Staying motivated and enthusiastic at work can prove difficult for many employees. While managers and employers try to push the company forward, keep customers satisfied, and improve the bottom line, they can sometimes forget that they also need to inspire enthusiasm and motivate their employees.
What they may not realize is that the real issue is not about inspiring and motivating, but rather about not demotivating employees. Most employees start a new job motivated and full of enthusiasm. It’s only after them having been working for some time that they lose this motivation. The key is to prevent that from happening and keep employees motivated and enthusiastic during their entire tenure—not an easy feat, but certainly possible.
So what can employers do to inspire enthusiasm in their employees? First, consider the main goals that employees want to reach in the workplace: to be respected and treated equally; to be proud of the work they do and be acknowledged for it; and to have good, productive relationships with their coworkers and managers. When they feel that they’re reaching these goals, employees are more likely to be enthusiastic about their jobs.
Here are seven tips on how employers can keep their employees motivated and wearing their rose-colored glasses for their entire time at the company.
Give them an inspiring purpose
A crucial part of keeping employees motivated and excited about their jobs is giving them a purpose they understand and are proud of. A mission statement or a set of department goals that truly speak to the purpose of all those hard hours of work—and not about the company making more money—can act as an effective inspiration tool.
Acknowledge their work
One of the main reasons why employees lose their enthusiasm at work is because they feel that what they do doesn’t matter if the work doesn’t even warrant positive feedback from their managers.Something as simple as a department-wide e-mail thanking an employee for putting in extra hours over the weekend, or a mention at a staff meeting, can make a big difference in your employees’ level of motivation.
Become their advocate
Nothing demotivates employees faster than having a boss who they feel is not on their side. A manager’s primary role should be to help his team do their job and make sure they are have the tools, input, and support to do it well. Talking with your employees, asking if they have any issues or questions, and representing their best interests to senior-level staff are all ways you can act as their advocate.
Help them improve
Employees want to get ahead in their departments, their company, and their careers. Having opportunities for personal and professional growth can help employees stay motivated at work. Provide them with specific and constructive feedback so they know how to improve their performance. Helping them do better will improve their self-esteem and the way they feel about their job.
Communicate openly with them
Nobody likes being kept in the dark, especially employees, when it concerns their work. Communicating openly with employees will make them feel more included and respected. Of course, not every bit of information should be told to every employee every time, but having a policy of communicating the important details in a timely and professional manner is important to keep them motivated.
Promote teamwork among them
Keeping employees apart or siloed can lead them to feel like they’re not a part of the team, and can therefore affect their motivation. Encourage employees to work together and learn from each other. Camaraderie can go miles toward making employees feel like a part of something bigger. Plus, when they’re working in a team, employees can inspire enthusiasm among each other.
Deal with demotivators
Finally, there are some instances when an employee simply does not want to work. These employees are not just unmotivated or unenthusiastic—they are basically “allergic” to work and will do anything to avoid it. The problem here is that their negative attitude can quickly affect the rest of the team and bring their motivation down. In these cases, managers should address the matter promptly and swiftly, even if it means dismissal (in most instances, there will be grounds for termination on the basis of their performance, as these employees will tend to underperform).
How do you keep employees motivated and enthusiastic in your organization?
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