Employees Who No Longer Care...Do You Know What to Do?       by Larry Wenger

Whether I am talking to employees at a human services agency or at a local hardware store, I find that most supervisors struggle with the problem of employees who have lost their motivation to do a good job.  They walk around looking bored; their eyes glazed; they sit down whenever possible; they talk to customers and clients in unpleasant tones; they have very little positive to say to anyone; they cant wait for the next payday.  You know the folks I'm talking about.  

I hear it all the time.  Their supervisors are very frustrated.  Understandably so and yet too often, if you examine their personnel folders, there's nothing there.  Rarely do these unmotivated people do anything bad enough that gets them fired on the spot.  Yet their negative influcence spreads a dangerous disease every day.  It's a disease that makes it hard to get anything significant accomplished.  

These problems are not easy to fix; you can't give unmotivated employees a pill to change them.  Interesting that many of us work for organizations that claim to know how to change human behavior and yet we seem totally inept at changing the behavior of employees.  We can help employees change; it doesnt happen quickly but it can be done and let me say right away that we will not change them with threats or a "my way or the highway approach".  It's a network of  behaviors that will stimulate the change, when implemented professionally and by supervisors who are good with people and emotionally intelligent.  Here are some suggestions.

1.  Reduce mis-hires.   Renowned football coach Lou Holtz says that he's a better coach when he has good players.  Make it hard to get a job at your place.  Put job applicants under stress and only hire the ones that show good potential to contribute to your organization.  Accept nothing less...for any reason.
2. Be clear about duties and expectations.  Align these with the mission of the organization and discuss it at every staff meeting...it's a discussion, not a lecture.  Everyone should know how the mission impacts what they have to do this afternoon. 
3.  Emphasize learning for everyone...form top to bottom.  Demonstrate how learning new skills makes everyone more productive.  Talk about your efforts to improve your own performance.
4.  Show an interest in the personal stressors of your employees.  Understand the mountains they have to climb in order to be successful on the job.  Maybe you know where they can get some help.   Their loyalty will more than make your effort worhwhile.   It's not about being "nosey", it's a matter of being available.
5.  Overcommunicate your commitment to support the success of your employees.  Be their cheerleader; promote them; let others know about their accomplishments.
6.  Give people honest feedback beginning on their first day;  don't put it off.
7.  Be a supervisor who is trustworthy and dependable.  Don't overpromise, but do overdeliver.  Give them a safe environment in which to work; one in which they can grow and make mistakes.   Being firm, fair and consistent makes it easier for them to change.

Building motivation in someone takes time and it's not simple.  Who knows, for some it may never work.  But these 7 suggestions will promote a culture in which change is possible.  

If your supervisors want to get the most out of their staff but aren't sure where to start, I'd love to talk to you about it.   Call me at Healthier Workplaces for a free consultation, 877-872-6195. 
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