The success of your organization relies on the productivity of your employees.  In order for your employees to be productive, they have to be motivated.  As a manager, it’s your role to make sure you have hardworking and happy employees.  While there is no one secret formula for motivation, here some of the best tips to increase motivation in the workplace.

1. Communicate

When it comes to employee productivity, effective communication from managers plays a major role in engagement. When poor communication is a common occurrence, employees become discouraged, disengaged, and your business suffers.  After all, a simple misunderstanding can lead to errors, missed deadlines and unmotivated employees.  In other words, the success of your company depends on effective communication.  

2. Avoid Focusing on the Negatives

When employees seem unmotivated, many managers make the mistake of trying to figure out what the employees are doing wrong.  This negative perspective kicks off a demotivating spiral.  Instead, remind yourself what each employee’s strength is, and figure out how to use their strengths to the advantage of the organization. 

3. Measure Motivation Levels

You can’t manage motivation if you don’t measure it. Most managers have no clue how motivated their people are because they have no measures put into place. Use a simple instrument such as the Job Motivation Level (JML).  This will allow you to take periodic measures of overall employee motivation.  Have supervisors track the motivation of their reports on a routine basis. 

4. Research What Motivates

If you want your employees to achieve their fullest potential, aim for high levels of motivation!  Ask employees and managers for examples of exceptional motivation techniques they have either personally experienced or heard about from other professionals. Share these stories in your team meetings and ask what activities have created the most motivation for employees in the past.  A little research can help you re-calibrate your motivation scale and enable you better understand what motivates your team. 

 5. Attempt Multiple Motivation Techniques

If you try one motivational method and it doesn’t work, try something else. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.  Your employees are a team of individuals, and the each respond to motivations differently. Avoid treating them all the same and tweak your message, tone and technique to ensure that you are able to motivate each individual towards the overall company objectives.

 6. Do Not Use Fear as a Motivator

If your motivation technique feels like a threat to employees, it’s actually damaging to morale and motivation levels. If you want to make lasting improvements, that do not push your top talent away, motivate with opportunities instead of fear. Once you have established effective motivational methods, stay involved and communicate regularly in order to enable each individual on your team to achieve their best and work towards your goals. 

Is a Gap in Your Team Causing Motivation Problems?

If your team is lacking in essential skills or is overworked, this gap may be the reason your team’s productivity is dropping. Developing motivated employees begins with making the right hiring decisions at the right time.  Ensure you’re hiring the top talent, when you need it, with the help of the experienced team at RealStreet. RealStreet has a growing pool of the best executive level construction professionals.  Contact us today and we’ll deliver the best professionals for your organization.