Keeping your team happy and motivated is extremely important for any employer. Motivation not only improves productivity and performance levels, but it also means employees will feel happier in the workplace – which will improve retention and performance of the team. So you’ve tried to put some effort into motivating your employees, but it’s not working. So what mistakes are you making that’s destroying your workforces motivation?
1) Your office space is terrible:
It may not seem like a very important aspect of working life, but office space can actually have a huge effect on employees and their motivation. It’s understandable that walking into a gloomy office isn’t going to be the best for inspiring people. And no, we can’t all have offices like Google or Facebook, but even simple tactics such as introducing some plants or giving the space a lick of paint can all work wonders. So start off small and your office can change the mood of the workforce inside it.
2) You dismiss ideas:
There’s nothing more de-motivational then having your fresh ideas dismissed immediately. This is why it’s important to listen to your colleagues and really consider their ideas. Being shot down by your colleagues or mangers can take its toll on confidence and with a lack of confidence often comes a lack of motivation. So even if your employees ideas are completely different to yours, consider giving them a chance.
3) There’s no chance for development:
Something that many companies often find spurs on their colleagues is the opportunity for growth within the company. And this doesn’t have to be crazy pay rises or huge promotions. it can simply be the opportunity for them to learn new things and have a bit of training. The best way to motivate employees this way is to invite speakers and guests in for training or talks. Employees will appreciate this and feel like they are growing with the company.
4) You hold pointless meetings:
There’s nothing worse than pointless meetings. Not only do they waste a lot of time (on average 3.8 hours week!), they also decrease employees motivation alongside this. So sack the pointless meetings, and only hold them if they are truly necessary. A email is often enough.
5) You micromanage:
If you spend a large amount of time searching and hiring the best talent, then you should never have to micromanage your workforce. Giving your workforce the autonomy to make their own decisions is important for both your company and the employees themselves. It allows employees to come up with new ways of doing things, and also means the employees will have a real passion for the work they are doing.
6) You blame others for things:
Blaming employees for mistakes creates an atmosphere in the office – which makes employees fearful of their workplace – which obviously is never going to work for motivation. The worse kind of management is the type of boss who will take credit for all the good things and blame others for the bad things. Don’t be that type of boss!
7) No vision:
If your brand has no vision, how can you expect your employees to have one too? A great way to motivate your employees is to include them in the vision of your brand. This way it boosts motivation and also shows that you truly care about your employees.
8) You never speak to the face-to-face:
Despite one of these points being to avoid holding pointless meetings, it’s also important to make sure you give employees enough actual face-to-face time individually. Employees will feel more connected with the business if they can properly communicate with those in charge.
What other mistakes do you think employers can make when it comes to motivating there employees? Let us know @UndercoverRec!
