“This customer is going to be really upset if we miss this deadline.”

“You’re going to have to pick up the pace.”

“C’mon, you can do it…”

When your company is up against it, do your attempts to motivate really energize your team – or do you just sound like Charlie Brown’s teacher?

Endlessly repeating “motivational messages” isn’t the best way to get peak performance from your employees. In fact, they’ll just wind up tuning you out.

So what does work?

Today, Exact Staff shares four tips for motivating your workforce to crush deadlines – without nagging:

Break it Down

If a huge project or order seems overwhelming to your team, cut it down to size for them. Help employees focus (and keep from feeling overwhelmed) by breaking that big goal into several smaller ones. Track progress visually on a spreadsheet or white board, so everyone can see progress toward the goal for themselves.

Dangle a Carrot

Determine, as a group, how you’ll celebrate hitting that big deadline. It could be an early completion incentive, a lunch party or anything else that drives your team (and works with your budget). Offering a reward for a job well done is a much more positive – and effective – motivator than nagging or “cracking a whip.”

Recognize Immediately and Frequently

Don’t wait until the job is complete to praise employees. Each time an individual or group hits one of your intermediate goals, celebrate it. Something as simple as a public announcement, or a pat on the back with a sincere “thank you,” can be enough to keep people working hard for you.

Support Optimal Productivity

Resist the temptation to push employees to their limits in order to meet your deadline. A better way to keep them motivated is by supporting sustained, high productivity levels. Do whatever you can to help team members pace themselves, eat/drink properly, minimize distractions and take frequent breaks.

Another great way to motivate your team?

Provide extra support when your employees need it most. When deadlines are tight and the stakes are high, Exact Staff can quickly deliver talented professionals to help you get your work done. Bring in our temporary employees to increase your capacity or perform non-core activities. We’ll keep your team focused and productive so you can crush those deadlines.