Employee Motivation: 10 Tips on How to Motivate Your Deskless Employees

by Rea Regan, Connect Team, Updated on October 7, 2021 

Ensure ongoing company success with efficient employee motivation and engagement. We share 10 simple and affordable tips for how to motivate employees, specifically those on the front lines who don’t sit behind a desk all day. 

Want to know the secret ingredient to business success?  

Employee motivation and engagement.  

No, these aren’t just buzzwords we’re throwing around – they can have a huge impact on your business. In fact, having disengaged employees costs up to $550 billion a year.  

Employee motivation should be a focal point of any successful business, especially when it comes to deskless employees. Company managers and leaders need to know how to motivate employees; if they wish to keep productivity, workplace morale, and turnover rates from impacting the company’s bottom line. 

Of course, knowing how to motivate employees as a manager isn’t always easy.  

If managers or HR directors use the wrong employee motivation techniques, it can backfire. In addition to understanding the right tactics for how to motivate employees, company leaders also need to know the right tools to use.  

On the bright side, there is no shortage of ways to motivate employees in smart and helpful ways.  

Let’s take a look at 10 of the best tips for how to motivate employees, specifically those on the front lines who don’t sit behind a desk all day. 

Give Employees a Purpose 

Younger employees don’t want to feel like just another cog on the wheel.  

Gone are the days where money is the only driving factor when picking a career. These days, many people are pursuing careers in which they can make a difference.  

Therefore, part of motivating employees is letting them know that their job has a purpose and that they’re making a positive impact on the world.  

Try explaining to workers the company’s purpose and the role they play in helping that purpose come to fruition. 

When employees feel like they are making a difference, it will help keep them motivated during the daily grind. They will also be less likely to leave a job if they think their employer is making a positive impact on the world. 

Recognize Good Work 

This might be the simplest lesson when it comes to how to motivate employees as a manager.  

There are few things as demoralizing as feeling as if you’re working hard at your job but not being recognized.  

A recent study found that 39% of employees feel underappreciated at work, and 77% would work harder if they were more recognized.  

Take the time to check in with your employees, recognize their efforts, demonstrate support, and show appreciation.  

How often you check in with your employees will depend on the business, but ensuring you take the time to do so will have a profound impact on workplace morale and motivation. 

Make Communication a Two-Way Street 

No matter the industry, communication is a key part of keeping employees motivated and engaged. There needs to be consistent communication between deskless workers on the frontlines and their supervisors.  

But it has to be a two-way street.  

The employee needs to know that their boss will come to them if they need something and that their boss will be receptive if they want to talk about something. Creating that type of environment will build trust, which will then improve morale and retention. It can be helpful to measure your communication methods to ensure that you’re successfully communicating with your employees. 

Actively Seek Their Feedback 

One essential part of communication between company leaders and employees is seeking feedback from deskless workers on the frontlines. This is so important that employees who feel their voice is heard are 4.6 times more likely to feel empowered to perform their best work.  

So, don’t skip asking for feedback because the value is two-fold.  

More times than not, frontline workers will have great insight into things that are working smoothly and areas that need improvement. They often have good ideas that can help improve the way work is performed.  

On top of that, actively seeking the feedback of workers through meetings, questionnaires, or any other means can make them feel valued and that they are contributing in a significant way, which will motivate them to keep working hard for you. 

Create a Team Culture 

It’s an almost universal part of the human condition that people want to feel a part of something that’s bigger than themselves. This is why companies must create a team culture that emphasizes the importance of individual workers.  

As mentioned before, workers nowadays want to feel like they’re helping make a difference. They also want to feel like they’re part of a team, especially when their deskless job has them working alone or in isolated conditions sometimes.  

If you can create a culture that makes everyone feel part of a team, they will be motivated to pull their weight and not let their co-workers down. 

Encourage Training and Education Programs 

One underrated part of employee motivation and retention is helping workers become the best employee they can be. More times than not, this is achieved through training and education programs.  

By offering these programs, you can reinforce the fact that you’re invested in your employees’ careers and that you’re keen for them to remain and grow within the company. 

Use the Right Technological Tools 

More than ever before, there are tons of technological tools that can be used for communicating with employees and helping them do their jobs more effectively. In the process, employees remain engaged with their jobs and motivated to work hard every day.  

Not all of the tools available will be a fit for every company; it largely depends on the industry and the culture of a particular company. But if you want to know how to motivate employees as a manager, it often starts with using the right tools. 

What features specifically help managers with employee motivation?  

• Employee recognition happens at a click through updates that you can send company-wide. Simply celebrate new hires, share personal milestones, shine the spotlight on top employees and allow employees to nominate their peers for awards. Additionally, activate comments and likes to drive engagement. 

• Celebrate success stories whether it’s from customers or distributors or other employees. Make it fun, include pictures, videos, GIFs, etc.  

• Make organizational decisions based on surveys or live polls or launch a suggestion box. All this allows you to gain insights in real-time. 

• Start a 1:1 or group chat and make it easy for employees to reach you this way too so that communication is a two-way street.  

Meet Employees on Their Turf 

It may be a small detail, but managers should get into the habit of speaking with deskless employees in the places where they work. Doing this will show employees that you value their time and understand that their work is difficult.  

Show up to the job site! Join them on a project. And so on, wherever they are, you can be too. 

Gamification 

We all know there is a difference between a workplace and a game.  

However, treating certain aspects of work as a game can often be effective when dealing with employee motivation. It can be particularly useful when training new employees or teach existing employees a new skill. It takes a more relaxed approach to the workplace, which can help build a stronger company culture.  

There can be times in the workplace when turning work into a game or competition is exactly what’s needed to keep employees motivated. 

Bottom Line On How to Motivate Employees 

At this stage, there should be no cause for you to wonder how to motivate employees.  

The tips we shared above are easy ways that you can get started. Plus, they won’t break the bank!  

 
Also, remember that as the manager, it’s up to you to hire good people AND to create a workspace where all are comfortable and confident in their job role.