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Top Five Employee Motivation Problems

Work | Running a Business | Hiring Employees

By Lisa McQuerrey Updated June 28, 2018

Keeping employees motivated and engaged can help boost morale,

reduce turnover and create a more dynamic and profitable operation.
While different things motivate different people, there are several
demotivating practices that can negatively impact your business.
Recognizing and correcting these issues can help improve your
organization on numerous fronts.

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Poor Leadership Structure
When no one appears to be in charge, or worse, everyone thinks they're in charge, it can be hard to perform at peak levels.
A lack of hierarchy or direct reporting structure leads to confusion, resentment and an overall lack of direction. Employees
are demotivated because their objectives are unclear, and therefore, difficult to work toward. Here are some issues that
contribute to this employee motivation problem:

Unclear or nonexistent job descriptions.

No clear chain of command.
Disorganized directives.
Hazy goals and objectives.

The employee motivation problem can be solved by writing detailed job descriptions, creating an internal organizational
chart and setting clear organizational goals, both individually and by the department.

Lack of Challenging Work

Employees who are bored are typically unmotivated. They may not take an interest in tasks they consider mundane or may
perform poorly at the work they do attempt. Some reasons for this motivational problem include:

Inappropriate hires.
Not taking advantage of an employee's skill set.
Lack of professional development opportunities.
Failure to promote from within.

This issue can be addressed on several fronts, including the interviewing stage, when you should strive to ensure the
person you hire is a good match for the job. Once someone is in their position, provide proper training and the tools the
individual needs to do their job effectively. If they appear to master tasks quickly or don't show an interest, consider cross-
training, mentoring, job-shadowing or even a different position that better utilizes their talents.

Workplace Conflict
When employees are at odds with one another, or with management, it's not only demotivating, it's also unproductive and
could lead to a toxic work environment. Signs of workplace conflict include:

Bickering and open disagreement.

Open sabotage of the work product.
Gossip and clique formation.
Constant complaints to human resources.

Resolve workplace conflict by setting clear directives about the types of behavior that will not be tolerated, and taking
action accordingly. Address conflict as it arises and set in place a mediation approach to ensure employees have the
ability to work out their differences in a professional setting.

Lack of Confidence in the Company

If employees don't feel the company is "going anywhere," or perceive the business is mismanaged to the point of potential
job loss, this feeling of insecurity can manifest as poor motivation. Signs of this lack of confidence may be demonstrated
in the following ways:

Disinterest in long-term projects.

Unwillingness to cross-train or develop professionally.
High turnover as people search for new jobs.
Poor quality of the work product.

This issue can be addressed by sharing corporate objectives with staffers. Develop a strategic long-term business plan
and solicit employee feedback. Demonstrate how their roles will be augmented with teamwork and growth to get buy-in
about the company's future. If gossip develops about closure, mergers or other altering factors, communicate sooner
rather than later so staffers feel you are being upfront about the company's future.

No One-on-One Attention
Regardless of the company's size, employees need regular feedback to be motivated to do their jobs properly, and well.
Some things that might make a staffer feel left out in the cold include:

No regular performance evaluations.

Irregular one-on-one management meetings.
Lack of personal goal-setting.
The absence of regular feedback.

Resolve this potential motivation issue by regularly scheduling brief private appointments with staffers to touch base on
both work and professional development issues. Hold regular employee performance reviews, annually or bi-annually, and
in these discussions, set specific goals and objectives.

Employee motivation is directly tied to productivity and operational success. If you are concerned about whether your
staffers are motivated, invite them to share their feelings on the subject via a focus group, employee committee or survey.
You will generate a lot of feedback you can use to your advantage, as well as reassure employees their input is valued.

REFERENCES RESOURCES WRITER BIO

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Importance of Employee Behavior in an Organization

By Lisa McQuerrey Updated July 01, 2018

The behaviors of employees in the workplace have a direct correlation MOST POPULAR
to the business' operations, and concurrently, its success. Typically,
professional behaviors generate collaborative work product and elevate 1 De nition of Insolence in the Workplace

the status of the company, while poor or unprofessional behaviors have

Why the Way You Behave in the
the potential to thwart productivity, decrease morale and create a poor 2 Workplace Is Important
public image.
3 Unacceptable Workplace Behaviors

4 Top Five Employee Motivation Problems

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Cohesiveness
For a business to perform well, it must be comprised of qualified, well-trained professionals who have the ability to work in
a collaborative team environment toward shared common goals. When any member of the team exhibits unprofessional
behavior, it has the potential to create animosity and resentment among the ranks and derail progress in carrying out
corporate objectives. Some examples of poor or unprofessional behavior include:

Being late or a no-show

Non-participation in meetings and group initiatives
Disrespectful behavior toward colleagues or superiors
Failure to meet agreed-upon deadlines
Not pulling your weight or doing your share
Gossiping or spreading rumors

Productivity
When employers behave poorly in the workplace, things don’t get done -- or done right. For example, if a member of the
team fails to compete their portion of a group project, or undermines the rest of the team due to a disagreement, work
product suffers. This can result in angry or lost clients, increased costs and dissent among the ranks. Concurrently,
employees who behave well and who band together, who contribute equally and agree to disagree can surpass
expectations in achieving goals and objectives.

Morale
When people are happy to come to work, are satisfied with their jobs and enjoy the company and collaboration of their
colleagues, morale is high. When the workplace feels hostile, unsettled and unwelcoming, and when employees and
managers are constantly bickering and refusing to work as a team, morale suffers. Low morale can produce more
absenteeism and high levels of turnover, all of which are costly for a business.

Recruitment and Retention

When it comes to finding and keeping the best employees, workplace atmosphere is a critical factor. If prospects inquire
about turnover rate or environment, they may choose to look elsewhere, if it’s clear professional behavior is the exception
rather than the rule. Even if someone does accept a job with the company, once they’re in the thick of things and recognize
unprofessional behavior, they may quickly exit. This can halt productivity, as well as require additional time and funds to re-
recruit and retrain for the role.

Public Perception
In an age in which perceptions of companies are shared widely via the internet, a company that has a reputation for poorly
behaved employees and associated poor service levels will discover that its reputation has spread rapidly. Having a
reputation for unprofessional behavior puts a company at a distinct disadvantage. In addition to having problems
attracting and retaining employees, it may be difficult to keep existing customers and to bring in new ones. Keep in mind
that employees who behave poorly toward one another, often behave the same way with clients.

REFERENCES WRITER BIO

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