A classic in job advertisements that almost every start-up and company advertises with the weekly fruit basket. “Flexible working hours”, “diverse tasks” and “a great feel-good atmosphere” should also motivate employees in the long term. Sometimes even “above average pay” is promised.
But what really motivates employees in the long term and binds them to a company in the long term? A company car, home office options, an annual pass in the exclusive fitness studio? Or maybe it needs more than material rewards and a good work-life balance? And why is there a constant turnover of employees in some companies, while in other companies the same colleagues work together for years?
Employees who ‘quit internally’ cost companies a fortune
The annually calculated ‘Gallup Engagement Index shows how much a lack of employee motivation costs a company. Since 2001, research-based consulting firm Gallup Germany has been examining the engagement and motivation as well as the emotional attachment of employees in the workplace. The results of the study from the year 2020 continue the ‘red thread’ of the demotivated employees of the last few years: 5.7 million employees (15%, 2019: 16%) have already internally resigned and are burdening their company economically due to a lack of performance. Economic damage due to ‘internal layoffs’ amounts to between 96.1 and 113.9 billion euros. Only 17 percent of all employees surveyed say they have a high emotional bond with their employer – clearly not enough.
Good leadership is more important than ever, especially in times of the corona pandemic, because fears about the future, working from home, financial burdens, and the threat of job loss put a strain on the relationship between employees and employers. Motivating employees in the long term is therefore one of the fundamental tasks of a manager.
But what is actually meant by ’employee motivation?
The Gabler Wirtschaftslexikon defines ’employee motivation’ as a term that describes the “influencing of the manager or the company on the employee” in order to “motivate them to maintain, further develop or (fundamentally) change their performance and/or their performance results”. Different strategies and tactics used by managers and entrepreneurs can therefore have a positive effect on employee motivation. These tie in with psychological research: In psychology, a distinction is made between different sources of motivation – extrinsic and intrinsic.
- Extrinsic employee motivation can be traced back to external stimuli, such as a promised wage increase or performance bonus. Often, however, extrinsic motives are not very sustainable: The motivation only lasts for a short time, until the next external stimulus follows
- Intrinsic motivation is much more effective. Intrinsic motivation strategies aim to motivate your employees from within or to ensure that they work from within. The aim is therefore that your employees carry out tasks for their own sake and experience personal satisfaction in the process. In contrast to extrinsic methods, intrinsic motivation leads to employees staying motivated over the long term. This means that they stay connected to your company for longer. The motto is, therefore: Employees are only motivated in the long term if they can sufficiently realize themselves in professional life.
A brief digression into social psychology explains why self-realization is the key to sustainably motivated employees. The needs pyramid based on considerations by Abraham H. Maslow, a social-psychological model, visualizes human needs and motivations in a simplified and hierarchical manner. While basic physiological needs (breathing, food, sleep, etc.) form the base of the pyramid, individual needs (trust, success, freedom, etc.) and self-actualization (unleashing talent, potential, and creativity) are at the top. This pyramid of needs can also be transferred to your employees and their motivation potential without any problems.
Only when basic needs such as fair pay, sufficient vacation days, and a long-term and safe working environment are met can the individual capabilities of your employees develop. If all needs are covered and taken into account by the employer, you will be surrounded by highly motivated employees.
Managers can use a few simple strategies to ensure that employees feel comfortable, motivated, and emotionally connected to the company. Even if intrinsic sources of motivation have a long-term effect, extrinsic incentives should not be neglected either: It’s all in the mix! We’ve collected nine strategies and tips to help you motivate your employees.
How to motivate employees: Nine strategies for your company
#1 Satisfying basic needs keeps employees motivated
The basis of sustainable employee motivation is satisfied basic needs – primarily, of course, in the form of fair remuneration at the end of the month. The ‘money’ factor should by no means be underestimated because without an appropriate wage, employees are often demotivated and unwilling to get involved with a company – let alone identify with the company. So make sure that salaries and bonuses do justice to the jobs or task profiles of your employees. In this way, you create a basis that motivates your employees right from the start.
