Dear Levy,
How would you deal with an employee who's doing just enough, if said employee doesn't seem to have the drive/interest to want to do more?
--Motivation Needed
Dear Motivation,
It can be a tough pill to swallow when an employer finds out that their employees don’t have the same passion as they do about business. While you are probably putting your blood, sweat, and tears into making your company a success, they seem to be blasé about the whole thing. I’m sorry you are feeling frustrated by the employee who is doing the bare minimum. It’s not an ideal situation, but understand that it is a fixable one.
Regardless of the reason for their lackluster performance, any employee experiencing a slump in productivity deserves the respect of an open conversation about what you expect as an employer. Schedule a meeting with the employee to get some honest feedback from them on why they feel so disengaged. Don’t be surprised if your employee answers back saying they just don’t see the point in putting in the effort. They might even tell you that they are feeling stressed about an unbalanced work-life situation. While you may be feeling that if their disengaged attitude becomes a habit their performance will further plummet, I encourage you to really listen to the reasons your employee is giving you for their behavior.
Don’t just shrug off the feedback you are getting from your employee. Act on it! If the issue is only affecting that person, find ways to motivate the individual based on their needs. If it’s a company-wide issue, think of ways you can improve your entire team’s engagement. Make positive changes based on what your employee is sharing with you. Implement engagement programs that encourage participation from your employees. When your employees see that you care about their needs and are engaged in addressing their concerns, they are more likely to re-engage and be excited about their work environment.
Happy Motivating,
Recognition Rachel