How to motivate employees (without micromanaging)

Motivation can come in many forms. This could be financial, or even emotional incentive, ranging from fear to joy. Perhaps someone knows success will bring them happiness. Others might be afraid to fail. At work, a leader should be able to tap into the right kinds of motivation to keep employees happy and working hard. 

People have long feared the micromanager. While it may work in the short term to pore over your employees' every move, in reality it wastes precious time and takes away from the worker's autonomy. It's not a sustainable way to work and it's something workers have grown to look for and avoid. There are far more constructive ways to motivate employees that can also help maintain a positive working relationship and environment.

Figure out their "Why"
This suggestion, per Forbes, focuses on employees as individuals. Often, when filling a role you're looking for a particular person who can fit into a mold or fulfill a set of duties. But there needs to also be room for their personal goals and dreams. Let's say you have hired a social media intern. What are their personal interests? What are they hoping to eventually do in this field? If their goal is to one day become an influencer, encourage them to get in front of the camera and have some creative liberty when creating content. It will allow them to put their heart into it and have a personal vested interest in its success. Or if they dream of being a writer, ask them to put together a blog that can support the social media. Ask yourself, is this employee passionate about the work they do? Why are they in this field? And how can you give them the opportunities they are looking for while moving your business forward?

Set clear goals
If an employee knows exactly what they're working toward, it makes it much easier to do it. A general idea of success could look different to everyone. Even something like "growth" is still too vague. Goals like "bringing on 10 new clients per quarter" or "making a profit of X amount in a year" are more clear and provide something tangible to work toward. These are specific, have a time frame, and are measurable. So you'll know exactly when this should be accomplished by and if it's been achieved.

Don't ignore the financials
It's no secret that people work to earn money. And although they are often seeking additional or other sources of fulfillment, if they didn't need to make money they more than likely wouldn't be there. Offering annual increases based on merit can go a long way in showing employees that they're doing a good job and should continue to. It will incentivize them to work hard and will quite literally pay off.

Build relationships
People will work hard for you if they respect you. You don't need to be best friends with everyone who works for you (in fact, you'll want to maintain some boundaries), but they should like you. They most likely won't want to let you down if you have a positive relationship. Do this by showing your appreciation for their work, showing an interest in them personally, and being respectful.

Be transparent
This piece of advice, per Indeed, shows employees that they are important to the organization. They don't need to necessarily get too far into the weeds of things unrelated to their roles, but secrecy or whispers from the "top" often form an us vs. them atmosphere. Be open about the organization, the vision for the future, and upcoming changes. This will help employees feel like an important part of the organization, not an afterthought.

Reward with recognition
Many people are motivated by the idea of feeling accomplished and for the recognition they should receive. Celebrate the small (and large) achievements of your employees, praising them or rewarding them in front of the team. Seeing others excel can encourage peers and those being recognized will feel like their hard work was worth it.

A motivated employee is happier, achieves more, is more productive, and will stay in a job far longer than someone who isn't motivated. By integrating these tips on how to best motivate, you'll set your team up for success.

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