However, one of these basic needs in everyday work is a pleasant working atmosphere at the workplace. On the one hand, this means the atmosphere in the team: as a manager, communicate fairly and at eye level, listen, promote team cohesion. On the other hand, the atmosphere is also influenced by material things: an attractive workplace sometimes works wonders.
Who doesn’t like coming to an office where you feel completely comfortable? Small changes often have a positive effect on the working atmosphere. Bright office furniture makes rooms more open and friendly, green plants ensure a cozy atmosphere and clean air, ergonomic equipment keeps your employees fit. Coffee, water, and fruit for free meet basic physiological needs.
In addition, various ‘zones’ can be set up, which are aimed at the different needs of your employees. How about, for example, an in-house fitness studio to work out after work, a relaxation zone for an afternoon nap, or room concepts that stimulate discussions among your employees? These employee benefits ensure that your team is motivated in the long term.
#2 Motivate employees through appreciation and recognition
Hardly anything is more motivating than praise and recognition: If you, as a manager, perceive and appreciate the commitment and commitment of your employees, this has a positive effect on their motivation. Especially when an employee does more than you expect, praise and a ‘thank you’ are more than appropriate.
In order to motivate your employees in the long term through recognition, you should make sure that you formulate specific praise for a specific situation. This signals that you, as the supervisor, are interested in the work of your protégés and that you notice what each individual achieves. A particularly subtle form of recognition is asking your employees for advice. In this way, your employees feel equal and make themselves indispensable. At the same time, you signal that your profound knowledge is not only valued but will also be taken into account in the future.
According to some studies, praise and recognition are even more motivating than financial incentives. The International School of Management (ISM) found that recognition has a positive effect on employee motivation, especially in creative professions. Praise increased their innovative strength more than a salary increase.
Psychology professor and behavioral economist Dan Ariely conducts research on motivation. In a studyhe showed that the prospect of praise and recognition in particular motivates employees in the long term. To do this, he divided the employees of a company into four groups, each of which was motivated differently if they did a good job: Group one was promised personal praise from the boss, group two were promised bonus payments, the third group was to receive pizza vouchers, and the fourth group was not to receive any incentives . In fact, the potential raise had the least effect, increasing motivation by just 4.9 percent (and actually decreasing productivity!). Praise and recognition increased employee motivation by 6.6 percent. The front runner, however, was the pizza group, whose motivation increased by 6.7 percent. Ideal tactic to motivate employees sustainably,
But beware: Praise and recognition must not be distributed indiscriminately! Find the right balance. Exaggerated hymns of praise can quickly turn into the opposite if your employees do not feel that they are being taken seriously. For example, constructive criticism can also be a form of recognition: it does point out possible weaknesses, but it makes it clear that the manager is concerned with the work of the employees.
#3 Motivate employees as a manager – act as a role model
You motivate your employees in the long term by assuming a role model function in your role as manager. Live the corporate values and all the demands you have on your employees and set a good example. Your employees will find that the same standards apply to everyone in the company and thus imitate your behavior. Especially in times of the pandemic, managers show a way out of the crisis with verve and enthusiasm and motivate employees to continue to pull together and stay on the ball even in adverse circumstances.
As a boss, you should also be the rock in the surf and keep a cool head even in heated discussions. If in doubt, intervene to de-escalate in order to comply with your company’s valuable communication rules. This is the only way employees feel understood and remain motivated in the long term. In order to convey a positive mood even in critical situations, you should avoid negative formulations and ‘not’ sentences. Concentrate on positive aspects – even if there are negative things to be discussed. Positive language motivates employees even in serious circumstances.
One of your employees made a mistake? To err is human. That’s why managers should think future-oriented when they make mistakes – and not look for someone to blame. Communicate to your employees that mistakes are part and parcel and will be punished without gross or repeated negligence. Employees who do not have to worry about losing their jobs work more productively and are significantly more motivated. In your role as a role model as a manager, you should absolutely admit your own mistakes and weaknesses and not ignore the consequences drawn from them. In a team, you can find a problem-oriented solution together and learn from mistakes together.
