How to recognize demotivation, overcome it, and replace it with motivation in the workplace

How shocked would you be to find out that over half of your workforce lacked motivation? While that might not actually be the case in your workplace, it’s not encouraging when many surveys tell us that, overall, around 50% of USA, workers are demotivated. And I'm mostly sure that the percentage is same in the EU counties .

Why? By what?

Too often leaders look at what they are not doing as the secret to unlocking greater levels of motivation amongst their workforce. However, it is often what a company is already doing poorly, that is the biggest contributor to low levels of motivation and engagement.

How are people motivated?

People are motivated in different ways. Some are naturally stimulated. It could literally be in their genetic make-up, such as the level of dopamine in certain brain region , or a by-product of their upbringing or environment. For these people, external factors like workplace surroundings or reward probably don’t have a large impact on their motivation levels. Whilst factors such as micromanaging bosses may demotivate, their core setting is to get-up and get-going.

Of course, many aren’t necessarily wired this way, but psychological factors like the desire for money, success, ego, recognition and job satisfaction, can stimulate motivation in those who lack innate drive. Even then, external stimulants will have a different appeal to different people. For some, more money and success don’t influence their motivation. These tend to be a by-product of a motivated and driven person. Also, money won’t stimulate some people any more than employee recognition will stimulate others.

Demotivation, defined by a lack of interest and enthusiasm, can also be an innate trait. Research suggests some of us are pre-wired to be naturally apathetic, which uncovered individual differences in premotor brain systems that underlined behavioral apathy between participants.

Whilst we’re all likely to have energy dips and days when we don’t feel as focused, long-term demotivation can prove costly to any organization and impact everything from productivity to profitability – ‘a lack of motivation is going to be ‘costing your company big bucks’.

Companies need to start understanding what is causing demotivation in the first place. With research showing many employees are innately motivated without any external stimulus required, what is it they are doing as an organization which is stifling that motivation?

Research suggests the following factors play a major role. Could any of them be affecting your workforce?

The downside of too much process

Process is necessary in any organization, but pathways which are too rigid could be causing more harm than good.

Process is unquestionably useful to a certain extent, as the counterweight to disorder. For a company to execute swiftly it needs a clear structure of who does what, and when.

How process links to demotivation is when over-engineering takes place and checklists begin to outweigh common sense, leaving little room for human thinking. An over-reliance on process leads to employees feeling untrusted, ignored and that their contribution is only valued within parameters that are pre-defined by the company.

They can stop feeling responsible, hold back ideas and stop caring.

LONG WORKING HOURS LEAD TO BURN OUT  

Employees are putting in the hours, yet productivity levels aren’t taking great leaps forward. Why? they are many articles who are talked about research that suggests employees are working longer hours, because that’s what everyone else is doing. But is it making them more productive? No. And in many cases, excessive working hours are directly causing increased levels of burnout.

It should come as no surprise that burnout and motivation are directly linked. There are several empirical studies which have found a relationship between the two, including a lack of motivation leading to burnout – and burnout causing a slump in motivation.

Many EU countries like Sweden, Denmark, Nederland are adopting the idea of a 4-day work week 

Employees can’t make themselves heard

 Promoting the voice of the employee can indirectly impact on essential organizational metrics like productivity and absenteeism. By taking that voice away and making it difficult for employees to have their say, it stifles opportunities to express themselves. It squashes enthusiasm and motivation flat.

 Employees who feel unable to speak out can begin to feel resentment and anger – negative emotions which chip away at motivation and performance.

Poor relationships with management

As social creatures, the quality of our relationships and sense of belief in those that lead us have a huge impact on how motivated we feel. Sense of confidence in managers, and the ability to be inspired by them, is vital for strong morale. If employees are struggling to feel that way about their leaders, they’ll struggle to deliver an energized and motivated performance. For employees to feel motivated, they need to feel positive about their leaders and have good relationships with them.

Inadequate recognition

This research study found a whopping 70% of employee say if their managers took the time to say thank you more often, motivation and moral would see a big boost. By not taking the time to show staff you appreciate their efforts, they can feel undervalued. And let’s face it – feeling that your contribution isn’t seen, is an almost guaranteed way to end up utterly demotivated.

“Appreciate everything your associates do for the business. Nothing else can quite substitute for a few well-chosen, well-timed, sincere words of praise. They’re absolutely free and worth a fortune.” Sam Walton – Walmart Founder

Feeling under value

If an employee feels that their efforts are not being recognized or appreciated, they’ll soon begin to lack energy and commitment in their role. It’s important to celebrate successes and give credit where credit’s due. Try to make sure that achievements are rewarded – even if it’s just with a pat on the back.

In a remote and virtual working arrangement, these small but important recognitions can mean all the difference in how an employee is feeling in their role.

 That's why never stop doing your best , just because someone doesn't give you a credit .

Relentless micromanagement

Want to drain all the creative energy and enthusiasm out of your employees? Then micromanage them. What might be regarded by the micromanager as the exercising of efficient and vital checks on the activity of others… well, those ‘others’ might feel very differently about it. They’re likely to end up feeling demeaned, perhaps even oppressed and certainly not as though they are trusted.

Top performers, individuals who need autonomy and space to do their best work, can be particularly badly affected. Micromanagement can sap the life out of them, leading to complete demotivation and a sense of apathy. It’s hard to let go – but it’s essential to enable the smart and creative people in your organization to do their best work.

