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3 Ways Your Business is Killing Employee Motivation

There is a dirty little secret that people aren’t talking about–a secret that is keeping people from living their most productive and positive lives. 

A business is meant to be an enterprise that successfully serves its customers while also being a positive and rewarding place to work. However, there are many reasons businesses are unable to create a cohesive and welcoming work environment.

From not creating clear operating procedures to issues with micromanagement, and not creating a space for employees to be heard, these are issues that no amount of motivational techniques can solve. Keep reading to learn about the 3 motivation killers your organization may be experiencing.

 The idea that if you’re not waking up at 5am, then you’re not living your best life simply isn’t true. Is it an option that works for many people? Absolutely, but it’s not the only one. 

Not Having Systems in Place

When you first started your business, you may have started with a small team or it may have just been you! During those early days, there’s often so much energy and earnest excitement for everyone to chip in that sitting down and creating a system, or standard operating procedure, is often the last thing on your mind.

Fast forward 12 months or more and you may have outgrown your original team- congrats! The downside? You have a training process that could feel rushed or disorganized, leaving new team members unsure of what to do in certain situations. That lack of confidence can lead your team to not feel comfortable in their role or in the company itself. 

Lack of Trust in Your Team

Now, what could feel as disheartening as not feeling confident in your training? Having someone constantly checking your work. I distinctly remember a moment as an entrepreneur when I was opening a new location, and had hired a brand new team. Now if someone asked me if I thought I was a micromanager at the time, I would have told you I was the total opposite… until one of my new hires commented that it felt like I was their mom constantly checking their work.

Thinking back, I was so focused on having a successful launch I didn’t realize how I was coming across to my team who were amazing at their jobs! Owners and managers, I’m telling you, put your trust in the team you vetted and hired, and give them the bandwidth to make mistakes and grow.

Not Giving Your Team a Voice

The third issue we find to be a consistent motivation killer is not giving your team a reliable and trusted avenue to express feedback or simply just having a safe outlet to communicate. Your team needs a safe place to express any issues they may experience in the workplace because, without it, these issues can fester and grow.

If you’re a small business owner assuming the role of HR, develop a trusted line of communication between yourself and your team. It’s up to you to remain an objective sounding board for any issues that will come up.

Did any of these issues resonate with you? Investing your time and resources into resolving these challenges will result in better employee retention, better productivity, higher rates of positivity within your organization and, most importantly, higher rates of customer satisfaction. Without addressing these issues, your business will be left swimming upstream. Have questions? Schedule a complimentary consultation with our team today!

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