What if your employees were excited to make things better and more efficient in your company? What if they took the company vision and mission as if it were their personal goal and mission? Wouldn’t your life be easier and better? What do you think will be the impact on your customer service and your bottom line?

This sounds like a fantasy, doesn’t it? The thought of work makes people grimace as they think of their bosses, the work they left behind and the to-do list that awaits them once they get back. But if it were possible to make each one extremely dedicated to their work, would you want to make it real?

Abraham Maslow once said, “A man must be what he can be if he were to be truly happy.” This speaks to the innate desire within all of us to grow, excel, and realise our full potential. People are naturally motivated when they feel connected to a vision they believe in and are contributing meaningfully toward a shared goal. As I often say, "Nobody loves the idea of failing."

Yet, if you’re like many leaders I’ve met, you might find yourself wondering, "Why do so many employees seem disengaged? How can I make them love what they do?"

The better question, however, might be, "What am I doing that suppresses people’s natural desire to do good work?" Just as rigid school curricula can stifle creativity and a love for learning, certain outdated work practices unintentionally drain employees' enthusiasm and sense of fulfilment.

With that in mind, here are some practical tips to reignite involvement and boost engagement—helping your employees not just perform better but genuinely enjoy going the extra mile.

Meet people where they are

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi named the psychological concept of the “flow” where competence and challenge intersect. Too low expectations would make employees bored and unmotivated. Too high expectations make them anxious and nervous. This anxiety gets in the way of creativity and engagement in employees. A conversation and mutual assessment of one’s skill levels, what is expected and what one needs to be able to get there is crucial in this area. Employees who feel supported are more willing to go the extra mile. 

Encourage experimentation, and allow mistakes

An environment that punishes mistakes severely breeds a disengaged workforce. If every new idea has to be perfect, people will be discouraged from having innovative ideas. They become followers, instead of leaders. If no one is willing to take a risk for fear of being reprimanded, staying safe is doing the same thing repeatedly even if there may be better ways of doing things. 

Have an inspiring vision

Inspiring people will yield so much more than making them fear repercussions. What inspires and motivates your workforce? How are you ensuring that they get those from your company? Old-fashioned leaders are just focused on ensuring everybody clocks in at the earliest possible time and clocks out at the latest possible time. Managers who are perfectionists will ensure every dot is in the right place without caring how much their teams feel. Employee involvement and care are bound to go downhill with this kind of culture. Many of what’s inspiring are non-monetary. It could be just having a mentor to learn from, and being inspired by what the company stands for. It could be a simple “thank you” and “good job”. This is the easiest way to get the right people on the bus with you. People who share the same values are bound to stay and be passionate while at it. 

Develop a workplace that makes people want to go to

Having fun is one of the best pulls for employees. How much laughter do you hear in hallway conversations? That’s usually a good indication of how people feel. One of the best retention plans is having team members who like spending time with one another. When they have fun, they’ll also tend to be more creative together. 

Create a psychologically safe environment

Safety in the workplace is a foundation for people to do well. With safety, there will be unlimited ideas and more drive. Safety means “I can be myself and not fear judgement”. It means “it’s okay to disagree with colleagues and superiors”. Those who don’t feel safe will likely pretend they understand and agree to everything. This slowly becomes indifference and detachment. Gradually, the employees will disengage and only do the bare minimum to survive. 

Recognise people for a job done well

Recognition can be a simple “thank you”, “good job”, or gift certificates for meals and beverages. It can also be a grander recognition like awards periodically given. Being able to receive good feedback lets them know what behaviours are being reinforced. People who feel seen and appreciated are more likely to do better than those who are threatened. 

Receive detailed feedback for mistakes

In his book, The One Minute Manager, Ken Blanchard says it’s ideal to give feedback within one minute of the behaviour we want to correct. This makes it easy to identify what they did wrong and what they should do instead. Waiting too long will make it blurry and unclear. Many employees seem to repeat the same mistake, and it’s usually because they’re not clear about what they’re doing wrong. 

A self-actualising culture is a company environment where everyone feels safe to share their talents, and be honest with their weaknesses so they can work at them and be better. This breeds a welcoming atmosphere that employees look forward to and want to give their minds and hearts to. Changing leadership mindsets and ways of doing things are crucial in co-creating this kind of culture. Agility and proactiveness are borne out of this shift. The bottom lines are rewarded for it.  

You can take the interaction further by joining Sheila Tan in her workshop titled "Reprogramming Leadership to Unleash a Culture of Passion, Agility and Excellence". Secure your spot at The Philipines’ Largest People and Work conference and take the next step in your HR leadership journey. Register now and ensure you're ready to navigate the future of work!