How to motivate your team when morale is low

With burnout levels at an all-time high, it’s crucial managers know how to re-energise their employees – here’s how

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on Harvard Business Review

Over the past 100 years, considerable improvements in working conditions globally, particularly within the knowledge economy, have been witnessed. However, our journey is far from complete. It’s important to recognise that even skilled workers, who have recently benefited from greater freedom, flexibility, and access to meaningful careers, alongside employers expressing intent to enhance worker well-being, are grappling with chronic low engagement and productivity levels. Simultaneously, stress and burnout are on the rise.

Adding to these challenges are economic uncertainties, the looming prospect of a recession, the threat of job automation by artificial intelligence, and the growing prevalence of feelings of stagnation and isolation in the work experiences of many. Collectively, this paints a rather disheartening picture.

This moment presents an unparalleled opportunity to infuse humanity back into work. As technology increasingly mediates our interactions and efficiency dominates our careers, many workers are left feeling devoid of creativity, curiosity, and their essential human essence.

The implication is clear: To attract talent and cultivate truly enriching environments within teams and organisations, where individuals flourish and excel, a reconnection with the human aspects of work is vital.

This imperative holds particular weight for those responsible for managing people. Meta-analytic studies reveal that approximately 30% to 40% of the variations in team morale, performance, and significant organisational behaviours can be attributed to managerial actions. In essence, bosses play a pivotal role in influencing team well-being and success.

In this context, three potential avenues for action emerge for managers and leaders who aspire to bolster team morale, well-being, and performance, especially during challenging or uncertain periods.

Rejuvenating

Energy and output levels vary within individuals and across organisations. An employee can be highly productive one year and less so the next. When adversity strikes, such as economic crises or global pandemics, morale and performance can dip across teams. Therefore, managers and leaders should focus on rejuvenating their teams, a process rooted in energising and motivating individuals once more.

Starting with the ‘why’ is a powerful approach, recognising that a core element of leadership involves ‘managing meaning.’ Humans yearn for meaning, and leaders have the ability to shape this meaning, aiding our comprehension of the world.

A pivotal task is to consistently underscore the significance of the team’s work. Even in trying economic times, most individuals have alternative career options, fostering doubt and uncertainty. By reminding people of and reinforcing the ‘why,’ leaders can instil a sense of their importance in achieving the company’s goals. This revitalises and re-energises individuals.

Celebrating past achievements and linking them to future objectives can achieve this. By highlighting social bonds among team members and revisiting shared history and past challenges, leaders cultivate a sense of connection to each other and the team’s mission.

Rebuilding

This pertains to using leadership to heal past wounds, restore well-being, and address human issues rather than just business matters. All human relationships are prone to breakdowns due to misunderstandings, disagreements, conflicts, and failures. Skilful leaders guide their teams to learn from failures, transforming them into valuable lessons.

One effective way to assess leadership effectiveness is to evaluate the ratio of bad news to good news received as a manager or leader. If the ratio is lower than 2-to-5, there’s room for improvement.

Refocusing

Guiding teams to regain focus involves aligning members on key priorities. Remember that less can often yield more, especially when teams are fatigued. Clear and consistent communication is paramount while avoiding difficult conversations and conflict can exacerbate problems in the long run.

Initiating each year with a strategic session to align goals and execution plans can prove beneficial. It’s important to ensure everyone understands the ‘what,’ ‘why,’ and ‘how,’ fostering excitement about the collective journey towards challenging goals.

In all these endeavours, your ability to energise your team hinges on maintaining your own well-being. Managing yourself is a prerequisite to managing others. Prioritising your own self-care is paramount. Revitalising, repairing, and refocusing yourself enables you to guide your team to do the same.