therefore, communicate effectively and be an empath to keep your employees motivated.
A little bit of praise goes a long way
Why do humans do anything? They crave validation, and while it may shock some employers, their employees are like regular humans who thrive off of recognition.
Psychologists call it reinforcement, which means encouraging the behavior you want to be repeated through a positive response. Employees can feel validated and confident in their skills by a simple “job well done” and will try to achieve the same response through repeated effort. It can also promote healthy competition among employees.
But a good manager should distribute praise fairly and equally following the Theory Of Equity. The Theory of Equity emphasizes that employees may feel less motivated if they feel they are treated unfairly compared to their peers.
Showing that you appreciate your employee strengthens the relationship you share with them. Many managers follow the approach of Bob Nelson to ‘dump the cash and load on the praise.’ However, recent research suggests that substituting one over the other and using praise only may be a bit outdated.
Give employees breathing space
Breathing down your employee’s neck will never get the job done. Besides the added pressure of someone constantly observing and criticizing their every move, employees won’t be able to establish work autonomy. This may decrease their productivity and increase their manager’s workload.
Most managers overlook that an employee’s productivity is greatly influenced by their mood, and do you know what promotes mood? Oxytocin. Studies like Zak’s have paved the way for corporations to establish trust as a major motivator for employees since it boosts mood by producing the ‘happy hormone,’ which increases job satisfaction and productivity by proxy.
Many employees would prefer autonomy over monetary incentives. It’s the little things that count, and even letting your employees choose their work hours can positively affect their productivity.
Welcome your employees into the company
A company should take responsibility for developing its employees by providing adequate employee training and including them in goal-making decisions to ensure they feel valued. Trust and loyalty are a two-way street; an employee won’t stick around if you don’t give them reasons to.
Studies show that a major contributor to high labor turnover rates is a lack of job training and goal setting because an employee doesn’t know what to expect. The lack of commitment from the employers then bleeds into the employees, which pushes them to resign.
Another aspect of inclusion is the promotion of teamwork toward company objectives. The best approach to use as an example is Kaizen, a Japanese term that means improvement. It focuses on boosting team morale and productivity through quality circles that consist of meetings where every employee contributes towards idea generation and goal development. This encourages them to participate and helps them feel like a significant part of the organization.
Studies show the significance of Kaizen in boosting employee efficiency and increasing the output of a company through constant group improvement. This means that each employee has something vital to offer the business and should be given every opportunity to add value.
Create a suitable work environment
No one likes working in a dingy old office with little ventilation and squeaky chairs. If an employee is constantly distracted by flickering lights and noisy fans, it’s no wonder their morale is down. An efficient workplace should have the appropriate environment to nurture productivity. Consider this an incentive to spruce up your working space.Additionally, introducing mobile massage services can offer employees a refreshing break from work stressors, contributing to a more enjoyable and productive atmosphere.
So consider changing your office’s lighting to something for the betterment of your employees. Offices with poor lighting cause detrimental health effects alongside decreased productivity and motivation levels. A simple case of eye strain and backaches can cause workers to push deadlines and waste valuable time. It’s not only about aesthetics, but also about the well-being and happiness of your employees.
If the office seems depressing and monotonous lately, do your employees a favor and change the color scheme. Colors have a profound influence on the mood. Calm and relaxing colors like blue can be quite motivating.
Conclusion
The most valuable business asset is people. Be it in the form of contacts, customers, or labor. Ultimately, it’s all about the relationship between managers and employees that manifests as trust and loyalty. One person makes no business; it’s made by people, and what kind of business doesn’t value its own? Employee motivation is not just about increasing productivity, but also about taking responsibility for your people. And you can use the tips in this article to do just that.