#4 Motivate employees through flexibility
Fixed office hours, the same vacation time every year, home office only in extreme emergencies, and work-life balance – what was that again? You are probably familiar with this way of working. Rigid structures and old management methods and instruments should be a thing of the past (where possible). In order for your employees to be motivated in the long term, their professional life must fit perfectly into their lives. Abolish rigid working time regulations and let your employees schedule working hours flexibly. In this way, employees can reconcile work and family life. In addition, different biorhythms can be taken into account, which in turn increases productivity.
With more flexibility, you signal to your employees that you value and support not only their work but also their private lives. Hardly anything motivates your employees more than a healthy work-life balance. If employees can also pursue a hobby in addition to their work or have enough time to see family and friends, this has a tremendously motivating effect.
This indispensable work balance ensures that your employees can relax, develop new, creative ideas and go to work fresh and motivated every day. So offer your employees family-friendly working conditions, flexible working hours and the option of working from home. This makes you attractive as an employer and your employees motivated in the long term.
#5 More motivation through realistic goals
Good leadership motivates employees in the long term – this also includes communicating realistic expectations and goals. The line between over-demanding and under-demanding is often a fine one: if you ask too much in too short a time, your employees will give up and become demotivated. If you set goals that are too easy to achieve, employees may feel cheated and underutilized. Realistic goals and expectations encourage and challenge your employees in a targeted manner and motivate them for subsequent projects. Lure your employees out of their comfort zone – but in moderation!
In order to actually be able to fulfill all tasks and stay motivated, you should inform your employees in detail about the intended goals. Your expectations, but also the scope of the tasks, must therefore be clearly communicated from the start. It is even better if you agree on goals together with your employees, which are to be achieved as a team. So there are no nasty surprises in the work process. Common goals also prevent frustrated lone fighters and ensure that employees feel involved in all of the company’s planning processes. This increases the sense of togetherness and at the same time ensures committed, loyal and motivated employees. A suitable instrument for this is, for example, the OKR model.
For that extra portion of motivation, you should make sure that major stages are broken down into smaller intermediate goals because goals want to be achieved. Behavioral and social psychologist David McClelland, among others, is researching this. People are always looking for recognition for achieved goals, they want to be proud – which in turn motivates them in the long term. In contrast, situations with no prospect of success – or with a realistic chance of failure – are categorically avoided.
#6 Maintain a fun and strengthen team spirit
In previous generations, work does not necessarily have to be fun. You work to be able to afford to live and to bequeath something to your children and grandchildren. Today, however, the living and working worlds are becoming more and more mixed up as a result of New Work and Work 4.0. No one knows if today’s young workers will ever be able to retire and receive a pension. It is therefore all the more important not to neglect the fun factor in the working world. This includes, for example, a relaxed and easy-going working atmosphere.
Don’t always take yourself too seriously as a manager, because laughing together lifts the spirits. Successes that are celebrated with the entire team motivate employees in the long term for subsequent projects and give you the opportunity to get to know your employees a little better privately.
If your employees feel connected to their team and socially integrated, this also increases their motivation in everyday work. Together, goals can be achieved more effectively and quickly, and the individual strengths of each individual can be bundled. Therefore, the team spirit should also be strengthened in order to motivate employees in the long term. Joint excursions, after-work events, or team sports – there are no limits to the creative motivation boosts.
#7 Motivate employees through individual support
Employees are a company’s most valuable resource. Managers should therefore primarily address the individual needs of each employee. Above all, this includes individual support that enables each individual to fully develop their own potential. Self-actualization is the key to success here. It is important to recognize the personal strengths and weaknesses of the employees in order to be able to respond to individual needs.
One way of motivating employees in the long term through support is through further training measures. These increase motivation, as the protégé’s further professional career, is improved and promoted. This gives employees the incentive to get more involved in company processes, which in turn can be rewarded with a promotion.
The promotion of young talent is also an essential topic when it comes to motivating employees in the long term. Today’s young talent is tomorrow’s potential manager. Promote in your own ranks to show your employees long-term career opportunities and thus ensure a high level of motivation right from the start – a win-win situation for both sides!
