What to Do When Employees Lack Motivation

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As any business owner can attest, a motivated employee is a productive employee. However, to say that motivation is lacking in a staggering number of workplaces would be an understatement, and if you count your small business among them, you’d do well to make motivation one of your top priorities. Employees who are motivated can be a boon to your business’s success and effectively pave the way for long-term security, so if motivation is currently in short supply, put the following solutions to good use.

Be Willing to Promote from Within 

It’s no secret that people like to feel appreciated by their employers. After all, in the absence of recognition for one’s efforts, what motivation do they have to keep putting their best foot forward? Furthermore, you’d be hard-pressed to find a member of the workforce who relishes stagnation, so if an employer offers no possibility of promotion, they shouldn’t be surprised to see low employee retention numbers or a general lack of interest from qualified jobseekers. 

This isn’t to say that every high-level position must be staffed by an existing member of your workforce, but if qualified candidates for such a position are among the people in your employ, it can’t hurt to give them due consideration. Promoting from within stands to benefit your business in two important ways. First off, it’s an effective way to show team members just how much you appreciate the contributions they’ve made. Secondly, promoting from within can serve to motivate other employees to consistently give it their all. It’s important for people to feel as if they’re constantly working towards something instead of running in place, and knowing that promotions are a very real possibility can keep employees focused and motivated. 

Of course, this shouldn’t be taken to mean that full-time employees are the only team members who are worthy of promotion. For example, if there are any dependable freelancers with whom your business has worked for an extended period, offering them full-time opportunities can be a great way to illustrate appreciation for their efforts and provide other freelancers with a clear goal to work towards.  

Enlist the Services of Motivational Speakers 

In the interest of keeping motivation high and improving overall worker satisfaction, consider enlisting the services of motivational speakers. The right speakers can effectively teach you and your team members about the tenets of productivity, workplace compassion, meeting goals and various other important areas. So, if you’re looking to keep motivation steady throughout your place of business, look into booking a keynote speaker

Respect Your Employees as People 

A troubling number of employers view workers as nothing more than tools to be used for the furtherment of their financial bottom line. Needless to say, the individuals who work for such businesses tend to feel very little loyalty towards their respective employers and very little motivation to put forth their best efforts. So, if you expect your employees to respect you and become genuinely invested in the success of your business, you’d be wise to return the courtesy.

While it’s only natural for employers to have expectations of their employees, it’s important to realize that your team members are human beings with lives outside of working for you. So, the next time you find yourself tempted to impose an unreasonable deadline, ask someone to work over the weekend or contact an employee during personal hours, make an effort to stop yourself. Work may be a large part of these individuals’ lives, but it should not be the center of their respective universes – and expecting it to be is simply unacceptable. In fact, providing employees with a greater level of control over their work schedules can be a fantastic way to illustrate respect, heighten loyalty and increase worker retention. Furthermore, embracing remote work is among the most effective ways to go about this.  

Many employers make a point of providing employees with as little compensation and as few benefits as they’re legally allowed. While this may help these companies save money in the short term, such treatment can have far-reaching consequences for your business, as well as a profound impact on employee satisfaction. That being the case, any small business owner looking to attract and retain top talent will need to make employee happiness and well-being one of their foremost priorities. Fortunately, with the advice outlined above, this is likely to prove far easier than you may think.