What's the best way to motivate employees who are disengaged or lack motivation?

Start with a conversation. Ask what's going on, listen without judgement, and use the tips in the infographic to guide your next steps.

What if I've tried everything to boost team motivation and nothing's changed?

A lack of employee engagement or team motivation doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong. Motivation isn't fixed and sometimes it takes time to build it back. The Breathe Growth Academy has courses and resources to help you develop your communication and performance management skills - helping you improve communication with your team members about what motivates them and their individual career goals. With this new knowledge, you can direct your team towards more relevant training and development opportunities and help increase their overall job satisfaction.

What are some simple ways to motivate staff at work?

A few things that go a long way: giving timely praise, being clear about expectations, showing you care, and linking work back to a shared purpose. You'll find all these covered in the infographic.

How can I improve employee morale as a manager?

Consistency, recognition, and support are key. If you’re clear, kind, and present – even during busy weeks – your team will notice. Small efforts build trust, which fuels long-term morale.

What if the drop in team motivation is reflective of a wider de-motivated workforce or caused by personal factors outside of my control?

Sometimes a dip in motivation is linked to things you can't fix - like personal struggles, wider company changes or things happening outside of work. Even then, your role still matters. You can't solve everything, but you can be present, understanding and consistent. Checking in regularly, offering flexibility where you can, and simply listening without judgement helps create a safe space - and that can make a real difference over time. If employee performance and motivation is low across the entire organisation, this might be something to raise with your own manager or whoever handles HR within the business.

Is this infographic suitable for new managers?

Absolutely. It’s written for everyday managers – not HR experts – and gives you a clear, calm place to start when team motivation feels low.

How can I motivate employees when motivational factors like compensation are outside my control?

While you may not be able to change things like team members' pay or benefits, there are still powerful ways to increase employee motivation and engagement. Focus on the factors you can influence - like recognition, positive feedback, trust, autonomy and clear communication. Showing appreciation for effort, involving your team in decisions, and helping them see the purpose behind their work can all boost motivation at work. If your business uses a recognition tool like Breathe's Kudos, make the most of it. A quick, personal 'thank you' or shout-out at the right time can mean more than you think - and creates a culture where people feel valued. When people feel appreciated, heard and supported day to day, it often outweighs what you can't control. The tips in this infographic are designed to help you do just that.

Infographic: Five Tips For Managers to Motivate Disengaged Employees

Dips in motivation happen. And when someone seems stuck, it can be hard to know how to help.

But with the right support, even the most hesitant employees can reconnect with their role. Here are five ways to help them find their drive again.

1. Start with a real conversation

Ask open questions like: “What’s holding you back?”
Don’t jump to solutions - just listen and explore what’s going on.
Understanding the ‘why’ is your starting point for change.

2. Tap into what drives them

Use personality tools (like DiSC or MBTI) to uncover their motivators.
Think about how they prefer to work and what success looks like to them.
Motivation isn’t one-size-fits-all - tailor your approach.

3. Create the right environment

People thrive where they feel safe, supported and seen.
Show your passion and help them reconnect with the bigger picture.
A positive culture can help even quiet resistors lean in.

4. Recognise progress, not just outcomes

Celebrate effort and small wins. Recognition tools or schemes can be a huge help here.
Make praise personal and timely - it goes a long way.
Tailor rewards to what matters most to them, not just what you value.

5. Be clear - and kind - about expectations

If things still aren’t shifting, be honest about what needs to change.
Set clear goals and offer support to get there.
Accountability is part of care, not separate from it.

Motivation isn’t fixed - it can be rebuilt. With the right approach, you can help your people re-engage and grow in a way that works for them and your business.

Want a bit of extra support?

You’ll find more resources in our Line Manager Essentials training.

Download infographic

What causes a loss of employee motivation - and how can you help your employees feel motivated?

A loss of team motivation can happen for lots of reasons: unclear expectations, feeling unappreciated, being left out of decisions, or just not seeing the point in the work.

Whatever the cause, one thing’s clear - the way you lead makes a difference. And small changes in how you support your team can go a long way.

This infographic gives you five tips to help your team feel motivated, boost employee morale and get people back on track. But if you want some further guidance, or have a team member who just really doesn't want to grow, check out our blog for some extra tips and tricks.

Practical help you can use straight away to motivate employees

Employee motivation and employee engagement don't need to feel daunting. With the right support, most team members can find their spark again.

This infographic offers quick, thoughtful ways to build connection, boost employee morale and give your team the encouragement they need to re-engage.

It's something you can keep close - ready to use in 1-2-1s, team chats or whenever motivation feels low.

Keep building your leadership skills with Breathe

This infographic is just one of the ways we support line managers to lead with confidence. If you're looking to further grow your leadership skills and better support your team members, head to the Breathe Growth Academy and check out all the other resources and courses we have for line managers.

Whether you're building confidence as a new manager or looking to strengthen your leadership skills, there's tools to help you manage performance reviews, help your team on their career paths and build positive relationships with each and every team member.

Go to the Breathe Growth Academy

Frequently asked questions

What's the best way to motivate employees who are disengaged or lack motivation?

Start with a conversation. Ask what's going on, listen without judgement, and use the tips in the infographic to guide your next steps.
What if I've tried everything to boost team motivation and nothing's changed?

A lack of employee engagement or team motivation doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong. Motivation isn't fixed and sometimes it takes time to build it back. The Breathe Growth Academy has courses and resources to help you develop your communication and performance management skills - helping you improve communication with your team members about what motivates them and their individual career goals. With this new knowledge, you can direct your team towards more relevant training and development opportunities and help increase their overall job satisfaction.
What are some simple ways to motivate staff at work?

A few things that go a long way: giving timely praise, being clear about expectations, showing you care, and linking work back to a shared purpose. You'll find all these covered in the infographic.
How can I improve employee morale as a manager?

Consistency, recognition, and support are key. If you’re clear, kind, and present – even during busy weeks – your team will notice. Small efforts build trust, which fuels long-term morale.
What if the drop in team motivation is reflective of a wider de-motivated workforce or caused by personal factors outside of my control?

Sometimes a dip in motivation is linked to things you can't fix - like personal struggles, wider company changes or things happening outside of work.

Even then, your role still matters. You can't solve everything, but you can be present, understanding and consistent. Checking in regularly, offering flexibility where you can, and simply listening without judgement helps create a safe space - and that can make a real difference over time.

If employee performance and motivation is low across the entire organisation, this might be something to raise with your own manager or whoever handles HR within the business.
Is this infographic suitable for new managers?

Absolutely. It’s written for everyday managers – not HR experts – and gives you a clear, calm place to start when team motivation feels low.
How can I motivate employees when motivational factors like compensation are outside my control?

While you may not be able to change things like team members' pay or benefits, there are still powerful ways to increase employee motivation and engagement.

Focus on the factors you can influence - like recognition, positive feedback, trust, autonomy and clear communication. Showing appreciation for effort, involving your team in decisions, and helping them see the purpose behind their work can all boost motivation at work.

If your business uses a recognition tool like Breathe’s Kudos, make the most of it. A quick, personal ‘thank you’ or shout-out at the right time can mean more than you think - and creates a culture where people feel valued.

When people feel appreciated, heard and supported day to day, it often outweighs what you can't control. The tips in this infographic are designed to help you do just that.

Five tips for managers to motivate disengaged employees