There are several principles that managers can employ to keep employees motivated during a downturn.
First, communicate twice as much as you normally would. There is a lot of anxiety, rumor, gossip, and stress among employees. They need to be kept informed about company performance, progress toward goals, and about their own performance. Keep the dialog open, informal, and frequent.
Second, make sure each employee knows how their contribution impacts the bottom line. Help them understand that what they do matters. Show them that doing better benefits the entire organization and makes the entire company successful.
Third, be sure managers understand the ‘WIIFM’ principle. Employees will only be motivated for their reasons, not management’s. Corporate leaders must know what their employees work for, what inspires them, and why they come back everyday. It will be different for each of the four generations working in your company, but it must appeal to them individually.
If you start with just an informal, conversational survey of your employee’s motivations, you’ll be off to a good start.
