Here’s a universal truth that some managers just haven’t learned yet: You can’t force your employees to do their jobs. It’s the old adage that you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make them drink. If your employees aren’t that into their jobs, they simply won’t be as productive as they can be. The data shows us that only about 30% of the workforce in this country are engaged in their jobs. You may want your employees to be in that 30% but don’t know how to get them there.
Here’s the second part to that universal truth that will give you some hope. While you can’t make your employees work hard, you can create an environment that motivates them to do their best. This blog will give you three tips to create the kind of motivating environment where your workers will excel—and your profits will, too.
Employee Motivation Tip #1: Pay Employees What They’re Worth
Pew Research has been avidly following the phenomenon known as the Great Resignation. They surveyed American workers who quit to take on other jobs. They found that 63% of the four million people who quit each month left their jobs for a better paying opportunity. Employers are paying signing bonuses and increasing salaries to attract top talent—many are throwing in perks like remote work or free lunches for office workers—anything to find the help they need.
Paying your people what they’re worth may start with that new hire, but don’t forget to circle back and look at your loyal employees to see if they too need a bump in salaries. Otherwise, you’ll run the risk that they will see be a part of the four million job jumpers next month that we’re predicted to see in this country. Paying employees what they are worth is a motivation tool that builds loyalty across the organization. Use this to create an environment where your workforce wants to work.
Employee Motivation Tip #2: Don’t Punish Failure, Build on Your Success
Leading with the carrot and not the stick is the kind of office environment that your employees will find motivating. Everyone is human and mistakes happen. The goal is to create the kind of environment where you are steadily improving over time. Working with employees to set goals and not arbitrarily assigns the goals you made up, is a good first step. They, provide training for anyone who is falling behind or retraining for anyone who makes mistakes. Then reward, reward, and reward some more. This kind of positive work environment is motivational, it builds loyalty, and it will help keep your employees longer.
Employee Motivation Tip #3: Stop Micromanaging
People still leave bad managers. In fact, 57% of employees leave when they’re feeling disrespected by their supervisors, according to Pew Research. Micromanaging can definitely make your employee feel like you don’t trust them. Having a boss looking over your shoulder constantly can hurt your self-esteem. Instead, train your managers to work with their employees to create goals. Provide the training these workers need. Then set them loose and watch them hit those goals. In these motivating environments, managers become the cheerleaders, the mentors, and ultimately, a partner with their employees in the success of the organization.
PrideStaff Thousand Oaks works with companies to help them build up strong teams. We can help you find the talent you need, faster than you expected. Call on us. We can help.
