So, how can you tell when a team member is losing motivation at work?
If your team members are frequently slack with their arrival time at the start of shift, it may be an indicator that they aren’t enthusiastic about their work.
It may make sense during challenging times in your workplace, like when faced with tough deadlines and long days of hard work, that your team members may be a bit reluctant in the morning. But if this behaviour continues week after week it may be a sign that you’re team are losing motivation.
Acknowledging stressful times, asking your staff members if there are any factors that are causing issues for them and trying to boost their morale at work can help you reduce issues down the line and increase the happiness of your workforce.
Some people are naturally quiet or prefer to deliver feedback and ideas in a one-on-one setting, so it's not always a sign that someone is unmotivated. However, if a previously vocal team member stops offering new ideas it could be a sign that they are lacking enthusiasm about their role.
It may be that the team member feels that their feedback has been handled negatively or their suggestions aren’t appreciated, or it may just be general apathy. Either way, a change in behaviour could be a sign that there are motivation issues in your business.
Do you frequently see your teammates stopping work to have a chat, or quickly putting their phones away as you walk through the door?
It’s pretty normal to see some slips and more social chats on Friday arvos or before long breaks, but if it’s becoming the norm then you may have an issue in your business. Depending on the underlying cause, creating social times, like monthly team lunches or Friday arvo socials can help you curb the distractions at work.
A final telling sign that your team may be demotivated is if their work is suffering. Lots of things can cause reductions in productivity, including stock shortages, technical issues and other disruptions. But, if it's “business as usual” but you’re still seeing reduced output or slower times to complete projects, then you’re team may be lacking the enthusiasm they once had.
Naturally, this may be hidden from your business if you aren’t accurately tracking your project costs and time. But, if you have templated projects set up and a way to accurately compare costs against similar projects, then you are well places to see if there is an issue.
Read more: 4 Ways Job Tracking Software Is Good For Team Morale
Depending on the issue or cause of demotivation, the solution may be simple or complex. There is no one right answer to how to improve motivation, but there are some things you can do to improve satisfaction with your team.