It can sometimes be difficult to identify the cause of a young workers low motivation, but a few questions you might like to ask yourself are:

• When did you start to notice the decline?
• Are you aware of anything that changed around that time, whether it be related to home or work environment?
  
  In considering a young persons performance and motivation, you need to also ask yourself whether they have ever been able to do better. Is their poor performance because they can't do it, or because they won't?

Not everyone is motivated by the same thing and it's important that you recognise this and know what motivates each of your employees. Don't assume that money is the answer. It's great to be paid well and can certainly help, especially with younger staff who are generally paid lower wages, but in many cases money isn't the motivating factor. Generally, most people are motivated by simpler things; praise, recognition, promotion, extra time off, a pleasant working environment, or qualifications and training opportunities.

Feedback can be a powerful motivator – so make sure to give it! Young people are used to receiving feedback at school and they expect it in the workplace. It’s also important to give feedback frequently, and to reassurance them that they are doing the job correctly, or give encouragement on ways to improve. This may help the young employee feel more confident and assured.

Remember, when giving feedback to:

• Start off on a positive note
• Get the employees opinion on how they feel they are doing
• Explain and provide suggestions to help the young employee improve

Don’t forget to communicate. Both employers and employees mention communication as being important. “How was your weekend?”, “How are you finding the job?” or “Are there any changes you would like to suggest?”. Starting or ending the day with a general chat is a great way to motivate and build relationships, and it creates a more pleasant work environment.

Young people appreciate it when you show a genuine interest in them. Build a quality relationship with the young person - it can be a critical factor on whether they stay or leave their job.

We all know that communication isn’t just words– it’s also tone and body language – which is why it’s important to communicate with the person face to face. Make your discussion the centre of attention & don’t be distracted. It will be more meaningful and effective, leaves less room for misinterpretation and shows you are genuinely interested.

Feedback does not always have to be good, but it works best when it's positive. “Your work is not good enough” is not positive feedback. However, “Your work can improve in these areas” and “I have some ideas of ways that may help you to improve” are both examples of positive feedback.

Don’t harp on about what has already happened or what went wrong – instead, show them how to improve. Encourage young people not to be afraid to ask questions and seek out help if problems arise.

Show appreciation for a job well done. This doesn’t have to be for every task completed but recognise when the employee has worked well. It's easy to remember to pull up someone for the mistakes they make, but you also need to make them aware of when they've done a good job as well. Praise works wonders - it makes young employees feel good about themselves, their job and the place they work.

Programs such as ‘Employee of the Month’ do not always work in organisations with small workforces so look for other incentives. Extra money, a movie ticket, a meal - even just a thankyou is all that is needed to show your appreciation.

Young employees often become more motivated and find their work more interesting if they know how their job fits into the overall scheme of things. Let them see the big picture and make them aware of how their job and what they do, affects the profitability of the business.

Sell the benefits of qualifications gained by being part of apprenticeships and traineeships. Let the young person know that they’ll receive a nationally recognised qualification and how these skills can help to kick-start their career.

Give your young workers responsibility and allow them to be creative. Aim to balance clearly delegated assignments with freedom & flexibility. Young people bring fresh ideas to a workplace – don’t overlook seeking those ideas out.

If an employee seems unmotivated then there is a reason, so ask them. It may be a personal problem which, with a bit of understanding, can be worked through. Or, it could be related to the job and if so, you may need to take the employee aside and ask them. Let them know it’s OK to talk to you and that you are interested in knowing if there are ways to improve the job.

Don’t be afraid to initiate discussions regarding pay, duties or career growth. You may not be able to fix the problem but you may be able to at least reach an understanding.

Remember, it's better to discuss potential problems early on rather than put them off hoping the problem will rectify itself. In most cases it won't and you'll end up with a bigger problem to deal with.

Watch out for these signs but make sure you don't mistake nerves and shyness for lack of motivation as some of the symptoms can be similar. There are numerous 'warning' signs that an employee may not be motivated in their job. These can include absenteeism, hostility, the ‘silent treatment’, poor performance or work quality.

Getting Them Started

• Work Hours & Rosters
• Training, Development & Education
• Safety Induction
• Induction