Motivating teams to become more productive isn't about getting them to work longer hours or complete large amounts of tasks in one day. To really motivate teams and spark a fire in them to work as productively as possible, they need to feel a sense of purpose. This means they need to feel motivated to work toward the organizations larger goals, and not just this month's quota. Here's three ways you can give your employees purpose to promote productivity.
1. Create and write down a purpose statement.
If your company already has one, then you have something tangible to work off of. However, if one doesn't already exist, that doesn't mean your specific team can't put one together. What is the purpose of said team? What do they have to accomplish together? Get everyone involved and keep the statement short and sweet -- something memorable and meaningful.
2. Link the day-to-day to the purpose statement.
Each team member should think further about the purpose statement and how their daily roles and responsibilities contribute to this larger goal. Not only will this help them prioritize their tasks, it will also paint a picture of how their individual roles contribute to the bigger picture.
3. Reinforce the purpose.
Don't let team members forget about the purpose statement, and use every opportunity to remind them. Make it part of your culture by printing out desk posters for each team member or giving out subtle reminders during team meetings. This statement and goal is what your team will be built on.
