How to Motivate Non-Performing Employees? : Skill Vs Will

Have you hired talented guys and they are wasting time on the desk!

Isn’t this the question of the century?

I have seen lots of entrepreneurs struggle with hiring the right talent for their start-ups. They often complain about how their employees usually lack taking ownership, self-discipline, and dedication to do their work effectively.

So,
- How does one overcome these hurdles and establish an organization where everyone works as if it’s their own company?

- Is that even possible?
- Do such employees even exist?
- If they do, how to get to these amazing people?

Being a slow mover employee isn’t limited the employee’s performance alone, but has a cumulative impact on the downfall of the organization. Losiness can be attributed to a number of factors -

· Extended working hours
· Poor administration
· Lack of recognition
· Intolerance towards failure.

But, don’t you worry, we have come up with seven fun-filled yet definitive strategies to jump-start our plodded Spartans and improve their performance while keeping them sane at the same time.

1. Break the routine

A 9–5 job seems like such a task, right? How would you feel if you get to play your favourite sports 9–5 every day? Would you complain that it is getting exhausting? Would you feel like taking a break?

I am pretty damn sure that you would enjoy this brief deroute from your schedule if this happens EVER.

And, I also assure you that this feeling won’t last long!
Multiple studies over time have proven that — Employees end up disliking their most favoured task if they are doing it day-in and day-out.
Try putting your favourite song as your alarm tone, and you’ll know.

SOLUTION — BREAK THAT MUNDANE ROUTINE, just for an hour a week! Ask your HR team to organize a one-hour fun activity every week, be it as dumb as playing Pictionary! This will not just serve as a break from the regular office culture but will also help in establishing a deeper connection with the team.

Keep in mind though that EVERYONE needs to be a part of these activities. Be it the management or a regular employee.

2. Bring Out the Creativity

I have observed this phenomenon countless times to say that Employers don’t really listen to what their employees say. Often entrepreneurs claim that they are great listeners and I bear witness to the fact that they are not!

Listening is a skill, and one which really needs to be taught to grow in every sphere of life.

SOLUTION — This can partly be done by giving your pupils the freedom to use their own inventiveness while finishing a task. When an employee is given a diverse and exciting task, it keeps them on their toes, bringing out innovation in oneself. Believe me, it not only adds to the progress of the company but also helps them discover solutions to problems they have never encountered before.

At the end of the day, no one wants to feel like a log in a machine, right?

3. Don’t Discourage Coffee Breaks!

An engaged employee is the one who sticks!

It is vital, especially for new-age startups to establish a culture where employees and management don’t hate each other. Employees should be freely able to share their thoughts and experiences, be it as dumb as possible.

Also, this crossover of information needs to be both ways and shouldn’t be just limited to work. Though employees are entitled to have their bit of freedom, paradoxically it is crucial to have employees working and sharing ideas together to work as a team.

SOLUTION — Your workforce can only be truly engaged when one genuinely displays care and affection towards their team. Although, I ain’t implying that you need to cross any boundaries here, just a simple ‘how’ve you been?,’ goes a long way.

4. Grow Together

Stop being mean!
Recent statistics reveal that employees now burn out at a rate 10 times faster than before. Besides, the most common reason for an employee leaving a firm is linked to no opportunities for personal growth.

You need your employee to find, “Pleasure under Pressure.”

SOLUTION: Keep it simple by conducting monthly functional training sessions which would focus on teaching the employees the following,
· Establishing a strong bond and cohesive approach to what has to be delivered.
· Critical thinking
· Research and networking skill sessions
· Social media skills
· Stress management skill sessions

5. Stay truly flexible

We all need that teeny bit of luxury and treats. Don’t we?
Often organizations boast so highly about their flexible work schedules, yearly trips to Hawaii, working remotely, etc., but seldom do they stick to them.

Their justification — TOO MUCH WORK!

The anomaly of TOO MUCH WORK often mars an organizations’ ability to function efficiently. Working weekends may not be as fruitful as you might expect them to be.

SO STAY VIGILANT!

Too much work or no work at all — You need to stay true to your company’s values.

SOLUTION — Work flexibility should be given to employees as long as they are finishing off their tasks on time. In fact, encourage your team to opt for work from home once a month.

You can also schedule occasional events like picnics and team outings, such as trekking, hiking, biking, even sports. Even, a company-sponsored sumptuous lunch/ dinner on special occasions like festivities go a long way.

Make your company a, “not-so-boring one.”

6. Accept & TOLERATE Failure

Don’t give your team member a hard time if he screws-up once or twice. Instead, encourage them to fail!

Don’t make them feel dejected and demoralized — as they will fear taking risks again.

Here comes the role of a manager or team leader.

SOLUTION: The manager has to be more approachable to the staff by delegating them to do the needful. When employees feel the company isn’t being way too harsh on them, that’s when they keep the company delighted in return.

7. APPRECIATE Efforts

NEVER EVER let your employees feel unappreciated!

Establish a culture where each and every individual appreciates fellow members instead of bringing them down. Also, each employee must be given individual attention to an extent, to monitor their accomplishments and see where he/she stands.

SOLUTION — Your employee must not be limited to a designated pay and should feel free to be vocal about increments if needed.

One smart and the easy way to do this so is by holding random competitions and surprise performance tests. Appreciate the efforts by incentivizing the winners with some gorgeous prize.