You know you need to motivate your employees. You know they’ll be more productive and stay with your company longer when they’re invested in the company culture. You know that real business growth doesn’t happen without a dedicated and resilient workforce.
None of that is a revelation.
It’s easy to know those things are true, but it’s incredibly difficult to know what to actually do about any of it. There are plenty of small gestures, crafty tricks, and well hyped methods that business leaders can test out. Unfortunately, without the right implementation and thoughtful application, those efforts aren’t likely to get the buy-in you need. Many employee eyerolls down the road, you’ll realize it’s been a massive waste of time and money. Then you’ll be on the hunt for the next process or gimmick.
Let’s save you that headache with 5 PROVEN ways you can motivate employees!
1. Be curious. Each member of your team has their own goals that affect both their personal and professional lives. One person may be eyeing a seat in the C-suite while another would rather focus on family time. Both of them can provide valuable contributions to the organization when given the considerations needed.
Managers should give direct reports the opportunity to share their career and life goals, both short and long term. Sit down in a private setting and let the employee have the stage. It’s not often a person is genuinely asked what they want and someone else authentically listens. This will build trust, strengthen their bonds to the company, and give insights into how to make strategic plans.
2. Embrace superpowers. The best teams will balance the strengths of each individual member. One person could be fantastic at managing details while another has an excellent understanding of the big picture. Managers must examine each member for their superpower, the thing they do exceptionally well. It may not be the thing they currently do most often, but it will be the thing they do better than most others.
Once you know someone’s superpower, focus on it. Empower them to double down by developing it further and even sharing it. For example, if you have a sales team member that is exceptionally great at closing deals, challenge them to think of what they do differently and how they can share that with their co-workers. Alternatively, pair them up with a colleague that may not be a great closer, but their cold calling skills are phenomenal. Both of their superpowers will complement each other and make them both more successful.
3. Find the need. Every employee at any organization is there because the company needs them to do a job, broadly speaking. Knowing specifically what areas are underserved and what the strategic roadmap is will give managers the opportunity to fill the gaps. Refer back to each employee’s goals and superpowers, then find where those match up with the business needs. Chances are that you have more than a few employees whose talents are being wasted in their current roles. Sure, they’re doing a decent job, but they could contribute so much more.
Jim Collins called this getting the right people in the right seats. You wouldn’t want your best navigator at the back of the bus. They need to be up front working with the driver. You also need your future navigator right there to ensure smooth succession planning.
4. Provide resources. Many talented employees will “make do” instead of asking for what they need. Maybe they’re assuming leadership will just say no. Maybe they aren’t comfortable bringing it up. Whatever the reason, managers must take the initiative to not only ask if their team members need resources or support, but to proactively suggest and provide it.
By asking workers what their biggest accomplishments and disappointments are, a supervisor will gain insight into the operations, processes, collateral, and relationships that are working well and what isn’t. Once you gather this data from everyone in the company, examine it to discover what employees are really asking for.
You may find that the best thing you can offer employees is support and flexibility. Being able to work any time from anywhere has become a highly valued asset, especially among the younger generations. Using metrics and accountability, give workers the opportunity to earn perks such as working from home or flexible work hours while ensuring continued productivity.
5. Be honest. As much as we’d like to give employees freedom and accelerate their careers, it has to be tempered with reality. Some jobs absolutely must be done during certain hours or in a specific environment. The potential for promotions or juggling work loads will be defined by the size of the company and business growth.
That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t still ask about an employee’s interests, abilities, or needs. In fact, it’s even more important that you do it when you can’t accommodate them. Managers must have an open and honest conversation with their team members that gives context and consideration to the decisions the company makes. Employees will become resentful if they feel like they’re being denied something arbitrarily or actively being dismissed. When you give them an explanation, they’ll feel seen and understood, even if you can’t give them everything they want. That will make them far less likely to surprise you with a resignation.
Having these conversations sounds intuitive, but it can be difficult for managers to navigate them. Be sure you have a proven process in place that not only facilitates this kind of employee coaching, but also documents and encourages it.
In need of a system like that? Let’s talk about what Catalytic Coaching can do for your organization.
Jessica Bowers is head of Marketing & Content for Catalytic Coaching, Inc. Earning her Coach2 certification, she’s been supporting process implementation and training since 2017.
With a background in organizational change and education, she’s helped improve employee experience for hundreds of Coaches and their teams.
