The New Year often sparks fresh enthusiasm and motivation for everything from our health habits to our jobs. However, as a supervisor or business owner, you might need help directing that motivation.

If you’d like to start the New Year by applying new ways to stimulate and support your work team, consider these tips.

How Can You Motivate Your Team in 2023?

Take Stock

One way to help get the New Year off to a great start is to evaluate the previous 12 months. Consider how well you led your team and how well the team performed. Pinpoint what went well or poorly and identify any changes that need to be made, notes the Manager’s Resource Handbook.

Then, look ahead to the future. What do your employees need to succeed this year? Stronger health benefits? Skills training? Updated equipment? Supportive management? An employee survey may help you get a handle on the types of benefits and management support they value.

Evaluate Employee Morale

Aside from the technical aspects of the job, strengthened morale directly impacts team dynamics, encapsulating their overall attitude, outlook and satisfaction.

Positive work morale affects employee retention, work performance, motivation, communication, productivity, collaboration and engagement.

Employee morale often is influenced by whether your workers feel valued. Sometimes, letting your employees know you appreciate them is as simple as saying “thank you.”

Acknowledge Their Efforts

A little recognition goes a long way. According to a recent Gallup analysis, only one-third of workers said they had received recognition or praise from their supervisor during the previous seven days. Yet, a simple thank you, compliment or acknowledgment of a job well done is a powerful way to support a worker’s morale.

“Workplace recognition motivates, provides a sense of accomplishment, and makes employees feel valued for their work,” according to Gallup. “Recognition not only boosts individual employee engagement but it also has been found to increase productivity and loyalty to the company, leading to higher retention.”

Share Your Passion

You want your employees to be enthusiastic about their jobs – but what are you doing to support their enthusiasm? One approach is to share your own passion for your work. Spark their curiosity and creativity by sharing an article of interest or a tip that might benefit your team, says the Nonprofit Leadership Center. Doing so “lets them know you’re thinking about them and are invested in their continued growth.”

Focus on Their Growth

You have productivity goals you want to reach. Your employees also have goals regarding their careers. These goals can go hand in hand.

First, make sure you provide the tools, software, or equipment that will help your team accomplish your business objectives. In addition, invest in developing their skills and supporting their career goals.

“Help employees advance their careers by creating a career development plan that outlines what employees need to accomplish to get a promotion, meet the organization’s goals, and improve their skills,” suggests BetterUp.

Studies show that employees who have a sense of purpose are happier, so helping them improve their skills benefits both of you.

Improve Communication & Transparency

Regular one-on-one meetings with individuals on your team make them feel supported and help keep team goals on track. However, effective communication extends beyond the supervisor-employee relationship.

“Share positive company announcements, like a new product in development or a glowing customer review,” says Connecteam. Transparency is also important. “Don’t attempt to hide problems or avoid conversations when morale is low, or you’ll do more damage. Your employees will respect honesty while you work together to fix any issues.”

Two-Way Relationship

A winning team is more than the sum of its parts, because when all those parts work well together both the company and the team members benefit.

If your team isn’t complete, contact the hiring team at Pro Resources Staffing Services for experienced job placement assistance.