Is your team’s motivation running low?

At one point or another, business leaders will notice a lack of motivation in different segments of their organisation. 2022 in particular saw motivation become a major issue for several reasons.

For starters, between 2020 and 2022, many office-based workers who continued working normally throughout the pandemic did not take much time off work, considering many leisure and entertainment services were closed and travel restrictions were widespread.

For organisations that were forced shut, meaning staff had enforced time off such as those in catering, hospitality and entertainment, an exodus of workers from such sectors meant that team members who remained often had to contend with fewer resources.

The worker shortage then spread to several other sectors, with constant recruitment drives and promises to staff that the company is taking issues of staff shortages seriously resulting in frustration and burn-out. Indeed, let us not forget that 2022 was the year of ‘quiet-quitting’, which saw workers hold back from going above and beyond in their respective roles.

In 2023, travel is back with a bang and people are making up for lost time. However, motivation remains a tricky subject for entrepreneurs because it requires hefty investment in terms of time and energy. But, a lack of motivation can also harm the business and push an organisation into a slump. Here are five tips for CEOs and team leaders to ensure that creative juices keep flowing and their team keeps performing.

1. Motivate yourself first

Business leaders often feel like it is their job to maintain high levels of motivation within their teams. But who is going to take care of their own motivation levels? Let us remember that an engine will never run on empty fuel. Therefore, it is important for people in management to find out what motivates them first and foremost, and work on that. Only then will they have enough energy left to motivate those around them.

2. Participate to motivate

C-level executives, especially from the 21st century workforce, are expected to roll up their sleeves and participate in the day-to-day running of the company. While it’s all well and good to sit behind a desk and make executive decisions all day long, younger members of the team are motivated by active leaders who are plugged into the situation on the ground for an organisation’s various departments.

3. Individual recognition is key

Motivating team members requires hefty individual and public recognition. People love to feel that their work is appreciated, and if their team leaders publicly acknowledge good work, it makes them perform better. The good news is that a ‘well done’ doesn’t cost anything.

4. Progress and success motivate people

Keeping team members up to date with what is going on in the company make them feel like they are an integral part of its success, which is generally true. This goes a long way in ensuring that your staff remain motivated enough to face the next challenges of the day, especially if they know that you, as their boss, appreciate and value it.

5. A fun working environment is a must

Recruitment challenges are an issue that most business leaders are currently facing and one of the most effective ways of overcoming this hurdle is by creating a fun working environment. Younger members of the workforce seem to thrive when they have fun, and they are also more motivated and feel more engaged, which is what ever company wants after all.