4 Practical Ways Managers Can Motivate Employees

Employee motivation. The thing every manager wants… and needs to bring real results. 

But the mistake 95% of managers make is not understanding what actually motivates their employees (IDoneThis). 

And it may shock you, but money wasn’t the number one factor managers thought of (although that’s part of it). It was pressure. The idea is that pressure makes diamonds and “if you want exceptional performance, you align employee objects with end-of-year bonuses for hitting certain milestones, and then employees will turn up their work ethic to reach them.”

This can be of some incentive, but the problem is that many managers leave it there… leaving only 8% of UK employees feeling motivated (Gallup). 

And if you need a reminder, employees need to be motivated. And not just to be productive, do good work and stay in your company, but to keep the company profitable.

• When employees feel motivated, they work 20% better

• Profitability increases by 21% when teams are highly engaged 

• Motivated and engaged employees are 41% more likely to show up to work 

• Motivated employees are 87% less likely to quit

• Disengaged employees cost US companies up to $550 billion a year

(Forbes)

But despite the importance of employee motivation, many managers mistakenly believe that motivation is solely up to their employees. They take the attitude of, “Well, if I hired you, I expect you to be self-motivated.” And self-motivation is indeed a valuable trait, but if you’re not creating an environment that fosters and sustains motivation in your team, don’t be surprised when productivity is low and turnover is high. 

MONEY AND PROGRESSION AREN’T ALWAYS THE SOLUTION

Before you assume the best way to motivate your employees is through pay raises and promotions, you’ll be mistaken.

Whilst these things will always be of high value to an employee, without other factors, employees can still feel dissatisfied. A study showed that when employees were asked about what made employees so engaged and excited about their work, 96% of employees didn’t mention pay at all (Harvard Business Review).

Keep reading for 4 things employees want and practical ways you can improve employee motivation:

RECOGNISE AND REWARD ACHIEVEMENTS

Every employee appreciates recognition. 

And this doesn’t have to be in the form of a pay rise either. It could be something structured like:

• Employee Of The Month

• End-of-month celebrations

• Birthday/ work anniversary acknowledgements

All of these are valuable to motivate employees, but do you want to know a priceless way to recognise hard work? Saying it. Verbal or written recognition goes a long way in motivating employees to keep going and developing in their careers. So whether it’s a thank you message or a shout-out in a team meeting, don’t underestimate recognising employees.

CREATE A POSITIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT

Imagine working in an office with no excitement, no genuine socialising. There’s a constant pressure to reach unrealistic expectations and you’re put down by your superiors with condescending words. Would you still be motivated?

The environment your employees are in will have a significant impact on their motivation – either good or bad. 

If you want to make a change in your environment, think about culture. A workplace without a culture will provide no longstanding motivation for employees. Some ways to create an engaging work environment is by:

• Promoting collaboration/ teamwork

• Encouraging a healthy work-life balance

• Conduct 1-1 meetings to develop trust with employees

• Get involved with team conversations and lead by example

GIVE EMPLOYEES AUTONOMY

In the Harvard Business Review study mentioned earlier, highly engaged employees “highlighted feeling autonomous and empowered, and a sense of belonging in their teams.” 

So why does micromanaging take place in so many organisations?

Often, it’s out of fear of low productivity but what these managers don’t realise is that they’re achieving the opposite with 55% of employees claiming it hurts productivity. And if that’s not enough, 69% considered changing jobs because of it and 36% did (Slingshot).

Empowering employees with autonomy and decision-making authority can increase their sense of ownership and accountability, leading to higher levels of motivation and engagement. Give employees the freedom to make choices, take initiative in their work, and trust them to deliver results. Of course, provide guidance and support as needed, but avoid micromanaging or imposing unnecessary restrictions. 

LEAD BY EXAMPLE

Finally, if you’re expecting motivation, lead by example.

Motivation, productivity, attitude and people management all flow top-down. So show enthusiasm, and embody the values and principles of the organisation.

But especially for motivation and work ethic, a manager who is committed to their work, organised and genuinely passionate about what they do is the best inspiration your employees need to embody that in their own jobs. 

- Written by Oliver Howson

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