Five ways you can motivate lacklustre employees

There are a handful of reasons an employee might be underperforming – here are five strategies you can adopt to combat this problem

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on Business Leadership Today

One of the most challenging aspects of leadership involves the management of performance, particularly when dealing with employees whose performance doesn’t meet the desired standard. While many leaders have positive intentions in managing employee performance, their judgment doesn’t always align. Often, leaders miscalculate an employee’s performance due to a lack of awareness about their circumstances and the necessary support for them to realise their potential and deliver results effectively.

This challenge arises from the multifaceted nature of employee performance. Various factors can contribute to poor performance among employees.

Some employees struggle due to unclear goals and expectations, while others might require constructive feedback to boost their performance. Certain individuals face obstacles unbeknownst to their leaders, as the latter rarely inquire about potential hindrances. In some instances, leaders themselves inadvertently hinder their employees’ progress.

Although there are cases where an individual might not be suited for a particular role, a significant portion of underperforming employees could benefit from more effective performance management to sustain their motivation and consistently deliver high-quality work.

To invigorate employees who are falling short, leaders should explore the following strategies:

• Provide clarity regarding performance expectations.
• Establish attainable goals.
• Foster a feedback-driven environment.
• Implement incentives and rewards.
• Introduce flexibility.

These strategies are effective in helping employees tap into their full potential and consistently deliver outstanding results by addressing the obstacles they face.

Clearly Define Performance Expectations

Accountability is a crucial element in motivating employees. Self-accountable employees are driven to meet deadlines, collaborate seamlessly with peers to achieve shared objectives and invest extra effort to complete tasks successfully.

To maintain motivation and accountability, and to allow leaders to accurately evaluate an employee’s performance, clear objectives are essential. Employees need well-defined goals to work towards, alongside a comprehensive understanding of their expected contributions.

Ambiguity around expectations and goals leads to daily conflicts regarding roles and responsibilities, which escalates stress levels, diminishes confidence, and reduces motivation. This clarity becomes even more crucial when job responsibilities shift frequently.

Offering clear goals and expectations not only aligns individual goals with organisational objectives but also helps employees concentrate their energy on accomplishments. Additionally, leaders can manage performance without micromanagement.

Leaders can ensure they provide the clarity needed through coaching, mentoring, collaborative goal-setting, continuous feedback exchange, and robust communication systems that inform employees of evolving expectations.

Set Realistic Goals

One common cause of employee performance failure is setting unattainable goals. To establish realistic and purpose-driven objectives for both teams and individual members, leaders should collaborate with their teams to formulate S.M.A.R.T. goals.

This technique enhances clarity in performance expectations, enabling employees to hold themselves accountable by structuring goal attainment plans and progress tracking methods.

Promote a Feedback Culture

In an environment rich in feedback, employees regularly receive constructive input from supervisors and are empowered to provide valuable feedback to colleagues and leadership. The primary goal of a feedback-driven culture is to maintain open, consistent, supportive, and honest communication channels. Such an environment fosters frequent dialogue among employees of all levels, thereby nurturing a high level of trust that supports motivation.

For underperforming employees, engaging in feedback discussions can help identify shortcomings, suggest improvements, and offer guidance for enhancements.

To foster a culture of feedback, leaders should prioritize listening, understanding, and reflective engagement over individual perspectives or immediate reactions. This approach encourages continuous improvement and innovation, creating a high-performance environment where employees strive to contribute creatively to the company’s success.

Incentives and Rewards

Incentives and rewards are effective motivators for employees in need of a performance boost. These mechanisms reinforce the behaviours underlying accomplishments and enhance alignment with organizational values. They have been known to improve employee performance by up to 44% and foster retention among 66% of employees.

Recognising employees’ efforts and celebrating their progress conveys their value and the impact of their work. It bridges the connection between daily tasks and the broader organizational mission, vision, and goals. This recognition demonstrates that employees are indispensable for the company’s long-term success.

Non-monetary incentives like additional paid time off, flexible working hours, and acknowledgements are equally potent motivators and leverage intrinsic motivation, further enhancing performance.

Encourage Flexibility

For employees who aren’t meeting expectations, various reasons beyond conventional performance metrics could be at play. Leaders often lack insight into employees’ personal lives or the stressors they face, which may impact their work. For instance, caregiving responsibilities can be a significant factor, affecting work hours and overall performance.

Leaders who grant employees the flexibility needed to balance work and personal life gain a competitive edge in terms of motivation and performance management. Offering remote or hybrid work options, adjusting work hours, or providing more leave time can significantly benefit employees juggling multiple responsibilities. This flexibility ultimately reduces absenteeism, turnover, and enhances overall employee performance.