Motivating Your Employees and Keeping Them Mentally Strong Is Easier Than You Think
By Katherine Lewis
Mental health matters. If the pandemic has taught business leaders one thing, it’s that they can’t take employees’ mental wellbeing for granted.
There is legitimate concern that people are burned out after so many months of working remotely and being unable to travel or step away from the constant barrage of emails, calls and texts. The Wall Street Journal has reported that large employers like PwC are paying people bonuses for taking vacation days; others like Citigroup are starting companywide days off so everyone can disengage at once. Some companies have designated Fridays as completely Zoom-free to give workers a break from video calls.
These are excellent strategies. But it will take more to fully address the emotional toll of the past year. As reported in The New York Times, researchers have a name for the pervasive feeling of stagnation and lack of focus many of us are feeling right now: languishing. It’s not the same as depression, but it can be a precursor.
For the long-term success of their company and its employees, leaders need to think holistically about how to build a culture of connectedness that motivates everyone as they work toward a common goal. Here are my four best tips for doing that. Trust me, it’s easier than you think.
1. Get your messaging in line with your mission
Make sure you’ve clearly defined your company’s mission and that you’ve driven that throughout the organization using messaging that everyone can feel good about. Things may have changed since the pandemic began, so make sure your employees know where you stand right now. What goal are they working toward? That needs to be clearly defined at both the companywide level and the team level. Recognize that some workers may have lost sight of the underlying purpose of their work and make sure they’re still feeling connected.
2. Understand that what motivates one person might not motivate another
Individuals are motivated and fulfilled by different things and managers need to take the time to understand what those are. Some might need a break from work, others might want recognition. Still others might prefer something either more tangible, like a bonus or even professional development and training Ideally, you would give a psychometric assessment like the Birkman Method or the Hogan, but absent that, simply ask for feedback about what each employee needs.
Thinking about one client whose employee’s Birkman assessment showed high emotional energy, I advised that client to check in and see how the employee was doing. It turns out that she just really needed someone to talk to. But everyone reacts differently. Check out this article from Birkman for more ideas.
3. Celebrate everything you have collectively accomplished
I’m amazed at how productive so many companies have been this past year. I don’t think most ever imagined they could do what they did. Think about it: Your company is likely among the many that met or exceeded plans that were put in place before the coronavirus surfaced. Plus, you’ve created something that can operate during a worldwide pandemic by addressing the challenge of remote working. Take time to celebrate that!
Before you move on to what’s next, think about where you were 14 months ago and look at everything you’ve accomplished. Put together small focus groups to brainstorm and share their reflections on what they are most proud of personally. Do both team and individual reflections. Many of my clients say that remote work has made their teams stronger in some ways. The playing field is more level because everyone is better informed, and there are fewer “one off” conversations. Think about what has improved at your workplace.
4. Don’t underestimate the value of simply reconnecting
Every meeting doesn’t have to be focused on putting out fires or meeting goals. Just taking time out to be together and reconnecting as a team can be very valuable. This can be as basic as a team session where people spend time doing some personal storytelling. Let people share how they are doing and what’s going on at home. This helps each person realize there’s probably someone else going through what they are. It’s so revealing when you share in this way with the whole team. People realize they are not alone, but they also begin to understand that everyone has experienced this challenging time differently. These sessions create both validation and empathy.