How to Motivate & Inspire Employees at the Workplace?
According to the latest Gallup poll worldwide, only 13% of employees working for an organization are engaged. Without that feeling of engagement, employees are bound to be demotivated and looking for alternative jobs. So, how can you keep your team focused and motivated in their work?
When it comes to running a successful business, it’s no longer enough to just focus on just improving your financial performance. Several variables come into play when it comes to long-term success, and one of the most important aspects to take into consideration for company sustainability is employee morale & motivation. Practices from some of the most profitable and successful companies in the world show that nurturing high employee morale and motivation are the keys to success.
It’s the job of the Entrepreneur /Leader and other executive leaders to inspire and motivate employees. As your company grows, having a committed team to back you up at each stage of your journey is key to your success.
A good job is hard to find for an employee, but every entrepreneur knows a good employee is even harder to attract & retain. As an entrepreneur, one must ensure their company is staffed with people who look forward to coming to work every day and are committed to the organization.
There is often a debate as to whether the Team is as good as the Leader or is the Leader is as good as the Team. It’s a hot topic for debate and there is no definitive side anyone can take. However, there is no denying the fact that an Inspiring Leader can lead a bunch of rags to greatness.
Human beings are a complex set of characters. Their behaviors are dynamic and can fluctuate from time to time. Their behaviors are driven by their perceptions, values, past experiences, attitudes, influences, self-confidence, fears, etc. Their motivation levels vary and are dynamic.
No matter how personally successful you are at work, you cannot achieve organizational objectives unless your employees are inspired to follow the leader. A leader’s primary responsibility is to motivate and inspire his team towards the team and organizational goals.
Employees are the key to success. So, how do you keep them motivated to do their very best?
How do you motivate your employees?
There are two fascinating theories of Motivation that help answer the question of
Source: http://hrmpractice.com/herzberg-two-factor-theory/
Hence it is imperative that Organisations work on both fronts ie. The Hygiene Factors and Motivating Factors. Promoting only Hygiene Factors and not working on Motivating factors will not serve the purpose and conversely too, purely focussing on the Motivating factors without ensuring the Hygiene factors are met, will not serve the purpose.
Truth is, motivating employees doesn’t come easily to most managers.
A true leader is one who risks his job and leads from the front, willing to sacrifice his self-interest for the team. When employees observe these traits in their Leaders they tend to stay with them. That’s why it is often said that “employees don’t leave companies, but leave managers”.
At the same time we find that in many organizations, who are not the best paymasters, employees still tend to work for a longer period of time, than in companies who are better paymasters.
“it’s not cash that fuels the journey of the organization to success but the emotional & intellectual energy of its People. “ CK Prahalad & Gary Hamel
Success, creating wealth, satiating hunger need not necessarily come at the cost of employees; it can be achieved by creating an environment, where everyone’s need is met. Great leaders can help convert a battleground into a beautiful playground.
So as a leader it is your job as a leader to set the bar, inspire, and motivate your team to reach greatness. An inspired employee gives their all to their employer, and is constantly striving to be and do their best; to use their skills and talents to their full potential.
Eighteen hundred years ago, Patanjali – the author of Yoga Sutra – had this to say about inspiration:
“When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds: Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great, and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties, and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.”
For people to feel inspired, they want to know that their job matters and how they fit into the overall picture. Their emotional and intellectual commitment to the business’ success comes about when they know what success means – beyond their own limited role.
Motivating others isn’t rocket science. Every role has the potential to connect to something bigger and make a difference in an organization. The Leaders Role is to how and to connect the dots.
“When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute” Simon Sinek.
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About Author:
Mr. Ramesh Ranjan, Advisor – Farsight Technologies | Founder & Editor – Human Engineers
Mr. Ramesh has served the H.R. and Businesses for 35 Years. He is a former V.P. of H.R. in Schneider electric and has worked in Indian & Multi-National Companies in various capacities, including leadership roles for the last 20 years.
