Get into a conversation with a company leader these days, and you’ll likely hear some version of “no one wants to work hard anymore.” Those companies who are hiring still seek hungry, ambitious hard-chargers who will do what it takes to succeed. But new hires come in negotiating like seasoned executives, leaving managers flummoxed. Even with recent rounds of layoffs, employee expectations are staying high, as job ads emphasizing flexibility and other benefits attest. There’s also a truism that transcends economic situations: Companies want to hire and retain the best people, which gives the best people leverage. I see my C-suite clients grasping for more control to get back to “normal” by pushing for longer hours in the office, tightening metrics, and hoping that economic headwinds will return their power.
How to Motivate Employees When Their Priorities Have Changed
Four strategies.
May 11, 2023
Summary.
Three years after the start of the pandemic, we’re seeing how our collective trauma has impacted the psychology of work. Our humanity has been revealed, as have working paradigms that were previously believed to be implausible — and no one can unsee either. Feeling passionate about our working life — liking what we do and how we do it — is as important as ever, but what creates that passion has broadened and deepened. Leaders need to catch up or they’ll be operating frustratingly empty hybrid offices with quiet-quitters and short-timers. The author presents four ways for leaders to expand their own view of how to motivate employees.
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New!
HBR Learning
Leading People Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Leading People. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
What you need to know about being in charge.