By: Natasha Archary
Demoralized colleagues can have a negative impact on a company’s productivity, because disengaged employees will shut down or switch off from participating in tasks and projects.
A demotivated team can rapidly become a company’s biggest hurdle, because just one negative employee can spread toxic vibes throughout the organisation.
Employee apathy, if left unchecked can spread beyond the establishment’s doors, and can affect a business’ reputation.
There are a number of factors both personal and internal that can play a role in whether employees are motivated to perform or not.
While it does fall on the employer to create a positive environment that promotes wellbeing, having an idea of what people are going through, might help you to motivate demoralized colleagues.
There’s nothing worse than surrounding yourself with coworkers who show a lack of interest, enthusiasm or concern for the company or other employees.
Listen to the conversation on Kaya Drive:
First thing’s first
Understand that every employee has a different personality and it’s important to engage with each one in the manner that best supports them.
Often performance assessments can be demoralizing to employees who are already under pressure to deliver and perform.
Offering feedback and criticism to staff can be a grueling process which many employers handle without much flexibility.
With the focus on the company’s performance at the top of the priority list, employee wellness takes back seat, because it’s all about expectations and key performance areas.
Recognising the warning signs of demotivation early could help to steer employees to have a more positive focus.
Some of the reasons employees may feel demotivated include:
- No job security
- The company not offering growth prospects
- Feeling under-valued
- Poor leadership
- Conflict in the office
- Lack of training and development
Also read: Year-end fatigue: let’s rethink resilience, aim for antifragility
