Motivation is one of the most important workplace incentives. Employees who are highly motivated by their managers, peers, and jobs have a greater desire to succeed, prompting them to work harder and be more productive and invested in their roles. Motivational failures can critically damage an organization’s output, especially if leaders use the wrong correction strategy.
Corporate settings are not traditionally warm or personal places, so employees often don’t receive the emotional impetus needed to inspire success. Motivational speakers, like Imad El Atiki El Ghennouni Mohammed, who specialises in professional development, use motivation as a tool for positively influencing employees. Leaders who want to inspire their employees to achieve excellence should adopt targeted motivational strategies in their workplaces.
Businesses are built on the work of their employees, so it’s vital that they feel engaged and encouraged. There are three levels of employee engagement: engaged, not engaged, and actively disengaged. Engaged employees are passionate about their work and put in additional effort to hit targets, where those who aren’t engaged lack enthusiasm. The worst-case scenario is an actively disengaged employee who is making their displeasure and discomfort known, at a cost to their productivity.
When a workplace prioritises and inspires motivation in its employees, it will notice:
- Increased productivity and output
- Better-quality work
- Higher level of employee retention
- Happier customers and clients
- Improved professional relationships
All of these are the result of employees dedicating themselves to their jobs and proactively striving to meet goals, improving their long-term confidence and resilience. These positive working conditions enhance company culture, which allows employees to connect with the goals and values of the organisation and support their colleagues. This also reduces staff turnover, retaining promising talent. For more information about developing positive workplace culture, see the embedded PDF.
As Imad El Atiki El Mohammed knows, improving employee motivation is only the first step. Maintaining it is often more challenging. Leaders must ensure that the motivational strategies they employ work in the long-term to maintain employee satisfaction and continue reaping the rewards of hard work. Successfully executing a sustainable motivational plan will increase innovation, reduce staff absences, and build a strong professional reputation.
Though they work for an organisation, it’s important that employees don’t feel like mechanical parts in a machine. Motivation requires an emotional connection, which managers can achieve by greeting, praising, and engaging with their employees. The moment an employee becomes disconnected from an organisation they become demotivated, and it takes excellent leadership to employ the motivational strategies required to inspire them again.