Reality
Passive or disengaged employees are likely to do the minimum they feel is acceptable and unlikely to give employers the benefit of any discretionary efforts. They may even become toxic, acting as a negative influence on others and damaging constructive working relationships. Ultimately, failure to pay attention to levels of motivation and engagement will result in a loss of competitiveness and profits.
Maintaining motivation is particularly important and challenging during times of rapid change and uncertainty. At such times morale can sink dramatically due to the insecurity that change can bring, particularly at times of organizational restructuring or downsizing. In addition, it may be difficult to stimulate the motivation of employees if they are on short term temporary contracts. In spite of the many theories and practical examples available to draw on, motivation is still often viewed as a difficult matter to handle.
Financial rewards have often been perceived as a generic cure for low levels of motivation, but this fails to take account of the fact that different people are motivated by different things, in different ways and at different stages of their careers. Monetary rewards can work very well for tasks that are routine and measurable, but are less successful when creativity and the ability to ‘think outside the box’ are required. Indeed, at times this approach can even be counter-productive.
8 tips to motivate your team
1.Find out about motivational theory and practice
2. Be aware of the importance of your role as a manager
3. Think about what motivates you and others
4. Find out what people want most from their jobs
5. Decide on actions to improve motivation
6. Demonstrate support
7. Express thanks and appreciation
8. Provide developmental feedback
9. Remove de-motivators
10. Manage change with care
Source: Chartered Management Institute