Motivating your team from home
2 September 2021 at 11:17 am
With much of Australia still in lockdown and employees across the country working from home, we share tips on how to keep motivation levels high from afar
Keeping staff motivated is a constant work in progress for managers and senior staff at any time, but for the past couple of years it’s been particularly hard.
Whole workforces have transitioned to remote working arrangements, changing the nature of work forever.
While some employees have reported being much more productive working remotely, having coronavirus hanging around in the background is a recipe for distraction, anxiety, and loss of motivation among staff members.
If you’re struggling to manage this as a leader of an organisation, look no further. We’ve rounded up some of the top ways to reboot and refresh your staff remotely.
1. Keep your mission top of mind
Most employees of for-purpose organisations will tell you that they are there to make a difference, so it’s important that during stressful and isolating times you bring your staff back to the purpose and mission of the organisation. Doing so will motivate staff because it will make them feel as though their work really matters.
2. Re-think your remote company culture
If motivation levels are dipping among staff it might be time to rethink your remote company culture. While most people are pretty over Zoom trivia at this point, it’s still important to find ways to keep staff members connected and tied to the organisation. Try starting a book club, or get everyone involved in a cook off. The opportunities are endless so get creative!
3. Feedback is important
It’s easy to forget about feedback in a remote set up. If you’re out of sight, feedback can be out of mind. Setting up weekly one-on-ones with staff members gives you an opportunity to not only check in, but provide that feedback and receive it. It’s also important to do a well-being check in and not just talk about work.
4. Celebrate the wins
It’s important to focus on productivity, but if you don’t celebrate the wins (even the small ones) then staff won’t want to keep striving for more. While going out for lunch or drinks isn’t an option, give your team members who’ve performed particularly well a shout out in meetings, or order everyone a take away lunch for hard work. You’d be surprised how a little goes a long way.
And if you want to hear from other leaders about how they have been managing to lead generously through the pandemic, check out our podcast, Leading Generous Teams.
