Even your best employees will have some off days, and that’s just fine. Everyone has some blah days and after they deal with their ongoing issues, they are able to bounce back to their normal self. But what happens when employees completely lose their motivation to work.
As a leader, it is the manager’s responsibility to keep their team motivated to perform their best. This makes it vital to notice the signs of employees losing interest in work and take the right steps to re-engage them.
To help you out, we have listed the most common reasons for employees turning lazy & indifferent:
No opportunities for growth
Learning new things help employees get better at their jobs and produce more successful results. This boosts their morale and encourages them to keep performing well. In the absence of growth opportunities, employees find their work dull and boring.
This can be easily changed by offering online learning courses to help employees learn new skills. Tools like Academy Of Mine that are easy to use and that offer blended learning support are a great way to motivate employees.
Moreover, the Academy Of Mine pricing structure makes it an affordable option which makes it a win-win situation for both the business and their employees.
Lack of autonomy
Not having the power to make decisions for themselves and their work makes employees unmotivated. Lack of flexibility and autonomy collectively prevent an employee from maintaining a good work-life balance.
This is a major reason for employee unhappiness and it makes them feel undervalued when they don’t have the flexibility to do things their way. Feeling they are not trusted to do their jobs well can cause employees to withdraw from their work.
Absence of clear objectives
It is the manager’s responsibility to clearly communicate details and set goals for each team member. But when there is no clarity in the information being received by an employee they may end up feeling directionless.
Setting clear objectives for each employee keeps them on track and helps them achieve their goals in the given time frame. It allows them to measure their day-to-day growth within the organization.
Not receiving recognition for their work
Human beings crave appreciation. Acknowledging employee contributions and appreciating them for their good performance is a powerful motivator. But not all managers realize how important it is to give credit when it’s due.
When employees put in their best to deliver great results but are still not appreciated for it, they lose interest in their work. If an employee feels they are not being appreciated for what they bring to the table, there will be a visible decline in their commitment to the company.
Workplace politics
A lot of employees engage in office politics as a way of being in the limelight or getting ahead in their work. But when it causes distress and harms an employee’s reputation, it can lead to some very serious consequences. It makes them feel there is no point in working sincerely.
Another common occurrence is favoritism. When employees notice that someone is being favored by the manager and that is responsible for their success, they may lose interest in getting ahead based on merits. This is very detrimental for the company and there must be strict policies to prevent such practices.
Conclusion
Before you start blaming the employee for being a procrastinator and not doing their best, have a one-on-one conversation with them and try to understand the reason for the change in their behavior. At the same time, make sure you are not the cause of distress for your employees. When managers fail to take accountability for their role in poor employee performance, it compels employees to follow suit and decline the responsibility.