Not everyone can have a great day all the time. Bad days happen, the main concern is when they happen more than good days. Have you noticed that morale is low in your shipyard? How do you counter that? How do you motivate your workforce when they’re just not feeling it? You and your management team are responsible for employee motivation, so here are some ideas you can try when morale is low.
Improve Communication
The single most important tool any management team has in their toolbox is communication. Often, when morale is low it’s because no one feels like they’re informed. If your workforce doesn’t feel like they understand what’s happening day to day, they are likely to be distant. Reinforce motivation by talking with your team regularly.
Lead by Example
You should also lead by example. If your employees see you stressed or lacking motivation, they are likely to respond in kind. If you want people to feel more motivated and engaged at work, you need to be just as engaged. Your team looks to you for cues about how they’re doing and how their work is going, so demonstrate it with your actions.
Show Gratitude
You may think that you don’t have to say thank you to your workers just for doing the things they are required to do, but give it a try. Gratitude is contagious and as soon as you start practicing it, you’ll notice a big shift in the way everyone performs on the job. Make sure you’re giving them positive reinforcement and let them know the work they do matters.
Increase Trust
Another big killer of motivation is micromanagement. You may feel that nothing will get done right if you don’t do it yourself. Or if you don’t stand over shoulders and prod until something is done to your standards. But this destroys motivation. You hired qualified professionals to do the job, so trust them to do it right.
Provide Opportunities
Finally, many of your employees begin to lose motivation when they feel restless. If they don’t think they have anywhere else to go in your shipyard, they’ll begin to check out mentally. Instead, make sure you have a clear path to advancement within the workplace. What does someone have to do to be promoted or trusted with new responsibilities. Make this clear and you’ll find more people strive to achieve new goals.
Do you want to motivate your shipyard staff? Contact Hutco to learn more today.
