Demotivation
can be contagious; even one demotivated employee who walks around the work
place spreading negative vibes can quickly work on demotivating others. The
causes of motivational and behaviour problems in any workplace are familiar to
most managers, but there is no such thing as a quick fix for most of these
problems. Most problems evolve over time and can take a long time to fix so the
best thing to do is prevent the cause before it becomes a problem.
10
of the most common reasons for employee demotivation, as well as methods to
combat these issues can be seen below.
Favouritism – If a colleague or even a group of
colleagues appear to be given special treatment it can be one of the most
demotivating things an employee could experience. A good boss would keep the
situation under control and curb favouritism before it gets out of hands.
It is quite natural to have trusted
employees in the work place but there should be a line between trusting an
individual and showing favouritism.
Too much work – Employees can feel overloaded with a
disproportionate chunk of work which can make them feel unable to perform their
duties well and on time. Be realistic with assigning tasks, delegate an amount
of work that is challenging but not overwhelming.
Lack of recognition and
praise – An employee
can feel unappreciated for his efforts. It doesn’t take a lot to make someone
feel good about them, a simple thank you or even a work lunch could do wonders.
No progression – Even the best salesman can become
demotivated quickly if they feel they are stuck in a dead end job. An employer
should always try to be flexible and look for a solution, progression increase
employee satisfaction and in turn productivity.
Poor leadership – Most reasons for demotivation of staff
comes down to poor leadership. If your company is lacking leadership then set
out to recruit employees with leadership skills, if not the next best thing is
leadership training.
Lazy co-workers – Lazy co-workers who do not pull their
weight and get favoured by management can be very demotivating. Set clear goals
and create a rewards system for the employees that do put the effort in.
Lack of company benefits
– It could be that a
field sales rep has to pay their own petrol or doesn’t get access to a company
car this could demotivate them. Be aware of what benefits will be more
attractive to employees in different roles.
Micromanagement – Perhaps one of the biggest reasons for
demotivation is micromanaging. Employees need to feel trusted and valued to
succeed—and micromanaging communicates the opposite.
Job role not challenging
enough – An employee
may love the company and all their colleagues
but if the role isn’t challenging enough it could demotivate them and make them
look elsewhere. Employers need to keep employees on their toes, keep work
challenging but not enough to make them feel over worked.
Not explaining your
actions – The unknown
for employees can demotivate them. Explaining the big management decisions will
help employees understand your perspective and they will also respect you more
for it.
Written by Liam Oakes
Liam is the Sales
Recruitment Manager at Aaron Wallis and has been with the company for 5 years
after having a career with the RAF; Liam has helped hundreds of Sales
Professionals secure a new Sales role and ensures that Aaron Wallis runs
smoothly.
