As a manager, a big
part of your job is keeping your employees motivated and engaged. A properly
engaged employee can work to their full potential and greatly benefit their
organization. Monetary compensation is only part of what motivates and engages
an employee, being valued and having positive relationships with their managers
are big factors in how engaged, and successful, an employee is. Here are eight
ways to keep your employees motivated and engaged.
Find Out What
Your Employees Need
Check in with your
employees to see if they need anything; don’t just assume everything is okay.
Before you try and figure what your employee needs, think about some possible
goals they may have in mind. These goals may include lowering anxiety, getting
a clear objective, and minimizing uncertainty. Ensure all your employees have
the tools and training they need to be effective.
Make Work Fun
A touch of humor
goes a long way to transforming a workplace into a place where employees can
have fun while they work. Energized and happy employees are better able to
engage and contribute to their organization. “You can make a big difference
with something as simple as the occasional smile, showing your human side can
be endearing and disarming”, - says Nicole Meehan, an HR consultant at Uktopwriters.
Effective and
Positive Communication
Proper communication
is the driving force behind employee motivation. A good manager must strike a
balance between the dreaded micromanaging and failing to keep their finger on
the pulse of their team. Keeping interactions positive with employees is a good
way to keep them engaged. Communication can be written, as well as spoken, and
business writing skills are important for leaders. Check out resources at StateofWriting
to improve your business writing skills.
Incentives Pay
Off
Encourage excellence
and engagement by implementing some monetary incentives. Getting rewarded for
their achievements is a huge motivator for employees. Ensure that your team is
compensated well overall. People are often uncomfortable divulging
dissatisfaction with their compensation, so consider doing some surveys to
gauge employee satisfaction. It’s important to express your gratitude
immediately when a employee excels, rather than waiting for a quarterly review.
Doing this will increase morale and encourage engagement.
Focus On
Attainable Goals
It’s important to
set reasonable, attainable goals for your employees. You don’t want to
overburden your employees with unrealistic goals, that is a recipe for their
disengagement and dissatisfaction. Short term goals are good because these
goals can be accomplished quickly and this success provides the employee with
confidence to move on to other achievements. It’s okay for employees to fail
once in a while, as long as it happens in an environment of positivity and
confidence.
Define Your Long
Term Vision
Help your employees
understand where their work fits into the organization’s larger, long term
strategy and goals. When they understand their core mission and how their work
contributes to it, they become engaged in a purpose. The more people understand
the big picture, the more collaboration is possible and motivation increases
across the board. Communicating long term goals begins with management, they
set the tone that will be taken by all employees, who now see themselves and
their work as part of the greater design.
Transparency is
Key
Creating an
environment of transparency is paramount to effective leadership. Your
employees should feel free to be honest with you and feel they can trust you.
Trust is important, and transparency is a big part of creating trust between
leaders and their employees. It’s important that managers are forthright, and
follow through when they say something. “Actions speak louder than words, and
words begin to mean not much at all if they are not followed by action. If
managers set the tone with this kind of integrity, employees will respond with
respect and loyalty that is earned. If employees view a manager as accessible
and open, they will listen and engage when managers give instructions, to
remarkable results”, - explains David Hoover, a Recruiting manager at Assignment help, and Studydemic writer.
Pay Attention to
High Potential Employees
Keep your high
potential employees happy. To keep them engaged, put more resources into career
development. You can also try assigning them to new projects that will benefit
the company, as well as keep them motivated and happy.
Conclusion
An organization can
benefit greatly from ensuring its employees are motivated and engaged.
Effective and positive communication, knowing what your employees need, making
work fun, providing incentives, focusing on attainable goals, clearly defining
your long term vision, being transparent, and paying attention to high potential
employees are all ways a manager can keep their employees motivated and
engaged. Employees are motivated by more than just financial incentives.
Feeling they are part of a team and a larger mission, and forming positive
relationships with their managers are also important ways to get the best out
of your employees.
About the Author:
Freddie Tubbs is a internal
communications manager at Ukwritings.
Besides, he is writing Academadvisor blog
for freelance writers, and is a regular blog contributor at Boomessays.
