How to keep your team motivated
Every team suffers from occasional dips in energy and motivation. There are many reasons why this happens, and it can manifest in different ways, whether through high levels of staff turnover, a lack of ‘buzz’ in the workplace or actual feedback from your team. If you suspect your team members are feeling low, the following suggestions will help you form an action plan for boosting morale.
Spoiler alert: It’s not always about more money…
Contrary to popular belief, almost all studies on employee motivation show that remuneration – how much we are paid - is not the main reason why people leave their jobs for supposedly greener pastures. Meaningful work and a strong sense of wellbeing are two of the most cited factors when it comes to job satisfaction, and are linked to better staff retention, higher levels of engagement and reduced absences.
However, within early education and care, it is all too often because of low staff wellbeing and career opportunities that people are leaving. According to a study published in 2023, 57% of nursery staff and 38% of childminders are considering quitting the sector. Evidence suggests that neglecting to support staff learning and wellbeing may not only impact the individual but also the quality of the care and education that children receive.
Why does team motivation matter?
Wellbeing and learning are inextricably linked in the early years, and this applies to both children and educators. Children can’t learn if they don’t feel safe or happy. Why would this be any different for those that care for, and educate, them?
The literature on leadership and management extensively shows that creating an 'optimum' working environment is the most effective way of boosting staff morale. Creating an optimum environment that inspires people to do their best every day is in your power.
It might help to consider the following points:
1. Appreciative culture
When we are supported and valued, we feel good about ourselves and the job we are doing. Exit interviews and opinion surveys regularly show that people often leave an employer because they haven’t received the recognition they feel they deserve or proper feedback on how they are doing. Expressing appreciation is the first step in creating an atmosphere that will motivate staff. A culture of gratitude can help staff not just feel rewarded but also heard and seen.
Celebrate what is right, what is working well, rather than focusing on what is wrong or not working.
Smart steps you can take to develop a culture of gratitude:
- Be sincere and show genuine appreciation for a job well done.
- Be specific and timely with any praise you give. Meet regularly with individuals to review what they’ve achieved.
- Celebrate success regularly no matter how big or small through staff meetings, shout out boards etc and encourage people to look out for successes in the day-to-day.
2. Team involvement
Another point that regularly emerges in opinion surveys is that people need to feel involved in their work and that their contribution is important to the success of their workplace. Of course, it would be completely impractical to involve everyone in every decision, discussion or project that ever takes place, but allowing for greater team contribution, especially around initiatives that will directly affects the team, gives people a sense of inclusion and importance.
If people are rarely involved in the decision-making process or not invited to contribute their thoughts and ideas, they might begin to feel like a non-entity - someone that does not matter. This can have serious consequences for creativity, innovation, motivation and, ultimately, retention.
Smart steps:
- Involve people in the decision-making process as much as it is practical. This does not mean that people have to start attending lots of meetings and discussion forums. It could be as simple as asking others to email you their thoughts and ideas on the topic up for discussion or having an ideas sheet on the staff room notice-board.
- Develop an inclusive culture, for example by encouraging teams to work together and to physically move out of their usual environment by setting up projects that require collaboration.
- Give staff autonomy in their role within clear standards and support them when needed, such as, for any complex issues.
- Ensure that the demands of the job are acceptable - this includes workload, work patterns and the work environment.
- Have an occasional team night out or an out of work get-together to allow people to have some experience of each other in a social context.
3. Supportive environment
Another important factor that can boost morale is the feeling that your colleagues are genuinely concerned about you as an individual. Any manager that disregards the feelings, aspirations or problems of individuals, is never going to enjoy the benefits of a truly motivated workforce. Making time to listen and to gather feedback from individuals will give you an insight into how to support your team and will guide you in deciding where to put your time, energy and resources.
Smart steps:
- Always consider and treat people as individuals. Find out what interests them, both at work and in their personal lives, what their expectations are for the job and how they gain satisfaction from the work they do.
- Check in regularly with the team; don’t assume you know how they feel. Ask staff what they need in a variety of ways, during supervisions through staff surveys etc. If done well, it sends a message that you are here, you are listening and that you are committed to their wellbeing.
- Offer on-the-job coaching, mentoring and training whenever possible.
- Be alert to the mood of the team and how team relationships might influence this. If you feel that there is friction, or simply that members could work together better actively look for ways to resolve and improve this.
- Ensure the physical working environment is comfortable, pleasant and conducive to effective working. This means checking the temperature, the space people have to work and relax in, monitoring noise levels, general levels of cleanliness and décor, etc.
Key takeaways
All forward-looking leaders know that their people are their most important asset and, as the sector constantly evolves, every member of staff needs to continue learning and growing throughout their careers. Whilst the importance of wellbeing for the development of young children may seem almost self-evident, it is only recently that we have started to understand the vital role it continues to play for effective learning in older children and into adulthood.
Create an optimum working environment with communication at the core and you will rarely have to worry about boosting morale.
