"How can I keep my team motivated without a raise?"

Sometimes the budget just doesn't exist

Good morrrrrning, happy Tuesday,

But for now, let’s get into this week’s question, sent through in my DMs on Instagram:

"How can I keep my team motivated without a raise?"

Keeping your team motivated when pay rises aren’t an option is a challenge. We all know money talks, but it’s not the only thing that keeps people engaged and performing their best. In fact, some of the most effective motivators cost nothing.

Before we dive into the steps, let's get your mindset straight.

If your team’s feeling de-motivated, you've got two options:

1. Blame Others

Maybe the business has seen a lot of change, pay rises aren’t possible, or resources are stretched thin. Yes, these are valid reasons, and it’s easy to point the finger at the company. But if all you do is blame the business, nothing will change.

2. Take Accountability

Change? Have you stood up for your team and pushed back on decisions?
No pay rise? Are you offering opportunities to grow their skills instead?
Stretched resources? When was the last time you reviewed roles and responsibilities to align work with strengths and cut out what's unnecessary?

The choice is yours. Blame or take action.

See what I’m getting at? Whatever you’re currently blaming the lack of motivation on, you need to take accountability for it.

It might not be your fault, but it is your problem.

So, what can you do to keep morale high without the extra cash? Here are a few ideas:

‘Motivation’

Let’s understand what ‘motivation’ truly means.

At the root of the word motivation is motive. Motion, movement, moving forward.

• Motivation (v.), means "to stimulate toward action"

• Motive (a.) Related to motion: Motive energy refers to energy associated with movement.

For our team to feel motivated, they need hard evidence of motive or forward motion in their work.