How to Successfully Motivate and Engage Your Employees
Management sets the tone and framework for your entire organization, so it’s important that you manage well. However, you might be wondering how to do that, especially if you’re new to a management role.
Keep reading for best practices and engagement tactics you can equip yourself with as a new manager that will help you keep your team disciplined and organized while also creating an environment where employees feel valued and respected as individual contributors.
Understand your new role as a manager – your first job as a manager can be overwhelming and exciting, but it’s important to understand that management is entirely different from any previous role you may have had in your organization. Being a manager is not an elevated version of your previous role as an individual contributor.
Provide structure and guidance without micromanaging – this may seem like an obvious one, but 65% of employees report wanting more structure and guidance from their boss or upper management. However, it’s essential that you avoid micromanaging and give your team the autonomy, tools, and space they need to be empowered and successful on their own. Lead through influence as opposed to control, ask questions instead of dictating solutions, and remain open to new ideas and methods.
Communication and transparency is key – share information openly and transparently, and be sure to have consistent conversations with employees about how they are feeling in regular one-on-one meetings or through employee engagement surveys. Listen actively.
Build trust through character, competence, and caring – your managerial competency should be measured by your ability to understand and influence people, and the most neglected trait is to show that you care. Employees want to feel that they matter and upper management actually cares about them as people. Commit to understanding and building the strengths of each employee – their working style, what motivates and deters them, etc. to help them do what they do best every day.
Be optimistic – employees often only receive feedback or commentary when they do something wrong, even though they are likely doing things right most of the time. Remember that positive feedback is significantly more motivating than negative feedback. It will energize employees to try harder, persist longer, and overcome difficulties.
Poor management is one of the leading indicators in today’s quiet quitting phenomenon, but by taking the above to heart and leading with discipline, organization, transparency, and empathy – you will boost employee mental health, team morale, and therefore productivity levels for your entire organization. Remember that an engaging workplace results in engaged attitudes and behaviors which leads to better business results.
One last piece of advice is that as a manager you should strive towards achieving a better work-life balance by evaluating and enhancing your total rewards programs. Offer reasonable accommodations such as flexible PTO and hybrid or remote schedules. If you need assistance reviewing or improving your employee compensation system, click the link below to see how Premier HR Solutions can help with our compensation services.
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