Finding it frustrating to motivate your team
Even pre-Covid 19, were you finding it frustrating to motivate your team? Are you or the managers in your organisation struggling to motivate the team now that the new ‘normal’ is emerging?
It is without doubt, that motivating teams during periods of change or challenging economic circumstances is difficult.
All businesses, Small, Medium, Large, Multi-National, Sole Traders and Individual Freelancers need motivation. It helps productivity, retain and grow customers, evolve, and adapt to external and internal factors that impact on the business.
This article covers examples of good practice that you can implement within your business.
How do you motivate your team and become a Motivation Maestro?
This question is important now because, during the global crisis most organisations have focused on tactical, operational work. Making sure the ‘number’ of tickets, projects or business activities have been acted upon.
While some of your team may have responded well during the pandemic, some may have not. Helping your team adapt to the changing situation, stay productive regardless of whether they are working remotely from home, have returned to the office, work site, factory, production plant, outlet or workspace, it is the role of the manager. How you do this boils down to the managers skills to motivate the team.
The success of your business depends on how successfully you can motivate your workforce.
A lack of motivation in your team can lead to;
- loss of income
- reduced profit
- loss of clients
- sickness and absence among the team
- difficulty recruiting new staff, increased costs
- increased stress levels among the managers
- business owners and staff
- client complaints and damage to business reputation
Even in ‘ordinary times’, including a strategy for motivating the business and the team within it, is vital for business success. In the new pandemic world, having a motivational strategy will be key to helping your business performance thrive. Failing to include this, is likely to result in additional challenges.
Be prepared, implement your strategy to aid your success. Be a Motivation Maestro!
#10 Tips for improved Motivation
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Non-monetary incentives
A simple verbal thank you, said with feeling and meaning, a handwritten letter or card, free or subsidized food/drinks, reward, or recognition scheme. -
Relationships with colleagues
Negative relationships significantly impact on mood and experience in the workplace. -
Relationships with managers/business owners
It is important to have effective communication, along with two-sided trust that you build up. This will help you to have clear direction, so you will be able to support and motivate the team. -
Company culture
A lack of belief or understanding about the organisation’s goals, leads to negative attitude, lower commitment, and low job satisfaction. -
Learning Opportunities
Many employees naturally want to do a good job to help them feel they are achieving. Temporary staff want to acquire new skills for personal development. Millennials and Generation Z highlight learning opportunities as something that is key for them. -
Engaged work
No matter what the task, job role or topic if you want your teams to be engaged in their work, it is important you make their work engaging. -
Organisational processes
While processes on their own are not motivational tools, they are closely linked to areas that impact of staff desire, enthusiasm, and willingness to work. Efficient, clear, processes are vital to stimulate the team. -
Personal Life
For permanent staff, a work life balance is important. A supportive employer for temporary staff or volunteers is also vital. Being patient, but clear about your expectations when they are with you, is vital to gaining buy in and commitment. -
Empowerment
One of the ways to do this is give your team the opportunity to experiment to solve a problem that matters to your business. You may find it difficult to find a problem at first. The team may need your help to find one. Ask, ‘what amazing service can we give our customers’ or ‘what process or business system is broken, and we need to fix it’. Get them to collaborate and support each other to work on this. -
Providing meaningful work
For permanent staff making a difference in the role they are performing. How they contribute towards the wider goals. For volunteers the charity, the goals and mission that you have. For temporary staff, how what they do plays an important part in the ‘wider picture’.
Motivation is dynamic and changes overtime. It is a manager’s responsibility to identify and react to those changes because understanding what your employees want to achieve as individuals and showing them how to do it, is one main principle that will help you build a strong and engaged team.
Help improving Motivation
If you would like to discuss how you can improve motivation in your team please get in touch Tracy-Anne Barker @ TA Barker Associates Tracy-Anne@tabarkerassociates.co.uk Or book a no-obligation virtual cuppa with Tracy-Anne to talk about any questions you may have https://tabarkerassociates.co.uk/book-a-meeting/
TA Barker Associates are a training and consultancy business specialising in Coaching & Training for Executives, New Managers, Supervisors and Team Leaders and Corporate Social Responsibility. With over 30 years of experience in the Construction, Retail, Recruitment, Professional Services, Charity, Public Sector, Training, Education, Supply Chain, Overseas Trading and Hospitality industries.
Founded by Tracy-Anne Barker, they help you maximise the performance in your business.