It’s summer and you may be in a productivity slump. Keeping your workforce motivated naturally gets a little harder in the summer sunshine, especially if you have remote workers. While you may have hired a great team, the reality is that the summer months may experience a slowdown simply because vacation and other distractions keep your workforce thinking about other things instead of the job at hand. But good managers know how to motivate their workforce to help keep production moving forward. We have five ideas that will help your teams stay motivated even during the summertime.
1. Motivation starts at the top.
The first thing to keep in mind is that motivation is a top-down phenomenon. Your company leadership should make the effort to set the tone for team motivation. Managers should do this as well. Start with developing a continuous and positive feedback cycle that supports your workforce. Interacting and having conversations with your workforce is critical to keeping them engaged. Practicing active listening while privately and publicly praising teams and individuals will create an environment that motivates employees to do their best work.
2. Consider revamping the workspace.
Obviously, this isn’t as much of an issue for remote employees, however, employers should make an effort to improve the physical work environment. Dark, cramped workspaces, uncomfortable workstations, bad lighting—all can negatively affect worker motivation. A well-maintained workspace is a productivity booster for your employees. It also helps lift mood and makes coming to work more pleasurable. Ensure that your work environment is clean and healthy, comfortable, and inviting to help motivate your teams.
3. Create a culture of support and positivity.
There’s nothing like negativity to drag you down. The goal of your managers and leadership should be to create a positive work environment for everyone. Your teams should motivate each other within a culture of positive feedback, fun, and laughter. Employees should know their individual and team goals and should support one another in achieving them. Employers can help by offering rewards and recognition programs as well as other incentives to create a supportive, encouraging place to work every day.
4. Mutual respect and honesty should rule the day.
Leadership teams can set the tone by operating transparently. Managers should lead less by the stick and more by the carrot. They should be respectful to their workforce while giving honest, candid feedback, Obviously, communication is key to this process. Handle any grievances quickly and fairly. Then encourage this same environment for employees in their dealings with one another. These steps will motivate your workforce to excel.
5. Support collaboration and teamwork.
Working collaboratively can help employees trust each other. Building teams gives everyone a sense that they’re in this together. Instead of focusing on smaller achievements and individual credit, organizations should support a team environment where everyone helps each other and work together to achieve their goals. This is truly motivational and something all companies to strive for.
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If you’re trying to motivate your workforce and it isn’t working, consider the resources that PrideStaff can bring to the table. We work with organizations to bring them top talent and can help you met your hiring goals. Call on us.
