Simple Strategies to Motivate Employees

Motivation is basically a personal decision to accomplish something necessary, significant and sometimes difficult. Conscious motivations should be distinguished from mere instinctive and physiological functions such as breathing. All human actions and behaviors have corresponding motivations but not all are actions have underlying conscious motivations.

When it comes to motivating employees, conscious motivations are mainly involved. External incentives and reinforcements might be introduced but motivation remains to be personal in nature. As the saying goes, "you can lead a horse to water but you can't force it to drink." This pretty much summarizes the nature of external positive reinforcements.

There are at least five simple strategies that managers use to inspire employees gain confidence and be motivated. These strategies can be applied in virtually all types of business and non-profit organizations, including government institutions. These strategies are based on the need for socialization and self-actualization.

Proper recognition

Oftentimes, the best motivating factors do not involve financial reward. Proper recognition of an excellent work is one good way to inspire employees to maintain the quality of work or strive harder. Recognition may range from simple pat on the back and a sincere praise to formal awarding of certificates. Recognition may also involve special celebrations in the form of office party for a top-performing individual or team.

Training or coaching

Coaching is a cost-effective means of inspiring employees to be motivated. Oftentimes, it costs almost nothing for the company except for time and effort on the part of the manager. It can be done either individually or it can be done as a group activity. It can involve a one-on-one sit down conversation with an employee or as a formal office seminar.

Growth opportunities

Employees who think that they are working on dead-end jobs are usually unmotivated and may feel trapped in meaningless routines. They may stay on the job for practical reasons but they may not give their best efforts. A job must offer growth opportunities in terms of leadership opportunities and promotions. It may not necessarily involve vertical promotion but a simple or transitory chance to lead a team and take on challenging and important tasks can motivate employees.

Breaking routines

Workers can easily get bored if they do the same things day-in and day-out for the whole year. Although routines and predictability at work are intended to establish efficiency, they can also lead to boredom and productivity slowdowns. Boredom is an unintended consequence of routines that can only be solved by occasionally breaking routines such as providing recreational activities for teambuilding purposes.

Transparency

Employees must feel that they are important part of the team as opposed to mere tools of the company. One way of showing importance to employees is by being transparent about the overall direction and goals of the company. The optimism and drive of the top leaders must be shared by the ordinary employees. They must feel proud of their company.

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