We know how it is in February. People are tired, the light is low and energy is running low, and the summer holidays are still a long way off. Employee motivation is almost disappearing before our eyes. The good news is that you can work with it. You can measure, strengthen and maintain it in the long term without having to do complex programs or large surveys.
Don’t wait for an annual survey. A short questionnaire once every two to three months is enough. For example, ask what people enjoy about work, what energizes them and what would help them work with more enthusiasm. A combination of a rating scale and one open-ended question is usually more than enough. Also monitor indirect signals. Is absenteeism increasing? Do people seem passive? These are often clear indicators of motivation. The tools don’t have to be complicated, for example Google Forms or regular HR software are quite sufficient.
The results will often surprise you. For example, a survey in one Czech software company revealed that employees do not lack benefits, but simple recognition from their superiors. All they needed was to introduce short praise after a successful project. The result? Absenteeism decreased and the team atmosphere improved significantly.
Money and benefits only work in the short term. Long-term motivation is driven by a sense of meaning, relationships, and recognition. Simple regular feedback is enough, and it does not have to be formal; often a few specific sentences are enough: “Thanks for the great presentation” or “I was really pleasantly surprised by the way you handled the project.”
Small challenges also help. Entrust management of a smaller project or involve someone in decision-making. And don’t forget about teamwork. It doesn’t have to be a big team building event. Sharing ideas, solving problems together, or small informal activities are often enough. For example, by introducing mentoring and role rotation between junior and more experienced employees, you can significantly reduce burnout and significantly increase people’s motivation to get involved in projects.
Motivation is not a sprint, but a marathon. To last, it must be part of the company culture. Trust, the opportunity for growth and a sense of security play a major role. Companies that combine employee development with respect for their personal needs have more stable teams and lower turnover. In the long run, it pays to monitor motivation quarterly. Not for the sake of tables, but so that you can react in time and adapt your approach to the current situation in the company.
This is where the role of leaders and managers comes in. HR programs alone will not save motivation. Management must actively show that it is safe to say what is bothering you, and that mistakes are not punished, but serve as a learning experience. Managers should communicate regularly and, most importantly, live the company values in practice, not just have them written on the website or noticeboard. This can mean, for example, openly sharing stories when the team acted according to the values, or recognizing and rewarding behavior that reflects the values. Unfortunately, we know from practice that the opposite approach is more common: pressure only on performance, excessive control, emphasis on mistakes, unrealistic expectations and taking employee efforts for granted are often the standard that reduces motivation very quickly.
You don’t have to start with a big revolution. Do a mini-survey, choose two specific steps that can be tried right away, and check the results after a few weeks. Small changes often show up faster than you would expect. In short: employee motivation is not a “nice to have”. It is one of the easiest ways to retain people, reduce pressure on HR and create an environment where it is good to work.
