Managers and team leaders have a major impact on employee motivation – a key driver of job satisfaction, productivity, and overall company success. In this article, I will explore how different leadership styles shape motivation and share practical strategies for keeping teams engaged. My goal is to help you, as a leader, recognise your influence on employee motivation and understand how to build a more engaged and energised team.

If you want a simple yet powerful way to check in on your team’s motivation, I encourage you to download our Hand Workshop – it’s a great tool for sparking open conversations.

Leadership can make or break employee motivation. Research by Gallup found that managers impact approximately 70% of team engagement levels, demonstrating the influence leadership has on workplace motivation. Moreover, about 1 in 2 employees have left a job to escape a bad manager, a striking statistic that shows how poor leadership directly causes demotivation and turnover.

These findings underscore a crucial point: leadership isn’t just about overseeing tasks – it has a measurable impact on morale, engagement, and retention. The right approach can create a motivated, high-performing team, while the wrong one can lead to disengagement and high turnover. In the sections ahead, we’ll dive into leadership behaviors that enhance motivation – and those that hinder it.

Great leaders give meaning to work. By consistently communicating a compelling vision – how the team’s efforts impact the organisation or community – they help employees feel part of something bigger, boosting intrinsic motivation. Connecting daily tasks to larger goals makes even routine work purposeful.

Trust is another key motivator. Having worked closely with numerous teams, I’ve found that leaders who empower their teams by delegating authority and allowing autonomy tend to enhance engagement. When employees have ownership over their projects, they feel valued and competent. Instead of micromanaging, effective leaders set clear expectations while offering support, not control.

Constructive feedback is also essential. Another study by Gallup shows that 80% of employees who receive meaningful feedback are highly engaged. Great leaders provide regular, actionable insights that help employees grow.

Moreover, strong leaders go beyond assigning tasks – they act as mentors. By guiding skill development and showing genuine interest in employees' careers, they nurture loyalty and motivation. A leader who schedules one-on-one meetings to discuss career goals builds long-term engagement.

Also, great leaders lead by example. Their resilience, integrity, and enthusiasm set the tone for the team. A manager who stays calm and solution-oriented during challenges inspires employees to do the same. 

Keep in mind that positive leadership isn’t just about managing tasks – it’s about inspiring people. By building trust, providing meaningful feedback, mentoring employees, and leading by example, great leaders create motivated, engaged teams. When leadership is strong, employees don’t just work – they thrive.

After exploring the key aspects of positive leadership, it's just as important to recognise the common pitfalls that can undermine team motivation. In my experience, the following leadership behaviors often lead to disengagement and frustration:

By avoiding these pitfalls, leaders can cultivate a positive, motivated, and high-performing team.

Now that we have examined both the impact of positive leadership and the common pitfalls, the next step is improvement. At Randstad, we apply the following key strategies to enhance leadership effectiveness and drive employee motivation:

In conclusion, I want to emphasise that leadership is the linchpin of employee motivation. For any company looking to strengthen its workplace culture, investing in strong, effective leadership is one of the smartest moves.

If you’re a manager, team leader, or hold any leadership role, take a moment to reflect: Are we truly inspiring our teams? What’s one change I, or we as leaders, can make to boost motivation? Small shifts in leadership approach can lead to big results – higher engagement, lower turnover, and even improved business performance.

When leadership gets it right, the impact is undeniable.

If you want a quick and effective way to assess motivation levels in your team, I encourage you to download our Hand Workshop – a simple yet powerful exercise that encourages open discussions about workplace strengths and challenges. It helps you gain insight into your team’s motivation and engagement, driving both individual and company success.

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