How to Motivate Employees Through Communication

A post from our Leadership and Team Management blog

Today's work culture is very different to how it used to be in the past. We don't expect our employees to slog through work and reach deadlines without lifting a finger to motivate them. People joining the work force nowadays are more dynamic individuals and have better education and skills than ever before. They're encouraged to think creatively and outside the box, and utilize every bit of their intelligence to contribute towards a project.



Naturally, high performing employees require motivation and encouragement to continue performing well, and there are several ways to go about it.  These include offering incentives, setting goals, assigning interesting and challenging work, and so on. And communication is probably the most effective method of all.

But how does it work exactly? To help you get the most out of your team, we've collected 7 useful tips on how to motivate employees through better communication.

1) Hold regular meetings

Arranging meetings and get-togethers is one of the most effective ways you can improve communications and motivate employees. This is especially important in a new team, or when new employees arrive. The primary aim of these meetings is to strength relationships, and this article on the Teamly blog on building good rapport has some great ideas on how to do this.

In this way, you'll encourage communication between you and the team, as well as among team members themselves. Now you'll make your employees feel valued, which will motivate them to perform better.

So remember that regular staff meetings can benefit everyone by improving workplace communication.

2) Ask questions and offer suggestions

Asking questions -- and offering suggestions -- implies that you've been paying attention to others. These questions can even be simple things, like asking a new employee about how they're fitting in or asking the team as a whole about their progress in specific projects. It's just as important to let your team know you're open to their questions and suggestions as well. This will motivate them because they'll know you value their opinions.

3) Encourage contribution

By encouraging contribution, you create an atmosphere of open dialogue. In the long term, this increases productivity as your employees are free to put forward their own ideas. And always consider them thoughtfully, even if you disagree!

4) Keep them informed

Nothing alienates employees and hinders productivity more than withholding important facts about the company. They're a part of your organization and everything that affects you will affect them too.

By keeping your employees informed, and regularly updating them on the company's progress, you help them understand that they are a vital part of the team.

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5) Show interest in their concerns

If your employees approach you with problems or issues, it's very important to take them seriously. Again, you want them to feel valued and you want them to value the well-being of your company in return. One of the best ways to achieve that is to be concerned about their comfort and well-being. This motivates them to perform better and they will become more invested in the progress of your business. Forbes has an excellent article on the topic which might give you some ideas on how to do this.

6) Be a positive communicator

Keeping all communication between you and your employees positive is of citical importance to the overall health of your company. And if you find that someone isn't performing well, it's always best to speak to them in private. Express your concern regarding the drop in their productivity, and ask them whether you can help. Similarly, acknowledge and reward accomplishments and good work.

If you need some additional help with this, ZandaX's Communication Skills courses teach you how positive reinforcement is the best way to motivate employees to work better.

7) Offer flexibility

Different people work differently even within the same environment. For example, some people might be happier when working in a team, while others can perform better when they're working on their own. While it may not be possible to offer your employees that level of flexibility all the time, it's a good idea to permit it every once in a while.

If you put these ideas into action, even a few changes can result in great benefits to you, and your team. Maybe start with one or two "quick wins" where you can get good results from just a little effort.  Before long, you'll have your employees not just more motivated, but happier, and more productive, too!