It’s a new year, and most people set up new goals. Most of us will “lose motivation” before the end of January. We all have been through that phase personally, losing weight, eating healthier, etc. You can imagine how hard it is to help those who work with you to keep motivated throughout the year about the work they do at your company or team. For managers and business owners motivating remote employees can be a daunting task. Motivating your remote employees while having no physical interaction with them can be tricky too.
I want to share 2 proven ways to motivate your remote workers based on my personal experience managing large remote teams over the last 4 years and some learnings from Daniel H. Pink’s book, Drive.
First, share the value and purpose of their tasks and the company as a whole. You want to make them a living and breathing organ of the company. Share with them the needs of each assignment, explain why they are important. Give them a reason. People tend to be more efficient if they feel like they are working for a cause or towards a goal. Always feel free to make them suggest new ideas or methods.
Second, challenge employees’ abilities. Positive reinforcement is extremely important, but not enough. Your teammates need to feel challenged often to still find their job interesting. I love the phrase that we are either growing or dying. So give them new kinds of work. Push them to work outside their comfort zone. Help your employees to become the best version of themselves. There is nothing better than overcoming new hurdles successfully to induce a sense of self-confidence.