Top 10 Tips for keeping your teams motivated

As our summer of sunshine and sport continues, morale and a positive seasonal spirit seem to be rife in offices across the country. And that’s despite the heartbreak faced by 30.9 million football fans watching England’s semi-final World Cup bid.

But despite the loss against Croatia earlier this month, the England team’s motivation during such a high-profile and stressful event was rather inspiring.

There’s something we can all learn from Gareth Southgate’s team! Making sure you and your colleagues are motivated about coming to work every day will boost their creativity, ambitions and ultimately how well your business fares too.

Here are our Top 10 Tips for keeping your employees motivated and feeling appreciated.

1. Look on the bright side

After Serena Williams was beaten in the Wimbledon final by Angelique Kerber she proudly declared: “This is just the beginning.” While losing or failing at something we care about is often a bitter pill to swallow, it’s important to acknowledge what you have accomplished and how far you’ve come.

2. Focus on professional development

Sometimes it can be hard for colleagues to admit what their professional faults or weaknesses are. But helping them to evaluate their skills and acknowledge what improvements can be made can be empowering. Instead of encouraging staff to keep their heads firmly in the sand, why not proactively offer further training or mentoring? Continual professional development is a really good way to boost motivation.

3. Provide regular feedback

Feedback is a great motivator too, so you shouldn’t necessarily wait for annual reviews or monthly catch-ups to provide advice and guidance. Positive feedback should be given right away to show that you really care about your employees’ success and value their hard work. It’s also useful to give any negative feedback promptly so your colleagues can quickly change anything they’re doing wrong.

4. Create a positive environment

Full-time workers spend most of their week in the office, so in an ideal world it needs to have all the right ingredients; a great team, an inspiring manager, a comfortable and safe working environment plus the kind of work which makes employees feel they’re making a difference. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a job like this, but you can strive to make your workplace the best it can be for your employees so they’re not constantly dreading Mondays and living for the weekend. Why not engage with your colleagues and ask them for feedback about how you can improve your working environment?

5. Watch out for signs of boredom

A lack of inspiration, challenges and motivation at work can only equal boredom. And no one wants to be bored at work! An unmotivated workforce will only zap any productivity and ultimately your company’s success. A good way to prevent boredom is to avoid routines and allow your colleagues to be inventive with how they carry out some of the more repetitive jobs. Why not regularly ask colleagues to switch roles or to work in different teams to help prevent fatigue?

6. Surround yourself with positive people

Employing people with a positive, confident can-do attitude is really important to help you and your team stay focused and motivated. Being around negative people will only dampen your employees’ productivity and morale. Team up with people who you know have a positive attitude and channel your energy into something fun, creative and productive.

7. Reward your colleagues

Whether it’s a small win or a great achievement, it’s important to acknowledge how hard your colleagues have worked to achieve something great. Offering an extra reward or incentive will help boost the competitive spirit amongst your team and give them something else to work towards.

8. Show your appreciation

One of the simplest and easiest ways to show your colleagues that you appreciate them is to say a heartfelt ‘thank you.’ Compliments make people smile, help boost their confidence and make them feel valued. So if a colleague has been working extra hard, has achieved a milestone, achieved a qualification or learned a new skill – say thank you.

9. Coach and nurture your employees

We’ve all been asked the familiar interview-style question, “Where do you see yourself in five or ten years?” But sometimes it can be a difficult question to answer if you’re unsure about what professional development opportunities, mentoring and training your company offers. The best way to encourage your employee’s ambition is to nurture their talents and coach them to help them achieve their goals. Having something to aspire to often provides the motive and drive your colleagues need to feel happy at work and for them to want to stay with you for longer.

10. Set goals

Your colleagues are more likely to be motivated to succeed and perform well if they have ambitions and goals. A good goal should be something which is out of your comfort zone but which is also attainable. When setting goals for you and your team, make sure it’s something that really inspires and motivates them and will result in something meaningful they can be proud of. If it’s not something they care about, they’re unlikely to be enthusiastic enough to engage in the task.

So how do you keep your workforce motivated?

Recent Articles:

Top tips for preparing your business for a summer of sport
Top tips for using social media in your business
How to return to study after a break

Share This Post

Posted In

cHRysos HR Solutions are a UK wide HR training and consultancy company offering CIPD accredited qualifications, Apprenticeships, Training and HR Services to SMEs. For more information about how cHRysos HR can help you or your teams successfully achieve further qualifications, contact us on info@chrysos.org.uk or call 03300 562443.