Demotivating Employees

Over the years, I have had numerous coaching conversations with managers about why so many employees are disengaged or unmotivated. Some feel that by simply paying more will solve the problem. Others have tried that and still don’t get the engagement they are looking for.

Here are some of the things that employees have told me during training or coaching sessions that managers may be doing to cause demotivation.

• Taking credit – employees produce and managers take the credit with the higher ups.
• Promising a promotion – employees feel managers promise promotions if they meet certain goals and yet when the time comes, no promotion (or raise) is forthcoming.
• Promising professional development – managers not offering any kind of professional development opportunity whether it’s allowing employees to attend internal training programs or helping them to find external courses which could boost their career.
• Lack of support – employees feel their manager isn’t really listening to their concerns, suggestions or personal issues. Rather they may nod or say “um hum,” but then their suggestions or concerns are brushed off without any explanation or clarification as to why it won’t work. Even worse, the employee shares a personal dilemma hoping for some guidance or support and gets told to immediately go to HR, which may legally be the correct response, but…
• Worklife (in)balance – the company or the manager touts work-life balance as a priority, yet when employees need to take time off for a family emergency, they are reprimanded. Or worse yet, employees are required to regularly work more than the boss does.

Funny enough, many of these things that frontline employees complain about are the same thing that mid-managers feel as well. As leaders, we need to apply the golden rule and do unto our employees as we want done to us.

Happy motivating!

What other factors do you think play into employee disengagement or demotivation? Have you experienced any of these things yourself and if so, how did you overcome it?