Is your work environment bringing productivity down?

Austin has struggled to cope with a bossy manager whom he feels always picks on him. While his colleagues often give him positive feedback on the work he does, his manager constantly finds faults. He is starting to feel demotivated, which in turn, has seen his productivity dip.

His is not a solitary case; many employees are gradually getting apathetic at work over various demotivating factors.

Faith Kawira, a career counsellor, notes there are several individual and organisation-driven factors that can lead to demotivation.

If, for example, an organisation does not invest in adequate top-down communication, its employees may find themselves working without a clear indication on the strategic direction their firm is taking. Decisions may be communicated haphazardly or require too-quick execution, with workers not owning the process, which causes them to disengage.

“Another demotivating factor is unequal pay across the same job cadre,” Ms Kawira said.

“An unstructured pay system should be avoided, as those paid less may begin to think they are doing too much for too little pay, and lose their work momentum.”

And as in Austin’s case, an organisation can demotivate its staff by being overly critical. “It may be that the employee in question is more qualified than his or her boss, and is seen as a threat,” Kawira said.

In such instances, there is need for a channel employees know they can trust to address human-resource grievances. This would also help workers get the kind of corporate leadership they can follow without doubt, and be loyal to.

Benson Waithaka, a manager and part-time motivational speaker, added that not recognising employees’ contributions — and creating paths for career progression and pay rises — can be highly demotivating.

“Give due credit when it is deserved, and don’t just focus on pointing out mistakes,” he said.

Lastly, micromanagement, Mr Waithaka added, is another issue that must be avoided, as it communicates that an organisation’s leadership does not trust its staff, which can create work apathy.