How to try motivate your employees to improve performance
Try typing ‘motivation’ into a search engine and you will be presented with more than a million results.
Motivation matters across a very broad spectrum…….. from sport to the world of work. Listening to our athletes at the Tokyo Olympics reveals that each has their story about what has motivated them to continue to train to be the best they can be. The athletes are motivated by what is important to them. Gold medallist swimmer Adam Peaty talked about believing in being able to succeed. Cyclist Katie Archibald said: ‘I’ve never wanted something so much.’
Motivation and Work
Research by the Hay Group revealed that organisations with motivated, engaged employees are 43% more productive.
So, just how do you motivate your employees? Isn’t having a job and being paid at the end of the month enough?
Motivation theories agree that financial reward in the main only delivers a temporary boost to motivation.
How to Motivate your Employees
Knowing your employees is the key to unlocking the secrets of individual motivation – you can then tap into this knowledge to improve performance. For example, if someone has worked over and above, do you know whether an overtime payment or time off is a driver for them?
Some ideas for you to try:
Praise: acknowledge when a job has been well-done.
A simple thank you, sending an email or may be praising during a team meeting are some of the different ways of giving praise. A word of caution – some employees are uncomfortable about public recognition. If you know your employees you will learn how they receive praise and be able to adjust to suit them.
Encouragement: A little encouragement goes a long way
Time: ‘You’ve done a great job, get yourself off a couple of hours early.
Trust: Do you trust your employees to deliver high performance? Let them know and explain how valuable their work is to the organisation.
The job itself: Making sure a job offers variety, enrichment and challenge. Involve your employees in making suggestions to make their role more interesting.
Unexpected benefits for the Organisation
It is not simply improved performance that results from motivated employees.
Other areas to benefit organisations can include lower levels of absence, increased retention of employees, higher standards of customer service, lower levels of disputes, amongst others.
Author: Cath Crane, Senior HR Projects Advisor
If you would like further information on or support with motivation, please get in touch with the HR Projects team on 01274 864 999.
