In a perfect world, each of your employees would be working to their full potential, happily humming along at their desks and being productive every minute of the workday. But it’s not a perfect world, of course, and part of your job as a leader is to figure out an effective way to motivate them to do better. Here are some ideas for inspiring your employees to work harder:
Set a good example. Before you start thinking about your employees, it may be time to evaluate your own office performance. Are you living up to your own expected potential? Leading by doing is one of the most effective ways to get people to follow, so make sure that you’re showing up on time and performing your tasks with a great attitude.
Open the lines of communication. If you want your employees to be motivated, you need to make sure they feel like they have a voice in the company. An employee must trust you to be able to be inspired by you, and feeling like one is being heard is an important part of trust. Make an open door policy for your office and make sure that your employees understand you’re there to address their issues.
Explain the big picture. As a manager, you know that every job is important, from the information technology staff who build your infrastructure to the custodians that empty the office trash every day. But sometimes an employee doesn’t understand where they fit in the bigger picture of a company’s goals, and they can start to feel like their job doesn’t matter. Take the time to make sure that every single person you employ understands why their duties are essential to your overall success.
Be specific. When you offer feedback to your workers, make sure that you’re actually saying something. Phrases like, “We need to do better,” don’t say much. If there’s a problem that needs to be addressed, offer specific, measurable steps that your employee needs to take to improve. If you’re offering praise, be specific as well. “Great job bringing on the new account; we’re on track to make this year’s sales goals!” is much more meaningful than just, “Great job.”
Are you looking for more engaged employees? If you’ve tried to motivate your office and you still aren’t getting anywhere, it may be time bring a new employee onboard. At Contemporary Staffing Solutions, we have a pool of qualified candidates excited to grow in their careers. Get in touch with us today to learn more about them!