Signs of employee demotivated employees
Every leader should know how to spot potential issues with their employees. Building relationships is an important part of any manager’s role and help you better spot when something isn’t right.
Some of the signs of demotivation include:
- Lack of focus
- Increased absence/ sick leave
- General change in manner and mood towards colleagues and/or peers
- Inappropriate comments or remarks
- A ‘distantness’ from colleagues
Consequences of employee demotivation
Figures show that almost 10 per cent – 1.3 million people – of the Australian workforce quit their jobs in 2021, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. These “quits” (and others before and after this time period) have become known as the “Great Resignation.”
Repeatedly issues of toxic corporate culture, job insecurity and reorganization, effects of high levels of innovation on work/life balance, failure to recognise employee performance and poor response to COVID-19 were highlighted as the reasons for leaving.
None of the issues are an easy fix. But all affect or are affected by employee motivation and loss of motivation. A focus on motivating employees could drive improvements in all these areas, stemming the tide of quits and generally improving business outcomes. How? The benefits of a motivated workforce include lower levels of absenteeism, improved relations between management and workers, improved worker performance and improved product quality and customer service.
Causes of demotivation in the workplace
Employees lose motivation for several reasons, but Richard E. Clark and Bror Saxberg, writing for the Harvard Business Review, have defined four “motivation traps”:
- Values mismatch: The employee doesn’t connect with or care about a task enough to perform the task effectively.
- Lack of self-efficacy: The employee doesn’t believe they have the capacity or ability to carry out a task.
- Disruptive emotions: The employee is consumed with negative emotions, such as anxiety or anger.
- Attribution errors: The employee can’t accurately identify the reason why a task is difficult or attributes difficulty with a task to reasons beyond the employee’s control.
How to overcome lack of employee motivation
Where there's one unmotivated employee, there are likely more. Indeed, workplace motivation is typically a function of an organisation's culture. By focusing on the following motivation builders, business leaders can work toward a culture of motivation and counter some of the major reasons for employee turnover.
1. Increase motivation by making work meaningful
Making progress on a meaningful task is one of the most motivating experiences employees can have.
It can be tempting to think of meaningful work as tasks with a high profile or those that will generate revenue or new customers. All of that is meaningful, to be sure, but meaningful work can be any job that has a clear purpose and measurable benchmarks.
Communicating purpose and benchmarks to employees can make them feel engaged and good about what they are doing.
2. Recognise good work to motivate employees
Employees are motivated when they feel that their work is being recognised. However, just tossing out a “Good job!” now and again won’t cut it. Employees are motivated by recognition that is honest, authentic and individualised.
Business leaders should focus on identifying good work, being specific about why that work stands out, and promoting that recognition on internal social, collaboration and other channels.
3. Balance support and autonomy to boost motivation
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the how and where people work.
In a 2021 Harvard Business Review (HBR) study of more than 5,000 knowledge workers around the world, 61 per cent reported that they would like the flexibility to determine where they would work most effectively—in the office or at home.
Further, 59 per cent of respondents said this kind of flexibility is more important to them than salary or other benefits. This level of autonomy is important not just when it comes to where an employee works, but also how an employee works.
Of course, businesses must set down some mandates, but it’s important to carefully monitor and balance the amount of attention and direction given to employees.
4. Thoughtfully implement and communicate change
Change is the only constant in today’s business and global environment. Workers left to wonder where they stand in the new order are less likely to be focused on the work at hand. This is especially true when employees are working remotely and can’t “see” management’s gears turning. To the extent possible, business leaders should invite insight from employees and be transparent about changes to the organisation. Workers who feel included and heard can be more likely to transition positively through change.
5. Consider the whole employee
Our work and home lives have become inextricably tied, especially during the last two (going on three) years. For better and for worse, employees can work anywhere, at any time.
It can be easy for employers to take advantage by making workers feel like they are never “off.” This is especially true in companies and industries where constant innovation is competitive table stakes. Business leaders must be thoughtful of the cost of such a pace to employees’ personal lives, and provide time, space and authentic permission for workers to take care of themselves and their families, as well as their jobs. In return, employees will be healthier in mind and body—and may be much more motivated to stick around.
Especially given what employees and their organisations have been through the last couple of years, motivation and loss of motivation are complicated issues to unpack. When employees demonstrate a lack of motivation or even no motivation to do anything, business leaders should take care to identify the causes and implement meaningful strategies for making employees feel engaged and valued. However, business leaders should not check “motivate employees” off a list and move on; rather, they should continue to focus their lens on individual and team workplace motivation. Doing so can pay off in measurable—and immeasurable—ways.