During the COVID-19 pandemic, people’s lives and motivations are suffering. Even those who have been fortunate to work from home have their own issues to tackle. While companies are doing their best to keep workers safe and happy, there is a dire need for motivation amongst the working population. It is important to motivate teams during these trying times.

How do you ensure your teams are motivated when you are not physically present? Taking a few pointers from engagement experts at NextBee, and some help from technology, data, and statistics, we have curated a list of unique ways to keep your teams motivated during these tough and trying times.

1. Create a space for open communicationCreating a place for clear communication can greatly motivate teams. Clear communication includes clarity on tasks, deadlines, and important details about work. When the staff knows what is expected from them, they can perform better at work.Foster an environment where employees can freely ask questions and participate in the exchange of ideas. This will make them feel valued and show that you care about them. Encourage them to take the initiative, recognize uniqueness and bring up team collaboration. In larger organizations, the same can be achieved through regular team meetings where members share their concerns and ideas with the team leaders.NextBee’s project management tools let team members view the daily, weekly, and monthly tasks, along with any notes or comments that the leaders leave for them.
2. Promote growth and developmentAn organization in which employees have the scope to grow and upskill themselves can motivate their employees greatly. The equation is simple- when you allow your employees to grow and increase their skill sets, they are motivated to work harder.With new training comes more knowledge. With that knowledge, not only will they be able to perform better in their tasks, but they also will advance in their career, moving up to better job roles and opportunities. Bring about a culture that promotes experimentation and normalizes failure.Introducing an environment that promotes education and training enables cognitive development and raises the organization’s talent pool. Development creates the pathway for further growth and progress.
3. Provide a workplace that promotes individual wellbeingWorkplaces that promote wellbeing- both physical and mental- experience heightened drive and enthusiasm to work. There are many ways to focus on overall work satisfaction in order to motivate team members. You can focus on increasing their work-life balance, creating a place where meditation and yoga can be practiced, encouraging sports and physical activities, and providing flexibility in work.Social connections are equally important for mental wellbeing in the workplace, as they are outside the workplace. Help your employees get to know each other through fun outings, team activities, and chat groups.Make quality checks on happiness levels of employees a regular occurrence, and help them tackle stress, work pressure, or any other issue through therapy sessions.
4. Value timeAs an organization, you must ensure no employees’ time is wasted. Bring in software and gadgets that will get things done quickly and efficiently. Encourage usage of technology as much as possible because that promotes smooth running of daily operations and a quicker result. Tools such as project management help collaborate with the team over the minutest details without meeting in person. This is a great way to bring on-site employees and remote employees to work together, and motivate teams.

Implementing these tips will motivate your team and increase productivity. If you’d like to know more about how we have helped many other companies increase their employees’ motivation levels and double the productivity, please reach out to us. It will only take a few minutes to revolutionize your workspace.