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Its annual appraisal time here with the teams at GreenOrbit, and goodness the last year has been something else. When reviewing last year’s appraisals they all ended with…looking forward to a fantastic and successful 2020 – little did we know.
Unsurprisingly we are hearing stories that motivation could be better, inspiration is hard to come by and the excitement for going to work is not what it used to be.
This is all perfectly normal and fine, the world has changed, and the disruption to our work is unlike anything before.
The appraisal process has been an opportunity to get it out in the open, but also an opportunity to share top tips for staying motivated…
An important step of just getting through the day is to acknowledge that it is normal and perfectly fine not to feel overly productive or motivated. Accept that it is OK not to feel as inspired as you did a year ago can help us adjust to this new way of life. A World Health Organisation study discovered that anxiety disorders cost the global economy $1 trillion in lost productivity every year.
Change and modify your expectations - accept the boredom, and emphasise the exciting stuff. Certainly not all aspects of work are new and shiny; there are always humdrum tasks that have to be completed
Maybe get the boring tasks into the diary and get it out of the way first thing, and reward yourself as soon as they are completed, then move onto the cool stuff
Seek out learning opportunities. The link between developing new skills and employee motivation is strong. Companies that invest in personal development see improved employee retention, happier and more engaged staff, and a better company culture.
We are all missing the “water cooler” moments but you can remain connected at a distance. Make extra effort to schedule a check-in with your colleagues. Regular contact can help remind you that not everything is doom and gloom, reaching out to friends and colleagues can be a great way to alleviate tension, worries, and fears.
Studies have shown that having friendships at work can boost happiness and productivity. Cultivating these close relationships is even more important today "The research is extremely clear that having friends at work has benefits," says Marissa King of the Yale School of Management. "We get our sense of purpose and our intrinsic sense of motivation through relationships."
Having a support network of co-workers can help people get through periods of demotivation, and take your mind of it for a while - when someone is listening to you, you feel heard, valued, and appreciated.
If your company allows and especially during these times work when and where you feel most productive. Some people work better in the morning and find that their concentration and motivation waivers by the afternoon, whereas other employees may work best from mid-morning to early evening. Flexible working allows individual employees to play to their strengths in order to ensure maximum output.
Increasing your internal communications is essential to maintaining staff motivation levels. Your intranet is full of communication tools that will help you converse and share information effectively. If you are looking to improve collaboration amongst teams, you could create channels that group relevant conversations together into one focussed space.
Gathering employee feedback is essential to understanding what motivates and engages your teams. Send surveys or publish quick polls on a regular basis to measure motivation levels, and ask what the company can do to help improve them.
Give shout outs to employees, and make these visible to the whole company. More peer recognition is an amazing motivational tool. When someone tells us we have done a good job we feel motivated to do further good work.
Encourage staff development with online training easily accessible on your Intranet.
Make sure that people understand the organisations mission, strategy and values by making them highly visible. Use language and real world examples to make employees and feel very connected to them.
Want to know more about how GreenOrbit can keep motivation at a high level in your organisation? Contact a consultant for a personalized demo.
