An ongoing concern among managers is keeping their employees or their teams motivated. When you start a new project or venture, motivation and energy are usually high, and people are filled with anticipation and anxious to go. As the work continues, however, the initial surge of energy may begin to subside. What can managers do to maintain a high level of productivity?
One simple thing to remember is that your attitude as a manager has a big effect on the attitudes of your workers. So, it’s important to remember to remain positive and optimistic because this feeling will rub off on workers. Emotions, both good and bad, can spread to others through a process known as emotional contagion, so it’s important to make sure you are communicating only the good ones.
Another way to keep morale high is to set a good example for your people. You shouldn’t ask your workers to do anything you are not willing to do. Lead by example. If they see you throwing yourself into the work, giving it all you’ve got, that will inspire them. When obstacles or problems arise, you need to show an eagerness to jump in and solve the problem, and this will in turn motivate your employees to do the same.
You also need to keep reminding your workers of the shared goals that you all have as part of a team. As employees work day after day, they might lose sight of what everyone is working toward, that sense of purpose that is a big motivator. It is the job of the manager to keep that vision constantly in mind for everyone.
You also need to set goals that will challenge your workers. Some business experts advise using the SMART framework for goals, which stands for goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timebound. The goals need to be meaningful for the workers, and there needs to be a way to measure their achievement.
And finally, acknowledge the little victories along the way. You need to break up your project into smaller tasks, benchmark goals, and then recognize your workers as they meet these benchmarks along the way to their final overall goal.
When your company needs temporary, temporary-to-hire or direct-hire workers in the Anchorage area, send a message to the Opti Staffing Group. We would love to discuss how we can help your company with its contingent staffing needs.