How to Motivate Someone to Go the Extra Mile
For every 10 employees, only 2 strongly agree that they are managed in a motivational way.
Employees that are unsatisfied and unmotivated at work can lead to problems down the road and affect the business.
It is important to consider your employees and coach them with motivational tactics that help improve work ethic.
Continue reading to discover how to motivate someone so that they can perform their best at work.
1. Display Empathy
Even in the business world, empathy can be a good thing. But it must be used in moderation.
It is important to stop assuming that you already know what people want and need. You should take time to listen to employees and look for suggestions to make them more comfortable and motivated.
Managers that display empathy can help make employees feel more valued and appreciated. Studies show that 39% of employees wanted to quit their jobs because they felt underappreciated.
Empathy is a powerful tool that can inspire people to work hard and remain loyal. The better you treat your employees, the more likely they are willing to work harder.
2. Get Goals
Setting goals is a great way to help motivate employees and keep projects on schedule.
You should talk with employees and set attainable goals. They should not be too difficult to accomplish, but also not too easy that they become bored. Sometimes employees show a lack of motivation because they don’t feel like they are being challenged enough.
Goal setting also helps manage and evaluate progress at work. Pay attention to patterns. If you see that employees are frequently unable to accomplish goals, there may be an underlying issue.
Talking to employees about goals regularly is helpful. You should ensure that your employees have the necessary tools and resources to accomplish the task.
3. Spend a Day Outside of the Office
No matter the time of year, employees could always use a day out of the office for a mental break.
Taking employees to culinary team building activities or escape rooms can be a great way to get everyone engaged. Team building is a great strategy for getting people motivated. It allows them to work together in a more relaxed setting.
Employees that work well with each other outside of work, are likely to support each other within the office.
If you are unable to leave the office for an entire day, you can go during a slow time of year or take half of a day. Many companies take their employees out around the holidays to show their appreciation.
4. Set a Good Standard
If you are wanting to learn how to motivate someone, setting a good example is the best place to start. Inspiring people starts with yourself. If you are seen constantly slacking off, employees will feel more relaxed and likely to slack off too.
Demonstrating courage, honesty, and persistence teaches employees to do the same.
Although you shouldn’t be completely relaxed at work, you also shouldn’t be too hard on employees.
It is important to remain flexible without micromanaging everyone. Don’t let your mistakes pass on to other employees.
5. Listen to Them
Without good listening skills, you can come off as fake or insincere.
Employees will have a difficult time keeping motivated if they don’t feel respected or heard. Listening to employees can open your eyes to issues that are affecting employee motivation. It is easier to find the source of the problem if you keep an ear open and believe others.
Listening to them goes hand in hand with being empathetic to your employees. Show that their problems matter to you and you may just see an improvement in motivation.
6. Set High Standards
Not setting high enough standards can lead to unmotivated employees and a lack of performance. If they don’t think you care, why should they?
Setting the bar low can also make employees feel that they are incapable of accomplishing small tasks. You should be frequently expecting and showing the highest standards.
Don’t forget that people make mistakes. It is good to be firm and set quality standards, but sometimes the issue does not lie within the employee. Always be sure that when you set a standard or goal that they can achieve it.
Too difficult of tasks can burn employees out and make them feel unsatisfied with their career. It is okay to be human when setting high standards at work.
No one wants to work for a robot that has high expectations. Not displaying high standards can lead to various setbacks.
Learn How to Motivate Someone and Pass It Along
Learning how to motivate someone in the workplace can be an effective tactic for improving employee performance.
The tips mentioned above, if done correctly can even be used outside of work. These motivational tools are meant to help and support employees beyond their careers. Displaying empathy is an excellent way to motivate employees.
Listening to them can uncover underlying issues that are affecting progress within the company.
Sometimes all employees need is a break to get back to working hard. Going on a company outing is a fun way to get employees engaged and out of the office.
Setting goals is also important if you want to motivate and inspire others. Without attainable goals, employees have no direction and feel like there is no solution.
Be sure to check out our blog for more articles on improving employee participation and satisfaction with your company!