Motivating Employees When No News Is The Only Good News
There is still much uncertainty surrounding our economy, and lately it seems that no news is the only good news around. So how do we engage and motivate employees in an information vacuum?
One thing leaders can do is to increase their visibility and communicate more about how the company is doing—not less.
Here a few things you can do today:
- Walk the hallways. Schedule a weekly reminder to take the long way to your office. Let employees see and you, and engage in conversation.
- Engage employees on all shifts. You don’t need to sit in every meeting or walk through every building every day. But you do want your employees to know that they matter—even if they work the night shift.
- Eat in the cafeteria. By simply saying “hello” or eating lunch with other employees, you increase your visibility, as well as your credibility.
- Leave your office door open. Let employees walking by know that you are there. Leaders have a tendency to shut the door when times get tough, but it makes employees think there is trouble and secrecy afoot.
By taking a few minutes out of your day, making yourself more visible, and increasing your communication frequency, you reduce employee anxiety and uncertainty. Increasing visibility is just one part of motivating employees—but it’s a crucial part. Actions speak, and now is the time to let employees know you are there for them.
