Article: Are you sucking the life out of your employees?

Life @ Work

Are you sucking the life out of your employees?

Most employers and managers may not know it but they’re probably demotivating their employees every single day.
Are you sucking the life out of your employees?

When getting a new job, employees are very enthusiastic. However, as they continue working in the company, research shows that employees quit sharply after their first six months.

The issue of motivation is vital in business management. One of the essential things an employer should do is to influence, anticipate, control, and understand the behaviors of their employees.

Employers have certain responsibilities for the well-being and motivation of their employees. The employees should be fully committed and engaged for them to work to their maximum ability. However, it is important for employers to know what drives their employee’s motivation. 

As leaders, employers should be aware of these six root causes of demotivation.

Lack of recognition

Employers hardly recognize the importance of a pat on the employees back especially with those who are among the top performers who are intrinsically motivated.

Everyone especially the employees who work hard to help the organization achieve their goals, deserve a kudos. When the managers reward the accomplishment of the employees, it clearly shows that the employer recognizes the employee’s hard work.

Lack of recognizing the employees’ accomplishments by the employers may lead to demotivation among the workforce.

Promoting and hiring the wrong people

An employer should be made aware that the hardworking and good employees prefer working with likeminded people. They fail to motivate their employees when they hire the wrong people. 

This is a huge demotivator for the employees who will work beside them. The employers also make the mistake of promoting the wrong people to higher positions.

The hardworking employees end up feeling demotivated if a promotion is passed over to a person who glad-handed their way to the top. The employees view it as a major insult and may result to them reassigning from the job.

Tolerating poor performance

When a manager tolerates poor performance in the organization, the hardworking employees may feel demotivated.

When there are weak links in the company and the manager allows them to go without being punished, the poor performance drags everyone down.

Being apathetic

Employers demotivate their employees when they build an apathetic relationship with the employees.

Most of the people quit their jobs due to the relationship between them and their employees. Companies should make their managers know how they should balance being human and being professional.

A boss should empathize with their employees during hard times, celebrate the employees’ success and also correct them when they make mistakes. Do note that, a boss who also cares about their employees’ productivity leads to a high turnover.   

Equality

When managers treat all the employees equally, the motivation of good and top performers of the organization is affected.

The top performers end up understanding that no matter how hard they work, the manager will still be treated equal to a no-performer.

Going back on commitments

When an employer makes a commitment to the employees and fails to uphold it, the employees feel demotivated. The employees view the manager as unprofessional, uncaring and a slimy person.

An employee may also end up dishonoring their agreements. Failing to meet the agreements and promises, the employers instantly put the employees in the middle of whether to stay or quit their jobs.

How To Be A Boss Leader And Not Just Draining Boss

Be a motivator

Most employees work because they want to. Sometimes, employees get their job done because there are consequences if they fail to. 

Employees will perform better when they have a goal to meet such as a better pay, prestige or recognition.

For a boss to show better leadership skills, it is important that he figures out what the employees want. From this point, he can motivate them in achieving their desires.

Being communicative

Most employees will describe their bosses as “ever locked in the big office” or “only comes out to correct mistakes in the workplace”.

Having effective communication skills is crucial if a boss is to see the company’s objective fulfilled.

Therefore, a boss should encourage employees to talk to him freely, conduct regular meetings with his team, provide feedback, and pursue learning opportunities to better his communication skills.

Showing gratitude to the employees

Research shows that appreciation from leaders is the biggest drive for working professions. 

Recognition of efforts does not only help the employees to get motivated, happy and feel invested but can also contribute to the success of the company.

Appreciation can be in the form of promotions, recognizing accomplishments or even treating the whole team to lunch.

Balancing the amount of work

Studies have proven that employees are in a better state to work if they are not loaded with office work.

Bosses should set a culture that balances the work done with a healthy lifestyle. This is better achieved where a boss can lead by example by having a healthy personal life.

Bosses should explore areas such as organizing group activities to motivate employees, inspire others by managing their time, bringing in temporary staff in peak times and offering flexible working hours.          

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Topics: Life @ Work, Watercooler

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