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Everyone has heard it before, people telling you to take care of yourself but when it comes to work what does that really mean? The workplace has changed. It’s moved from each person looking out for themselves and clocking on 9-5 to a more inclusive, open and in most cases a caring environment. When employees feel like they belong and are part of a greater good they feel more fulfilled at work. It’s important if you are a leader or have leaders within your organisation that they instil motivation in others.
Wellbeing is a personal pursuit but reminding employees that the organisation has a vested interest in their wellbeing has many positive effects. In this article, we uncover 5 ways that you can motivate others in your team or organisation and promote wellbeing in the workplace.
How to use encouragement and motivation to instil a positive mental attitude.
When ‘I’ is replaced by ‘We’
We all know there is no ‘I’ in team, even Malcolm X once said, “when you replace ‘I’ by ‘We’, even illness becomes wellness.” As a team leader, when ‘I’ is replaced with ‘We’, the tone of speech and the focus changes, it becomes more inclusive and therefore people are more willing to work together. You become a collective with the same goal and it becomes a very powerful motivator. Leadership coaches refer to this as a bottom-up approach to team management.
Sharing. This sounds like a simple one but when leaders & managers share their experiences, things they have learnt along the way, stories and anecdotes it makes the workplace feel more inclusive and inspires others to share more of what they have learnt along the way. This collective experience can only benefit the business and the attitude towards the workplace. Managers and leaders become more approachable and the team feel more connected when experiences are shared.
Treat each person on your team as individuals.
Treat your team as individuals and not necessarily cogs in a wheel. Communication is the basic building block of relationships and is a two-way process. Find the time to remember your team members personal situations, issues and passions and find appropriate times to ask how their families are doing or some event they may have mentioned in a previous conversation. Make time for them; stop what you are doing and make eye contact, and practice active listening when someone comes to you with a concern. If you cannot help them at that moment, then schedule the discussion for a later time when you can give your full attention.
Celebrate small successes and milestones
When team members can see how they are having an impact on the end goal, they are much more engaged and motivated to continue. For instance, there are several ways people interact with others these days. Either face to face, over social media, over email or text message and for some cards and mailed letters. For example, studies found those who were fundraising had better success when that interaction was in person instead of electronically. Again, this is because face-to-face interaction demonstrates the importance of the issues you are discussing and that it is worth your time.
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Let employees know that you see potential, encourage their growth, and champion them to move forward. Encourage your team through learning and help them take on extra responsibility; however, make yourself available to support them in unfamiliar territory. Not only is it a perk of working with your organisation it is also a way to show your staff that you value continuous learning.
Spiritual leaders tell us “everyone is concerned about their well-being”. Their wellbeing may be defined by their financial status, relationships, and eating habits, hobbies etc. However different they may be, everyone is searching for their type or brand of well-being.’ In light of this, leaders have to be aware of extra pressure people face in modern times, especially in these difficult times where there are potentially stressful situations. Taking a few moments each day and showing others the importance of well being is essential, as is setting a great example.
At Recruitment Central, we understand the needs and challenges of employees and employers alike. Although not all things require us to go the extra mile, sometimes caring and treating each other like human beings is what it will take to keep your team engaged, motivated and inspired to make that change with you. So call us to discuss your human resource requirements, we are so much more than a recruitment company.