How to motivate employees

Updated November 9, 2026

Motivation comes mostly from daily management, not from perks. Recognize specific good work every week, give people control over how they do their job, and remove the obstacles that waste their time. Then ask each person what drives them, because it differs from one person to the next.

What to do

1. Recognize something specific each week. Name the action and why it mattered, in person or in a message. Make sure each person hears from you at least once a week.
2. Ask what motivates each person. In a one to one, ask what kind of work gives them energy and what drains it. Adjust assignments where you can.
3. Give real ownership. Hand over whole pieces of work with the authority to decide. See how to delegate.
4. Connect work to a purpose. Share who uses what the team produces, with real customer comments or results.
5. Remove one obstacle a month. Ask what slows them down most, fix the top item, and tell the team you did.
6. Talk about growth. Every quarter, agree on one skill or project that moves each person toward what they want next.

What to say

To find out what drives someone, ask in your next one to one:

I want to make sure you're doing work you find worthwhile. Over the past month, what was the part of your job you enjoyed most, and what drained you? If you could change one thing about how we work, what would it be? I can't promise everything, but I'll come back to you within a week on what I can do.

Avoid

• Generic praise like "great job, everyone" that nobody remembers.
• Assuming everyone wants the same reward, such as public praise or a promotion.
• Asking for input and never acting on it, which kills motivation faster than not asking.

Questions