When you address your employees:

• Do your words motivate or intimidate?
• Is your criticism constructive or merely negative?
• Are you inclusive or authoritarian?

Obviously, you want to aim for the former in each of these examples. Because, as we mentioned in an earlier post, the language you use at work can inspire, inform, persuade and instill trust with employees – or make you sound rude and utterly clueless.

People are your single greatest asset in the workplace. Make sure you continually utter phrases like these to show employees how important they are to your success, every day:

“You did a good job.”

Verbal positive reinforcement is a potent form of employee motivation. It’s also simple to do and completely free! Make a habit of privately and publicly recognizing employees for their hard work; doing so sends a clear message that they are valuable members of your team.

“I trust you.” Fostering trust with your employees builds great relationships, great service and a great bottom line. In this earlier post, we explain how and why to use this phrase regularly with your team.

“I made that mistake. I’m sorry.”

Nobody is perfect – not even the boss. The most effective leaders are honest, humble and unafraid to admit when something is their fault. So if you mess up, fess up. You’ll build greater mutual respect and organizational trust in the process.

“What do you think?”

Employees want to know that their ideas matter – and that their boss values their opinion. When you have a problem to solve or a new initiative to tackle, ask for your team’s input and feedback. Use the simple tips our team shares in this earlier post to improve your active listening skills and let employees know you believe in them.

General Tips for Using Language to Motivate Others at Work

Use the word “you” more than “I.”

Words that refer directly to your listener are much more influential than self-centric pronouns (e.g., my, mine, I), because it forces you to answer your employees’ unspoken question: What’s in it for me?

Use employees’ names.

Personalizing conversations show that individuals, as well as their beliefs and opinions, are important to you. Using a person’s name also demonstrates that you’re a genuine, caring person who pays attention.

Use cause-and-effect phrases.

Language that clearly connects action (or lack thereof) to consequences is incredibly powerful at creating change, because it makes your claims sound logical and objective. Here are a few to add to your arsenal: accordingly, as a result, due to, consequently, since.

Need motivated temporary, project-based or direct employees?

Contact Exact Staff for reliable individuals who display a great attitude and deliver the measurable results you need. Whether your requirements are local or national, simple or complex, we’ll deliver the exact talent and solutions you need.