Job insecurity

There was an interesting study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health last year. It looked at the connection between job insecurity and intrinsic motivation levels and confirmed what you’d probably intuitively expect: if people feel less secure in their jobs, their motivation is affected.

And it seems that intrinsic motivation transmits the effects of job insecurity into behavioral outcomes too. If someone’s concerned about the future of their role, they’re likely to feel less motivated and the quality of their performance will be affected.

Weak coworker relationships

Research indicates that if people don’t have positive, strong relationships with their peers, they’re not going to feel anything like the same levels of motivation and engagement. As this Scientific American article explains, a sense of connection to one another is important. And according to Harvard Business Review article, research has shown that close work friendships have a big impact on how satisfied employees feel and how likely people are to completely engage in their work.

The professional and personal support networks these friendships can lead to, are invaluable. And when people feel satisfied, it can have a big impact on performance; this INC article mentions a study that ran over a five year period and found that an increase in job satisfaction is directly related to a 6.6% increase in productivity per hour

Inspiration is inhibited

Going back a few years, this showed that people wanted their careers to offer more than just a source of income. To work at their best, employees wanted to be in workplaces where they could feel energized and inspired.

The study revealed employees wanted job happiness, and to be able to create more job satisfaction by bringing personal interests into their workplace career. They valued achieving greater shared success with their employers. If people don’t feel inspired by the work they’re doing, even if it comes with a generous salary, they won’t be motivated to put in sustained effort to deliver an effective performance.

No development opportunities

Regular training and development opportunities can help boost employee motivation and engagement. Most employees will value ongoing learning potential and the sense that they’re expanding and improving their skills and knowledge. If a workplace feels stagnant, non-progressive, and uninspired.

Why does motivating teams matter?

In addition to the COVID pandemic, analytics, automation, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and other tech trends are changing business needs more rapidly than in recent years. It’s also causing companies and workers alike to grapple with (Research provided by TechRepublic Premium)

Motivation drives interest levels and engagement at every turn, and the cost of disengagement to your organization can be staggering. In fact, employee disengagement is estimated to cost companies $450-$500 billion annually. When people are motivated, they are more engaged and able to focus on their work. They tend to care about the quality of their work and their peers, and are less likely to develop distrust and disinterest. 

These are not the only realities of a decrease in motivation. There are several proven statistics that confirm that there's a direct line between motivation levels, impact, and cost to businesses. The key is recognizing the impact and benefits of motivating unmotivated teams, then taking steps toward corrective action.

The benefits of improving team motivation

Team motivation is often an underestimated factor in the success of projects and company objectives as a whole. Well-motivated team members work harder than their peers. Highly motivated teams: 

·        Think more clearly and positively, even during tough situations

·        Share ideas without being prompted

·        Take a genuine interest in projects and the companies they work for

·        Are more focused on better customer service

So, that's lead us to the main question:

How to motivate your team

To be successful in your team motivation efforts, both you and your team must have a sincere interest in getting back any lost interest. These nine things can significantly improve motivation. 

1. Pay your people what they are worth

When you set your employees' salaries, be sure that their pay is consistent with what other companies in your industry and geographic area are paying. Remember: 26 percent of engaged employees say that they would leave their current job for just a 5 percent increase in pay. Don't lose great people because you're underpaying them.

2. Provide them with a pleasant place to work

Everyone wants to work in an office environment that is clean and stimulating, and that makes them feel god, instead of bad  You don't have to spend a lot of money to make an office a more pleasant place to be.

3. Offer opportunities for self-development

The members of your team will be more valuable to your organization, and to themselves, when they have opportunities to learn new skills. Provide your team with the training they need to advance in their careers and to become knowledgeable about the latest technologies and industry news.

4. Foster collaboration within the team

Encourage the members of your team to fully participate by inviting their input and suggestions on how to do things better. Ask questions, listen to their answers, and, whenever possible, implement their solutions.

5. Encourage happiness

Happy employees  are enthusiastic and positive members of the team, and their attitude is infectious. Keep an eye on whether or not your people are happy with their work, their employer, and you. If they're not, you can count on this unhappiness to spread.

6. Don't punish failure

We all make mistakes. It's part of being human. The key is to learn valuable lessons from those mistakes so we don't make them again. When members of your team make honest mistakes, don't punish them--instead, encourage them to try again.

7. Set clear goals

In one study, 63 percent of employees reported that they wasted time at work because they weren't aware of what work was a priority, and what wasn't. As a leader, it's your job to work with the members of your team to set clear goals. And once you do that, make sure everyone knows what the goals are, what their relative priority is, and what the team's role is in reaching them.

8. Don't micromanage

No one likes a boss who is constantly looking under their shoulder  and second-guessing her every decision. In fact, 38 percent of employees in one survey reported that they would rather take on unpleasant activities than sit next to a micromanaging boss. Provide your people with clear goals (see number 7, above), and then let them figure out the best way to achieve them.

9. Avoid useless meetings

Meetings can be an incredible waste of time--the average professional wastes 3.8 hours in unproductive meetings each and every week. Create an agenda for your meetings and distribute it in advance. Invite only the people who really need to attend, start the meeting on time, and then end it as quickly as you possibly can.

Team motivational strategies are an investment that pays off. Motivating team members benefits the employees, project managers, business leaders, other departments, and ultimately, customers.

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