Influence Employee Motivation
It's not secret that most of us in the Auto industry have faced a very tough year. The pandemic brought with it many difficulties to our business which includes our mental health. Keeping positive and motivated to do the job at hand became more of a challenge considering managers were feeling the same. So how does one consistantly motivate themselves and their teams?
Here are seven consequential ways in which a manager can create a work environment that will foster and influence increases in employee motivation.
1. Communicate Effectively
Employees want to be members of the in-crowd, people who know what is happening at work as soon as other employees know. They want the information necessary to do their jobs. They need enough information so that they make good decisions about their work.
Management staff meetings are great to update them about any company information that may have an impact on their work. Make sure the employee is clear about what the change means for their job, goals, time allocation, and decisions.
Hold a weekly one-on-one meeting with each employee who reports to you. They like to know that they will have this time every week. Encourage employees to come prepared with questions, requests for support, troubleshooting ideas for their work, and information that will keep you from being blindsided or disappointed by a failure to produce on schedule or as committed.
2. Create Opportunities Skills Development
Provide opportunities for employees to develop their skills and abilities. Employees want to continue to develop their knowledge and skills. Employees do not want jobs that they perceive as no-brain drudge work.
Make sure the employee has several goals that they want to pursue as part of every quarter’s performance development.
Provide the opportunity for the employee to cross-train in other roles and responsibilities. Assign backup responsibilities for tasks, functions, and projects.
3. Address Employee Concerns
Elicit and address employee concerns and complaints before they make an employee or workplace dysfunctional. Listening to employee complaints and keeping the employee informed about how you are addressing the complaint are critical to producing a motivating work environment.
Even if the complaint cannot be resolved to the employee’s satisfaction, the fact that you addressed the complaint and provided feedback about the consideration and resolution of the complaint to the employee is appreciated.
Keep your door open and encourage employees to come to you with legitimate concerns and questions.
Always address and provide feedback to the employee about the status of their expressed concern. The concern or complaint cannot disappear into a dark hole forever. Nothing causes more consternation for an employee than feeling that their legitimate concern went unaddressed.
4. Employee Recognition and Awards
Recognition of employee performance is high on the list of employee needs for motivation. Many supervisors equate reward and recognition with monetary gifts. While employees appreciate money, they also appreciate praise, a verbal or written thank you, out-of-the-ordinary job content opportunities, and attention from their supervisor.
Write a thank-you note that gives praise and thanks to an employee for a specific contribution in as much detail as possible to reinforce and communicate to the employee the behaviors you want to continue to see.
Verbally praise and recognize an employee for a contribution.
Give the employee a small token of your gratitude. Doesn't have to be anything big. Whatever it is, will make an employee’s day.
5. Develop Employee-Manager Relationships
Employees appreciate a responsive and involved relationship with their immediate supervisor.
Avoid canceling regular meetings, and if you must, stop by the employee’s work area to apologize, offer the reason, and immediately reschedule. Regularly missing an employee meeting sends a powerful message of disrespect.
Talk daily with each employee who reports to you. The daily interaction builds the relationship and will stand for a lot when times are troubled, disappointments occur, or you need to address employee performance improvement.
The interaction of an employee with their immediate supervisor is the most significant factor in an employee's satisfaction with work. Practice just listening. Encourage the employee who brings you an idea or improvement. Even if you think the idea won't work, that the idea has been unsuccessfully tried in the past, or you believe your executive leadership won't support it, this is not what the employee wants to hear from you.
Employee motivation is a common interest for managers who are responsible to oversee the work of other employees. If you pay constant attention to these significant factors in employee motivation, you'll win with motivated, excited, contributing employees.