Managing demotivated employees

Staff motivation, or rather the lack of it, is a major issue for every organisation. Aside from the adverse effects on creativity and productivity, unmotivated team members can soon have a toxic effect on the working environment if left unchecked.

The scale of the problem should not be under-estimated. A recent survey of 200 HR directors by the Rialto Consultancy indicated that 22% of employees were stagnating in their jobs, no longer motivated or inspired to work hard. The organisations they worked for also found it difficult to retain their highly-motivated employees and to remain competitive in the market. An ability to re-ignite an employee's passion for their job and return them to top form is therefore a key management skill and will undoubtedly earn you major career brownie points.

Where do I start?

It is crucial that you get to the root of the problem. Examine the demotivated employee's working environment to establish whether there are any underlying causes that could be contributing to their loss of drive. Don't automatically assume it stems from money or career dissatisfaction.

Then look at yourself as their manager. Do you have a good relationship built on mutual respect? Individuals are motivated best when they perform tasks they enjoy and feel are worthwhile. Give thought to their expectations of their role, how realistic they are and to what extent they are being met. Avoid generalisation at all cost.

"Each employee will have different motivations and different expectations of their role and their manager, says Carol-Ann White, global HR director at public relations consultancy Lewis. "Of course, there are general guidelines that you can follow, but the biggest obstacle is a lack of understanding between the manager and the employee."

Equip them to succeed

Define clear goals and make sure the under-performer fully understands what they are expected to deliver on and the deadline. While it's fine to stretch employees, be mindful not to overdo it when goal-setting as this will leave them feeling even more demoralised. Make sure they have all the resources and tools needed to complete the job.

"Although it seems obvious, managers can often be guilty of overlooking this, particularly when it comes to the intangible tools," explains White.

"The request for that elusive training course could be the difference between an employee performing their role to a frustratingly average level or to a highly-motivated outstanding level."

Recognise good work

Every employee wants to know their job is important and to feel valued for their input and effort. If an employee has delivered high performance, be enthusiastic and express your appreciation. Even a simple 'thank you' can go a long way. Feed back to them as near to completion of the task as possible and encourage them to keep up the good work. Also be prepared to sing their praises to senior management when appropriate.

Make work interesting

Think about whether redefining roles or establishing job rotation schemes might spark more interest. Actively seek their input in decisions that relate to their area of responsibility and allow them to work on special projects or assignments of their own choice.

Maintain the momentum

Finally, remember that motivation is not about short-term fixes. It is an ongoing process that needs to be continually assessed and tweaked, which is always dependent on the specific needs of the employee at any given period in their working life, says White.

If you only do  five things

1. Understand the reasons for the under-performance.
2. Clearly define goals and how they will be met.
3. Seek employees' input on decisions that affect them.
4. Ensure the work environment is enjoyable.
5. Show your appreciation for a job well done.

For more info

1001 Ways to Energise Employees
Bob Nelson, Jossey Bass Wiley, £8.99, ISBN 0761 101608

30 Minutes to Motivate Your Staff
Patrick Forsyth, Kogan Page, £3,
ISBN 0749 428465

How to... give feedback
www.personneltoday.com/23216.article

Meaningful management - the role of emotional intelligence
www.personneltoday.com/30761.article

Research
'Stags' costing British industry and government millions
www.rialtoconsultancy.com

Expert's view on managing demotivated employees

What are the best ways to keep an employee motivated?

First, ensure the work environment is enjoyable. Whether it is weekly team breakfasts on the company, telephone headsets for your telesales team or a chill-out area, take the time out to understand exactly what your staff want from their work environment.

Second, always ensure that an employee has clear direction through the use of specific and measurable objectives. In this way both you and the employee will be clear about what is expected of them and you can recognise and reward accordingly.

Third, ensuring that you always communicate effectively with your employee may sound obvious, but in practice this is frequently not the case.

Employees will feel empowered and valued when they are kept in the loop, whether it is about company direction, company challenges or specific departmental targets. Communication is a two-way process, so listening to what your employee wants is vital.

What other steps would you recommend?

Always review and appraise. If you have clear expectations and goals from both you and your employee, measuring the effectiveness of the work environment, their tools, communication levels, and so on, becomes much more transparent and easier to change if required.

Have you personally been demotivated and what did you do to get back on track?

In a previous role, I had a 'hands-on' manager who felt that she was helping by continually taking on various parts of my responsibilities to ease my workload. In effect, this proved to be demotivating as I perceived this as a reflection of her confidence in my abilities, as opposed to easing the pressure. Getting back on track proved a challenging task, but by re-examining our roles, objectives and expectations, we soon turned the situation around.

Carol-Ann White,
Global HR director at public relations consultancy Lewis