How to motivate employees?

It is probably the most ask question amongst managers. Rightfully so; Gallup research shows only 34% of employees in the United States are so called ‘engaged’. That number has barely gone up since employee engagement was the first time they measured it, in the 1990’s.

So if our employees aren’t engaged, and engagement isn’t going up, does that mean that it is impossible to motivate employees?

Luckily, the answer to that question is no.

Most often, we are not looking at the right ways to motivate employees. When a manager is asked how they try to improve motivation, the answer is often through gamification, or offering incentives for top-performance, such as a present or allowing a day off. And sure, that might help to get a peek performance during that one afternoon, but the next day motivation will be at zero again.

How to truly motivate employees

What moves the needle on employee engagement, and the related motivation, is employee trust. Trust that the organisation will provide all the goodness that the employee requires to reach their goal. Whatever that goal may be. We often view employees as production units; the worker is a tool to build, sell, market, and administrate. That is where the ‘people are a company’s most important asset’-concept is derived from.

But just for fun, try to ask your team member how they see themselves. One thing is for sure; not as an asset.

Every individual has their own goals. Their own objectives in life.

Make sure to respect those, and to provide an environment in which your employees can achieve their goals. You’ll see; you will get to a stage where motivation just happens. Where conflict is resolved, and where productivity and innovations come naturally.

If you want to know what you can improve, make sure to ask your staff what their trust blockers are. Or measure it, anonymously and accurately, through TrustXP. We love to help you with actionable advice!

Photo by Jordan Whitfield on Unsplash