By JOSH MILES

How to motivate your employees

Motivating your workers is something that concerns many construction project managers because if your employees are not motivated, it becomes difficult to hit deadlines. While some delays are normal, managers have wondered if other delays can be attributed to unmotivated workers. Studies have indicated that construction employees require various motivational techniques to stay engaged. However, applying this knowledge can be difficult on a fast-paced, high-pressure construction site.

Managing motivation is a moving target. It’s constantly changing depending on what phase of the project you’re on, but you must keep a pulse on it. Unmotivated workers will seek another opportunity to make equal or more money elsewhere or cause safety and morale issues on site.

Here are effective strategies to motivate your employees.

Show them a positive attitude

Managing a construction site can be exhausting, but your attitude will rub off on your employees. If you’re unhappy about being at work or are too exhausted to stay positive, your employees will pick up on this, and they may begin to mimic your disposition.

Displaying positivity can help improve the overall work atmosphere and help motivate your workers. Negativity is infectious, and when it spreads people are more likely to quit. To help prevent negativity from spreading, avoid letting your frustrations affect interactions with your employees. Keep in mind, exhausting your employees can lead to accidents. Your construction workers need to be well-rested to work efficiently and safely.

Communicate your expectations

Everyone wants to know what they should be doing AND what is expected of them. You’re going to get a better outcome if you relay the purpose of the task — so workers know what to aim for — and offer performance feedback.

Talk to your team about your expectations and be willing to listen to their input. There might be a problem that will prevent them from completing the work in that time frame, or they might have a suggestion that will work better than your idea. Listening to your employees can motivate them to work harder and remain loyal to your company.

Acknowledge employees’ hard work

Employees rarely receive recognition when they do a good job, and often the employees who do get recognition don’t get enough of it. In construction, doing a good job is expected. What gets noticed more often is when something goes wrong.

When people are never recognized for doing a good job, they may not think it matters if they only do the bare minimum. While people want to be paid well, they also want to know they matter and are not just faceless, replaceable cogs in the machine.

A weekly or monthly recognition of an on-site worker doing their job well can help keep them motivated. You might see better results if you create a more formal process, like an employee of the month program. This will encourage your employees to want to garner recognition.

Provide Incentives

Offering incentives such as performance bonuses, shift differentials and completion bonuses can significantly enhance motivation. Performance bonuses reward employees for their hard work, encouraging them to strive for excellence and meet or exceed expectations. Shift differentials, which offer higher pay for working earlier or later shifts, can help ensure projects are staffed during crucial times, promoting punctuality and dedication. Completion bonuses foster a sense of commitment and accomplishment, driving workers to remain engaged and loyal throughout the project’s duration. These incentives not only boost morale but also create a culture of achievement and reliability, ultimately leading to more efficient and successful project completions.

Challenge employees

You can keep workers engaged by introducing new challenges. Most workers won’t feel great if they’re just cleaning up the worksite for an entire year. The importance of having an upskilling or on-the-job training program shouldn’t be underestimated. There are several ways you can help your team build new skills. Get them involved in other areas of the project where they can learn something or add another skill to their toolbelt. Make them feel part of the bigger picture and ultimately add more value to the project and projects in the future. Instead of sweeping the floors today, you ask if they want to learn how to frame a wall and then let them work with someone experienced in framing for a couple of days.

A motivated construction team will help you complete projects more efficiently, and they’ll be easier to retain for your next job.

Josh Miles is Aerotek’s business development manager for services.