Employee Motivation 102: Alright, Here’s What You Can Do…

In the previous article on employee motivation, I talked about how employers have the capacity to re-motivate those within the organisation when they start viewing their jobs as being a routine humdrum. However, this begged the question – should motivation be reserved only for those who are dealing with a low point in their career? What about those that have potential, those who are overachieving in their positions, those who have the capacity to contribute further to the organisation?

Employees should be looking towards star employees within their organisation and giving them due motivation as well as assurance. I mean, you do want your best to stay and continue playing an important role, right?

The first option is by having a one-on-one conversation with your employee, discussing and illustrating their career prospects with them. Convince them that their future lies with the organisation, and be an active contributor in helping them shape their vision. The intention of the talk is to establish confidence within your employee, and highlight the value they have for the organisation. Chances are that they will already be thinking about future plans – it’s on you to show them that they have buy-in to the organisational outlook.

Here’s the catch though. There should be some hedging in place, and employers / managers alike must mention and reiterate that there are no guarantees in place! Both parties should be aware of the multitude of factors which can interrupt the positive trajectory which they have worked so hard to achieve. Remember to preface any potential unforeseen factors which could alter the outcome of the discussion, and utilise the informality of the conversation to reinforce disclaimers throughout the talk.

Finally, be sure to tell them that they themselves are the final determinant of their own path. Sure, external factors play an important role, and it is extremely valuable to identify what these factors are, and how they can affect you. However, it is imperative that employers highlight accountability as a winning formula, and make sure that at the end of the day, their employees take responsibility for where they eventually end up.

Link: 3 Essentials for Spontaneously Mentoring Your Star Employees

Image Source:

(1) theoriginalwinger.com

(2) indulgencesandwhims.blogspot.com

Benjamin Lee Cheng Han | Benjamin is a student of International Relations at the University of Nottingham, currently exploring unchartered realms in the Public Relations field. Writing is clearly his interest – a decisive contributor to his foray into the public relations industry. To date, he boasts the proud record of having tamed one of the office cats, and drinking expired tea from the pantry.