Exploring the challenges and strategies for engaging employees in remote and hybrid work settings.
- Increasing hybrid and remote work models prompt leaders to question how to maximise employee potential.
- A significant decline in work attitudes, with many viewing jobs as mere money-making means, highlights the need for change.
- Human-centred leadership emerges as crucial for enhancing employee motivation and creating a positive workplace.
- Intrinsic motivation, driven by autonomy, competence, and relatedness, is essential for employee satisfaction.
As organisations increasingly adopt hybrid and remote work setups, leaders are confronted with the pivotal question of how to harness the best from their workforce. The shift in working conditions demands innovative approaches to employee engagement. Many businesses grapple with effectively engaging their employees, a challenge underscored by the findings of the CIPD Good Work Index. Over recent years, there has been a noticeable downturn in work attitudes, with a substantial portion of the workforce perceiving jobs primarily as a source of income rather than a vocation to be fulfilled.
The concept of human-centred leadership becomes increasingly relevant, particularly in the context of managing diverse and distributed teams. By focusing on individual drivers of motivation, leaders can foster a more positive employee experience. This requires a departure from traditional, ‘command and control’ leadership towards a more individualised approach. Several studies highlight that human-centred leadership not only enhances job performance but also enriches the overall employee experience, balancing individual needs with organisational goals.
Intrinsic motivation plays a key role in this leadership evolution. Psychological research over the decades has delineated motivation into a quality continuum, where the higher-end signifies intrinsic motivation—tasks performed out of genuine interest and personal significance. Employees are drawn to roles that resonate with their personal values and sense of self. Understanding this continuum is vital for developing human-centred leadership strategies.
The foundational elements facilitating intrinsic motivation consist of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Autonomy involves empowering employees with the freedom to exercise choice in their tasks, while competence relates to advancing their expertise. Relatedness ensures employees feel connected and valued within their teams. Drawing a parallel to essential nutrients for plant growth, these elements are vital to nurturing a thriving workforce.
Practical steps for leaders to bolster intrinsic motivation include offering flexibility in work methods, involving employees in decision-making processes, and delivering constructive feedback to encourage growth. Leaders should foster a culture of trust and collaboration, facilitating a supportive environment that enables employees to flourish. In doing so, organisations can enhance performance and well-being through authentic engagement.
To achieve sustained employee engagement, leaders must embrace human-centred approaches tailored to intrinsic motivation.
