10 Ways To Motivate Your Team | Over the past year the entire world has faced plenty of change and many of us have had to adapt our work culture entirely. Luckily, with the evolution of the technology and the digital environment, many jobs have been adaptable to home working, and as a result, remote working has fast become one of the most common working styles.
However, as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic forces people to stay away from the office, losing the office culture and the social benefits you gain from working with other people can have a severe impact on businesses. Staff motivation and productivity can easily be impacted, so as a manager or a team leader, it is important that you take measures to keep up the team spirit. Here are 10 ways you can enhance cooperation between your teams, maintain high employee engagement, and keep your teams happy and motivated in the workplace.
1. Set Clear Goals and Targets
Working from home and being faced with tasks coming from all directions can make time-management hard. Your employees might be struggling to work out what to prioritise first. By setting clear daily and weekly targets, you are providing your employees with the end-goal, allowing them to be able to plan a much clearer route for getting their tasks done. This will help them organise their time in an efficient manner and prevent the feeling of being overwhelmed, as they will feel in control of their workload.
2. Take Lunchtimes Together Sometimes
Once or twice a week, why not send a calendar invite for a virtual lunch? Working from home, many of us can get into the habit of eating lunch and working at the same time, but with a virtual lunch, you can truly switch off from your tasks and socialise. Catching up with your employees and socialising can help to foster communication and combat any feelings of isolation.
3. Personal Introduction Slots
Whether you are hiring new employees or you feel that there are different departments that could do with getting to know each other more, setting aside some time for people to have a quick introductory chat can enhance employee relationships. Hosting an online meet-up is a great way for employees to learn more about each other, inspiring people to share their own stories and scale up their self-confidence. As a result of learning more about each other, you can build trust amongst the teams and take your company culture to whole new levels.
4. Host Learning Days
Naturally, your staff will still want to feel like they are progressing in their role. Reserve a day for your staff to go and learn something new. This could be personal skills, team building skills, or something directly related to their role – the key is they decide what they would like to learn about. Education days are a fantastic opportunity for your employees to pursue something that motivates them. Additionally, the skills they decide to learn (particularly if they are taking part in a virtual team building event can be something that can be applied to their role and the organisation afterwards too. By allowing space for education days, you can keep your staff feeling motivated and developed in their role.
5. Cameras On Policy
Most of us are using video calls for meetings and general work communication, and you may think that by allowing people to leave their cameras off, you are being helpful to your team. However, without the need to get dressed, look presentable, and appear in a professional manner, there is plenty of scope for employees to end up getting into a bad routine working from home, and not be as disciplined with their work routine. People can end up taking meetings from the bed, not getting dressed, and generally having a much shorter attention span when it comes to communication. By encouraging everyone to have their cameras on, you are creating the need for every employee to have a designated workspace, and ensuring they are in full on “work-mode” during working hours. As a result, optimising productivity and keeping your motivated, disciplined, and on-track with their working routine.
6. Virtual Coffee Breaks
You have probably made it clear to your employees already that they should ensure they take regular breaks for food and drink. However, when working from home, it can be harder to switch off and remember to take breaks. Encourage your staff to take a ten minute coffee break a day, but why not do it virtually over a video chat? Virtual coffee breaks can help to enhance the professional relationships amongst your employees and allows them to de-stress themselves before bouncing back with a more productive attitude.
7. Give Positive Feedback
Positive feedback has always been pivotal for achieving workplace satisfaction, however for remote workers it is even more important. When your employees have achieved great results or have shown some extra effort, be sure to name them specifically in your praise, and let them know exactly what they have done well. In these times of hardship when motivation can feel particularly low, positive feedback can truly inspire your team members and ensure they feel like valued members of the team.
8. Stimulate Informal Conversations
It is easy for employees to feel like they are ‘stuck in a rut’ when working from home. Working, eating, sleeping, socialising all in the same place can often seem like one endless cycle, especially when there is a lack of people to talk to. A quick message through Whatsapp or text checking up on your colleagues can go a long way. Not only is it a good way to check they are happy, you are also showing you see them more than just a cog in a machine, and that you truly care about their wellbeing too.
9. Week Opening and Closing Meetings
A company meeting at the start of the week and a close off meeting on a Friday afternoon is the perfect way to maintain boundaries between working and resting when working from home. These meetings symbolise the start and the end of the workweek. The opening meeting is a great opportunity to talk through goals for the week and can leave the team feeling motivated and productive. The closing meeting can be used to acknowledge the work completed, celebrate wins, and share weekend plans – a great way to leave your employees feeling happy and content after their hard work.
10. Rewarding Your Team
Rewarding your team for their hard work and resilience during these hard times will make your team feel valued. Virtual events are a great way to create a sense of social connection, increase team morale, and banish any feelings of isolation. Hosting a virtual event can seem a little bit scary, but there are plenty of event companies who can help you create a meaningful experience that won’t be forgotten in a hurry.
Here at AWD, as one of the country’s leading event organisers, we can help you create the perfect event. Whether it’s a virtual event, hybrid event or any other type of event for your business. Our services are expertly tailored around your team and what you would like to achieve, so your event is guaranteed to be an impactful success.