How to Inspire Employees in the Workplace

One of the biggest challenges leaders today tend to have involves finding ways to motivate their employees. A good leader is only as successful as their team, and no matter how motivated that leader is, they will never be able to reach the level of success they are looking for if their teammates don’t share the same enthusiasm.

Leaders today who are struggling to inspire their employees will find that there are several tips and approaches that can often help staff members who are struggling to stay motivated to get the inspiration that they need.

Motivation in the Workplace

It’s important for a simple reason: without the right motivation, nothing will get done.

As a leader you need to have a clear vision, connect people to that vision and then work towards pushing others to make this vision a reality. When an entire team is working together towards a single goal, they can be much more efficient than individuals who are given menial tasks to complete on a daily basis.

Motivation is important, but you also need to make sure there is a culture of trust within the workplace. Employees need to feel comfortable and not be afraid of taking risks and making mistakes. This is what allows people to take chances, work hard and stay motivated towards reaching their goals. A comfortable company culture and a motivational workplace go hand-in-hand. If you are operating on a fear-based culture where employees are afraid of repercussions, you need to adopt a new culture that is all about encouragement, teaching and courage. This is the best way to get people motivated and keep them motivated.

Tips for Giving Employee Recognition

One of the biggest motivating factors among many employees lies in an ability to receive recognition. As a leader it is important that you are giving your team members the proper recognition for their accomplishments without overdoing it. If you give too much recognition, it will start to lose its impact.

• Make employee recognition part of your schedule. Perhaps you use the first day of the week or routine meetings as an opportunity to recognize employees. However you choose to do so, you need to make sure that there is a schedule in place so you don’t forget to do this.
• Keep track of the recognition you do give. You should try to provide this type of encouragement to every employee. However, this doesn’t mean that there won’t be some employees that receive more recognition than others, and employees shouldn’t feel like they are rewarded for doing nothing.
• Give recognition in front of others. Whether it’s at a staff meeting or posted on a community bulletin board, giving recognition to an employee in front of others can help that employee feel even more motivated. It is also a teaching tool that can help show your other team members what you expect from your staff.

Keep these tips in mind when it comes to recognizing employees for their good work and you will start to see more motivated team members emerge.

Inspirational Quotes for Employees

If you cannot find the words to inspire your employees, borrow inspirational words from other great leaders. Sometimes, the simplest approach of using motivational quotes around the workplace or placing motivational quotes in the office can help any team get the extra push they need.

“To win in the marketplace you must first win in the workplace.” – Doug Conant, CEO of Campbell’s Soup

“Your number one customers are your people. Look after employees first and then customers last.” Ian Hutchinson, professional motorcycle racer

“People want to know they matter and they want to be treated as people. That’s the new talent contract” Pamela Stroko, Vice President of Oracle

“When people go to work, they shouldn’t have to leave their hearts at home.” Betty Bender, former president of Library Administration and Management Association

Motivating employees is never an easy task, and it is one area of leadership that most professionals need to constantly work on. However, with the right strategy and diligent work towards keeping employees motivated, any leader can start inspiring those around them to be their best.