Finding motivation in 2020 has proven to be a difficult task for many.
As a business owner or boss, you might have noticed that your employees might be preoccupied with other worries like safety and health.
Despite the uncertainty that has remained throughout the year, there are still opportunities to improve your company mood.
Eight thought leaders give their advice on how to inspire and motivate employees in 2020.
A Space to Feel Appreciated
The year thus far has been unpredictable and in some ways discouraging. Now more than ever, it is crucial to offer employees a space to feel appreciated and cared for. Having a set time once a week for employees to express concern, brainstorm new ideas or talk with one another is a great way to keep spirits high. Company outings, potlucks, giveaways and happy hours are a few ways to keep company attitude positive and inspire your employees to work hard.
Set Specific Goals
Goals are extremely important as we come out of the COVID-19 quarantine. By setting specific short and medium-term goals it allows teams to get back into their rhythm as quickly as possible. A few short terms, attainable goals will lead to early wins which can improve morale that may have languished.
Director of Happiness
We focus on motivating our employees in a number of ways, and we are always trying to improve our employee’s work environment. One of the best things we’ve done is to create a new position called the Director of Happiness. The main goal of this position is to increase engagement from employees and to enhance our company’s culture. As a result of COVID-19, we’ve morphed this role into the Culture Committee so that more team members could participate. The team is doing a great job of keeping company morale high during this tough period. We’re doing Zoom happy hours, birthday celebrations and WFH slack channels!
Clear Communication
Clearly communicating with the Northstar and connecting this goal to tasks throughout the day is the most essential way to keep remote employees focused and enthusiastic. When you see colleagues daily in an office environment, you can get away without having a clear sense of direction as each person can rely on their workmates. But when sheltering at home, the Northstar must shine bright enough for everyone to see and navigate towards their living rooms.
Tap Into the “Why”
Research has shown that employees are motivated when they understand why they are doing something. Tapping into this is key – and ensures open communication in the working environment. When given a task, let them know how it fits into the bigger picture: what is the point of it? What bigger goal will it help achieve? Why are their actions valuable? Teaching them this, will motivate employees and keep them focused on the larger task at hand.
Listen. Listen. Listen
Listening to how your employees feel and asking them what they need is one of the simplest and sincere ways to keep spirits high. Every employee is different and what will motivate one may not work for the other, so things like routine company surveys allow management to assess how they can best help their staff. Making sure that you care for your staff as people first will ensure that they have a positive and fun work experience.
Brett Farmiloe, Small Business SEO
Celebrate Small Wins
Motivation and momentum go hand in hand. The more momentum a business can establish, the easier it will be to motivate employees to add to that momentum. People like to win. Companies can help generate momentum by celebrating the small wins. Over time, those small wins can add up into something both inspiring and motivating.
Give Them Peace of Mind
Now as an employer you can do so by providing them job security, through virtual motivational sessions, and by giving them a medical allowance (in case of emergency). The last thing people want these days is financial distress, so as an employer if you can retain your employees without collapsing your budget and financial reserves you must do that to motivate them. When companies show concerns towards their employees, they perform to their fullest and are more productive.
Victor Fredung, Shufti Pro