Driving End of the Year Motivation as a Manager

It’s been a tough year, so it’s little wonder that many employees are rushing for the finish line, wanting to dive headfirst into the holiday season, and in some respects, we can’t blame them. 2020 has been challenging for everyone, you’ve probably asked a lot from your people and hopefully they’ve answered the call and delivered. So, it’s no surprise that as the festive mood increases, motivation levels may decrease. However this year, more than ever before, every minute does matter, not only to what can be achieved in December, but also in laying good foundations for January and beyond.

So how do you keep your people motivated and engaged throughout December without coming across as the Grinch that Christmas forgot? Here are our three top tips for managers in this position:

It’s all about achievable goals and thinking ahead to next year. As team leader or manager, you can work with each staff member to establish a goal to achieve before annual leave or you can set a team goal. Team goals will boost morale and team spirit, and targets could be a number of things, from sales targets to contacting a certain number of new clients. At Ntrinsic, we believe that communication and team work is key. We are organising a review with each team leader and their team to talk about what has been achieved this year, what has been done great and what was missing, what the expectations are for next year from both sides.

Ask your employees what they need and want. Honest and open communication is the key to keeping people engaged and motivated. So, ask your teams what they need and want to be able to do their job to the best of their ability. Listening to your employees is important and will help you to give them what they need wherever possible, which in turn will motivate them for the final weeks before holiday season really kicks in.

Recognise your employees. Say thank you. Our third and final tip is really important. Saying thank you and recognising all the hard work your people have put in throughout the year will make them feel valued. People will work harder and better if they feel valued, and December is as good a time as any for managers to recognise the work that’s been done throughout the year. At Ntrinsic, we organise an annual Christmas day – the whole team meets together either in Brussels or London, we do a team activity, share presents, and go for dinner together. Although this year will be slightly different, we’re making sure we organise some festivities to recognise everyone’s hard work.

There you have it – our three top tips to help managers motivate their teams through the build-up to the end of the year.