In addition to further training measures, personal discussions are also part of individual support in order to motivate employees in the long term. In appraisal interviews, not only can individual goals and milestones be agreed upon, but space can also be created for criticism and feedback.
Regular feedback alone increases employee motivation and productivity by up to 10 percent, as motivation researcher Richard Conniff describes in his book The Ape in the Corner Office. However, feedback should always work reciprocally: Always get feedback from your employees as to whether the goals and estimated time for individual tasks were achievable or whether they need to be better adapted and coordinated in the future.
#8 Material rewards as a motivational boost
Even if rewards are usually one of the (less sustainable) extrinsic sources of motivation, they still provide a motivational boost for your employees when they are in the right place. Thank you most effectively when rewards are tailored to your employee’s personal preferences. Therefore, find out early on what your employees value most. Maybe you even create index cards with possible rewards for each employee?
Attention: Rewards should always be adjusted to the respective performance. These reflect the time required from planning to the completed implementation. Exaggerated surprises do not appear authentic and tend to unsettle your employees. Also, make sure that rewards are timely and specific, i.e. for a certain performance – this is how you motivate employees for the next project.
Rewards can be tangible or intangible and can be formal or informal.
- Examples of formal rewards are planned and structured programs with their own time schedule, such as ‘Employee of the Month’
- Informal rewards, on the other hand, tend to be spontaneous ideas and individually tailored to the respective employee – for example, a bottle of their favorite wine, theater tickets, or a visit to the pizzeria around the corner. In addition to a small gift, a salary increase, an extra day of vacation or a company car are also ways of rewarding employees for their achievements and thus motivating them in the long term.
#9 Motivation remote – motivate employees in the home office
Since the corona pandemic, which is forcing many employees to work from home, there has been a completely new motivation problem, because: How do managers manage to motivate employees remotely in the long term? Especially at the beginning of an employment relationship, when it comes to digital onboarding, for example, employers should invest in various motivational strategies to get employees excited about the company and tasks.
Trust is essential for sustainable motivation in the home office. That means: giving workers the freedom to organize themselves. Over-control and over-micromanagement only make remote workers frustrated and de-motivated. However, this does not mean that you should leave your employees to fend for themselves. Help them create solid structures that facilitate self-organization.
For example, a weekly jour fixe regularly gives both sides the opportunity to exchange news and feedback. Employees see that superiors are also interested in their employees remotely and feel motivated by your support.
Team cohesion in the home office should not be forgotten either. In regular, short update calls or meetings (also called stand-up meetings or daily) not only goals and tasks can be defined together, but also the successes achieved can be recapitulated. In order to stay in touch in a relaxed atmosphere, there are, for example, joint virtual cooking evenings or themed video calls (escape games, theme parties, etc.). This strengthens the team from within and motivates employees in the long term.
Conclusion: sustainably motivate employees
Employees are a company’s most valuable resource – the company’s success stands and falls with them. The more motivated the employees, the more successful the company. If the management level takes care of an emotional bond and sustainable motivation of their employees, there are only advantages for both sides: Motivated employees remain loyal to their employer longer and are willing to work better. You work more innovatively and productively and are still less error-prone.
Committed employees also benefit when it comes to health: They are significantly less ill than dissatisfied and demotivated colleagues. Supervisors should know their employees and their personalities well in order to show respect and appreciation and to be able to use various motivational strategies in a targeted manner.
With our nine strategies and tips, you can motivate your employees in the long term and thus bring companies and employees to new peak performances. Above all, intrinsic sources of motivation, such as expressing praise and recognition, have a lasting effect on your employees. Fulfill the individual needs of your protégés, such as relaxed home office regulations or personal support in the form of further training – it’s worth it! Nevertheless, extrinsic motivation strategies should not be neglected: Even small gifts or a salary increase can have a positive effect on the motivation of your employees.
However, the key to sustainably motivated employees is undoubtedly individual self-realization: give your employees space for individual development, encourage and challenge them, ask for advice and give praise where it’s needed. This is how you can motivate employees in the long term.
