Skip to content

Achievers Achievers

  • Platform
    • Achievers Employee
      Experience Platform™
      For culture builders, Achievers is an employee voice and recognition solution that builds engagement and sustainable performance in organizations.
    • Recognize™
      Activate real-time employee engagement with Achievers Recognize, the platform that delivers sustainable performance and Culture Continuity™.
    • Listen™
      Use data science to help you build a better company by unlocking insights into improving the performance and engagement of your people.
  • Why us
  • Company
    • About us
      Achievers’ mission is to change the way the world works. Our Employee Success Platform is specifically designed to drive higher levels of employee engagement.
    • Careers
      We’re a Great Place to Work-Certified™ organization. Explore opportunities at Achievers and join our team of A-Players.
    • Awards
      We are an industry leader in all things engagement. Discover why organizations love Achievers.
    • Contact Us
      We’re here to help! Get in touch with us.
  • Customers
  • Resources
  • Demo
  • Platform
    • Achievers Employee Experience Platform™
    • Recognize™
    • Listen™
  • Why us
  • Company
    • About Us
    • Careers
    • Awards
    • Contact Us
  • Customers
  • Resources
  • Request a demo
  • US
    • UK
    • AU
    • NL
    • DE
    • SG
  • Featured Content
  • Achievers Workforce Institute
  • Engage Blog
  • Browse By Blog Category
    • Achievers Exclusives
    • Achievers Tech
    • Culture
    • Employee Engagement
    • Employee Feedback
    • Employee Retention
    • Engage Blog
    • HR Technology
    • Inclusion
    • Leadership
    • Onboarding and Hiring
    • Recognition and Rewards
Go to homepage 5 Ways to Recharge Employee Motivation

5 Ways to Recharge Employee Motivation

Profile image of author: Kellie Wong

by Kellie Wong

December 22, 2020

No manager wants to deal with a team of unmotivated workers. Setting goals is like pulling teeth, small obstacles bring work to a halt and nobody celebrates when projects are completed. It’s unlikely that your workplace is this grim, but like most managers, you’re probably always looking for ways to increase your staff’s motivation. Strong motivation translates directly to higher productivity, and the good news is that, as a manager, you have control over many factors that influence employee happiness. Here are five ways to build a work culture of emotional well-being and recharge employee motivation.

1. Involve a larger purpose

Harvard Business Review (HBR) stresses the importance of having employees feel attached to making a difference in the world. As author Emma Seppala, Science Director of Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education, puts it, “It is important that your culture be infused with meaning.” Even employees who report being unsatisfied with their jobs react positively when given a chance to devote time to a cause they care about. In addition to assisting outside or community needs, people also enjoy the chance to support co-workers. HBR notes that workplace support programs are successful in part because people have a chance to give help as well as to receive it. Everyone needs to feel valued and to perceive that their work is meaningful within the larger context of their life. Involving a larger purpose can help you organization instantly boost employee motivation.

2. Offer training and mentoring

Providing learning opportunities for your staff is a great motivator for two separate (but related) reasons. First, you need to make sure your employees have sufficient training to complete their current job duties. It can be stressful and unmotivating for workers to be presented with tasks they don’t know how to properly complete. Secondly, it’s important to support employees’ efforts to gain new skills so they can move forward in their careers. Alumnify CEO A.J. Agrawal comments, “Nobody wants to work a dead-end job with no prospect of advancement, and that’s why training your team is so important.” As a manager, you should be aware of your employees’ personal development goals; opportunities to cross-train keep everyone’s energy fresh and uncover potential new skills among employees. Also, promoting from within will enhance teamwork, increase employee retention and improve your employer brand.

3. Promote employee wellness

It’s impossible for anyone to feel motivated at work when their physical or emotional health is suffering. Most people are dealing with a complex personal life, and all too often, we are divided between obligations and not able to take good care of ourselves. (How’s your work-life balance, by the way?) Emma Seppala reminds us that “A well-rested staff is a happier and higher-performing one,” and she points out that it’s not sufficient for an employer to give lip service to wellness by offering yoga classes or gym memberships. She notes that work hours must be made correspondingly flexible so people can actually take advantage of these various health-giving perks. Seppala supports her recommendation by referencing Air Force sleep studies, which show that sleep deprivation can have drastic results in the workplace.

wellness

4. Offer recognition and rewards

One of the best ways to boost employee motivation is through recognition and rewards. Recognition was even identified as having the greatest impact on employee engagement. Let’s face it, who doesn’t like recognition for a job well done? According to an Achievers’ study, nearly one in five employees say their manager/company is “horrible” at recognizing them. Furthermore, 82 percent of employees wish they received more recognition for their work. Employees are craving recognition and taking some time out of your day to give thanks might make a bigger impact than you think.

Not only will recognition and rewards motivate employees, but it has a direct impact on your company’s bottom line. Companies that invest in social recognition see a 4X improvement in stock prices, 2X more likeliness to improve NPS scores, and 2X more likeliness to improve individual performances. It’s a no brainer when it comes to recognition and rewards; employees want them and businesses can benefit from them.

5. Design a pleasing environment

How many times have you been in a workplace where the customer-facing areas feature attractive carpet, artwork and fresh green plants — but then you walk through an employees-only door and the back offices are bleak and utilitarian? University of Minnesota research shows that physical work environment has a powerful effect on employee motivation, energy, and attitude. It’s hard to make your workers feel valued if you don’t spend the few dollars it takes to make their physical environment attractive and bright. Also, it’s worth noting that while aesthetics matter, functionality is equally crucial. Anything from a broken office chair to a malfunctioning copier can interfere with motivation.

employee motivation

Take action and recharge employee motivation

The art of keeping a team of people simultaneously happy and productive, while also managing a demanding slate of logistics, is a true balancing act. To learn more about how to recharge employee motivation through recognition, check out Achievers webinar, “Recognition That Works: Driving Amazing Engagement and Boosting ROI.”

Learn More Red CTA Button
Do you have any thoughts on this article? Share your comments below.

 

Profile image of author: Kellie Wong

by Kellie Wong

Kellie Wong was a Senior Content Marketing Manager at Achievers.

STAY ENGAGED

Join our email alert list so you never miss a post.

AWARDS


SnackNation : Top 30 HR Blogs

Best of HR Blogs

Feedspot: Top 100 HR Blogs

Feedspot: Top 30 Employee Engagement Blogs and Websites

Proven: Best 75+ HR Blogs

Actimo Top 50 HR Blogs

Coburgbanks: 10 Employee Engagement Blogs That All Managers Should Know About

HR West: Human Resource Award

FOLLOW US

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
RSS Feed

YouTube
Instagram
Slideshare

HUMAN RESOURCES TODAY

Human Resources Today

Stay engaged

Join our mailing list so you never miss a post.

Subscribe
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram YouTube
  • Platform
    • Our Platform
    • Recognize
    • Listen
  • Company
    • About us
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
  • Resources
    • Featured content
    • Engage Blog
    • Workforce Institute
    • Events
    • Appreciation cards
    • News

© 2023 Achievers Solutions Inc.
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Modern Slavery Statement

For an accessible version of this (page/site), please contact us by phone at 1-888-622-3343