With the hassle and hustle of daily work, it’s not surprising that most employees lose their passion after a few years. What’s surprising, though, is the fact that most bosses turn a blind eye on people who are clearly tired and stressed out. Managers often think of the slump in productivity and engagement as just a rough patch, that their team members will eventually get past it, rediscover their passion, and be their normal, well-functioning self again. After all, it’s technically not in the bosses’ job description to make jobs easier and restore their employees’ passion.
But, here’s the thing: You run the risk of losing your team members — and in the process, compromising your business operations — if you have such a perspective. Before your workers totally lose the passion, save them from the pit of indifference with these fixes:
An Exciting Challenge
People lose their passion at work sometimes because they’ve been doing the exact, same thing over again. They’ve gotten so used to it that there’s no room for thrills or amazement anymore. They no longer feel like they’re on the edge, precisely because everything is just predictable. What your employee needs are a new challenge, something that would let them explore uncharted territories.
Give them a task that puts them on a different learning journey. Find opportunities where they’ll be forced to think differently. Let them work with people who don’t jive with their personality. Talk to them about such a change and tell them straight out what your objective is: to help them redisover their passion. This way, your employee will have the right perspective in going through such a shift.
An Emotional Bond
Another major reason people become unmotivated at work is they’ve gone disconnected to their community. Stress at work can really take a huge toll on someone’s social life. Exhausted from too many tasks, your employee probably has lost so many opportunities to connect with officemates. Not the type of connection that involves e-mails, meetings, and clients though, but the type that entails checking up on each other’s families or birthday party plans.
When there’s no emotional bond among your workers, they’ll quickly slide into a passion rut, precisely because of the lone ranger feeling. Reignite that connection in your team. Host a happy hour every end of the month. Treat them out to dinner after a finished project. Use your employee incentive program to strengthen bonds within your workplace.
An Empowered Voice
In other instances, it’s the lack of say that makes people quit clinging on to their passion. Imagine being always told what to do. You’re bound to feel like you’re losing yourself and not knowing what you want anymore. What you need to do then is to give your employees the chance to have a say on matters.
Let them pitch projects they want to work on. Ask them how they can improve their job at the company. Hear their insights as to what they want to learn in a month, in a quarter, in a year. Encourage them to meet others in the industry so they could have informed ideas when they come to you. With an empowered voice, your workers are more likely to find what they love to do and engage in the company even better.
The solution to unmotivated employees lies in your ability to know where they’re coming from. When you know their struggle, you’ll be able to draw up solutions accordingly. So ask yourself, are they bored? Do they feel disconnected to social circles? Or are they fed up with not having a say on things? Be honest with your answers.