You probably already know what an unmotivated employee looks like. They work at a slower pace, aren’t concerned with the quality of their work, spend time on their phones, and are basically just waiting to fill out their hours and go home. Working hours are the most important resource your company has, and unmotivated employees waste it. They also rub off on other employees who will begin wondering why they’re putting in more effort for the same job. 

This culture is going to have a profound effect on your company’s performance. It could lead to higher return rates for products and lower conversion rates for sales, and you could miss important targets and deadlines because your team doesn’t care enough. A sufficiently motivated employee will take personal responsibility for the company’s success. They’ll work quicker, better, and more efficiently. To inspire such a performance, you have to motivate employees to believe that their success is tied together with the company.

How to Motivate Employees

Make Sure Your Employees Understand the ‘Why’

Jessica Shee, Tech Manager of iBoysoft said, The easiest way to disengage an employee from their work is by giving them tasks without any explanation. If they understand why something needs to be done in a certain time window, they will be more likely to take it seriously. However, this goes deeper than just explaining a task well. Employees who share the company’s vision will feel more tied to its success. If they know how their actions, no matter how small, have a real effect on the company’s performance, it will build intrinsic motivation.

Recognize and Reward 

Verbal affirmation will only take you so far. At the end of the day, people go to work to make money and, on some level, they’ll associate recognition with rewards. A fair structure for bonuses will foster healthy competition in your workforce and motivate workers to improve their performance. Money works, but it isn’t the only kind of reward at your disposal. Having special perks for outstanding employees at company retreats, or an employee of the month program that gives the winner a day off are all good ways to reward performance. 

Giving Employees Power

Elisa Bender, Cofounder of RevenueGeeks, the best way to make some feel responsible is actually making them responsible. Break up tasks into manageable sectors and divide them across departments and teams. Making them responsible for a task from start to finish, or heeding their advice on an important task, will make them feel appreciated. During times when workplace motivation is low, you can give employees some autonomy to improve morale. Letting them set their own deadlines, or deciding whether they want to come into the office or work from home gives them a sense of control. 

Create Career paths

After their salary, employees care most about how a job helps them progress their careers and develop their skillset. You should have clear paths for promotion in your own company for impressive employees. Not everybody in your workforce will end up getting promoted, but that’s not the only thing you can do to help them progress their careers. Frequently ask your employees what their career goals are and give genuine advice on how they can reach their goals. Taking a mentorship role will help improve your relationship with your team and motivate them to perform. 

Support Employee Well-Being

This is often overlooked by companies even if they have motivation policies in place. William Kemper, owner of Kemper DMD said, It won’t matter how big the bonus is, if your employee is overwhelmed or too tired they won’t be able to produce results. Don’t be stringent with sick days and make sure you keep an eye on everybody’s mental health. Keeping them healthy is directly beneficial to you since the company would literally cease to exist without them. Additionally, your employees will thank you for your care with higher quality work. 

A well rounded approach to employee motivation takes all of these into account. When employees feel healthy, rewarded, and listened to, they’ll become valuable assets to your company.