Have you ever heard the term ‘Blue Monday’? It’s supposedly the day of the year when – according to scientists – people are most likely to be sad, gloomy or badly de-motivated.
Most years Blue Monday is said to fall on the third week in January – this year that’s the 21st, in case you wanted to make a note on your 2019 calendar. Some clever soul has even devised a formula for it which involves determinants like weather, debts and “time since Christmas”.
Blue Monday may not actually be very scientific, but there’s no question that motivation is hard to maintain as the best intentions of New Year’s Day bump up against the reality of late January. And what’s true in life is doubly true at work, where we spend so many of our waking hours.
Yet the fruits of a highly motivated workforce are so important to a growing business. Motivated employees work smarter, share more ideas, create more innovations and drive productivity.
So as 2019 opens, how can we bring it to bear in our own organisations? Interestingly, an immediate salary hike isn’t necessarily the answer. Surveys have found that workers often value a host of other factors in their jobs beyond pure monetary incentives. Here, then, are seven simple but effective resolutions that can make a real difference.
Set clear goals
Eighty percent of New Year’s resolutions are said to fail by February, and one of the main reasons is that they were never very achievable in the first place. So make your goals for 2019 short, sharp and realistic. Then show your team how you plan to achieve them, and how their roles are crucial. Good things happen when people are clear on their objectives and feel part of the solution.
Outline them to everybody
Once you’ve established clear goals, reinforce them. Don’t let them dawdle in a drawer until 2020: make them visible. Put them on boards and screens. Organise regular gatherings where you can refresh memories and get people excited about progress. Studies show that employees are four times more likely to want to work for a company with a strong sense of purpose.
Offer new opportunities
The mind craves new challenges, so look for ways to push and develop your employees whenever you can. Fresh skills stop boredom setting in, of course. But they also show people that you want to invest in them and their personal growth. And as they grow, you’ll also be investing in the business – their skills and motivation will push the company forward in new and unexpected ways.
Mine your talent
Often the best trainers are under our noses. Every business has employees who excel in their jobs: the customer service representative who gets continuously great feedback, for instance, or always knows how to resolve the trickiest complaints. These are the people you want to highlight, so they can spur others around the company. Use their experience and diligence as a motivating tool.
Think flexibly
Modern life is a complex balancing act, so it’s no surprise that flexible working hours are becoming ever more widely deployed in business. Flexibility is a great motivating tool, too. By showing that you’re prepared to work around people’s lifestyles – the school nativity, the day working at home rather than the office – you show them they are valued. And they’ll value you for it in return.
Notice great work
The most powerful way to motivate people is also the simplest, most obvious and least costly: thanking them for good work. Genuine, case-specific praise gives people clarity about what they are doing well. It gives them a sense of job security and personal value. Frankly, it creates a glow that virtually no other motivational technique can match.
Lead by example
We’ve all known bosses who have gone into shutdown mode when things aren’t going so well. They stop communicating, and that has a disproportionately unsettling impact on the rest of the team. The good thing is that the reverse is true – a boss who communicates verve and excitement creates a powerful ripple effect around the business. Set the right tone at the top and it’s infectious.
