The secret to team motivation

People are the most important and valuable resource a business has. Keeping individuals motivated can be one of the most challenging tasks a manager faces.

With so many projects to tackle, managers can often overlook the importance of keeping their team members inspired and motivated, which if achieved, can increase the likelihood of employee retention.

So what’s the secret to team motivation? It starts with the individual…

• Secret #1: Get to know your team members and what drives them. What many managers fail to appreciate is the individuality of each of their employees, and their unique driving forces. Motivation is very personal. What is motivating to one person might be viewed as a punishment to another. You can’t expect to effectively motivate an individual without knowing them well.
  
  Patrick Dixon, business consultant and author, believes that tapping into peoples’ passions means you’ll get the most out of them. He advises to learn about employees by finding out what they do when they’re not earning an income - what they do in their spare time. From there, it will be easier to know how to harness their strengths and therefore motivate them better.
   
• Secret #2: Make them feel like a valued part of the organisation. A major trigger for losing motivation is feeling isolated in one’s efforts. Along with the standard company induction, educating each employee on the organisational values and structure, and how their role fits into the bigger picture is an important managerial duty.
  
  To feel like their work is playing A major trigger for losing motivation is feeling isolated in one?s efforts. Along with the standard company induction, educating each employee on the organisational values and structure, and how their role fits into the bigger picture is an important managerial duty.
  
  To feel like their work is playing a major role in the success of the company helps one feel valued and appreciated, which motivates them to want to be challenged and achieve again. Encourage and support your employees by highlighting to them where they have successfully “lived” the organisational values. Positive feedback goes a long way!
   
• Secret #3: Encourage collaboration and a positive team spirit. Encouraging collaboration also helps reinforce the bigger picture. You want a team that works cohesively and feeds off each other’s strengths. This is when great work is done, and when employees feel proud. In turn, this leads to higher motivation.
  
  To maintain a mutual support and trust within your team, organise group activities both during work hours and after. It’s another way to keep your employees inspired. 

Ultimately, team motivation is about getting your employees to do something because they want to do it. You don’t need a bag of tricks - just a few proven secrets that will enhance your ability to motivate your team in virtually any environment.

To feel like their work is playing a major role in the success of the company helps one feel valued and appreciated, which motivates them to want to be challenged and achieve again.