Not every single day on the job is going to be life changing and as such, it’s easy to fall into a lackluster routine in your career. However, motivated and happy employees are often found to be the most successful. Even if a promotion or raise is not in your immediate future, remaining engaged at work can help position you for upward mobility and career advancement down the road.
Consider the following ways to stay motivated:
1. Find a mentor
According to General Motors CEO Mary Barra, the key to a successful career is a network of mentors, Entrepreneur contributor Lauren Entis explained. As a mentee, Barra was able to recognize talents and attributes that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. Some mentors encouraged her to take on challenges, while others led by example when it came to reminders for the professional world. As a whole, these mentors helped motivate and shape the leader Barra would become.
In fact, the American Society for Training & Development found that within Fortune 500 companies, 71 percent utilize mentor programs for top performers within the workplace. These industry gurus and trusted advisors serve as catalysts for helping these high-performing employees to reach their full potential. Companies that foster these internal relationships demonstrate that they are invested in each employee. Likewise, positioning yourself to learn from a seasoned individual in your office is a great way to stay motivated.
2. Set timely goals
Do you aspire to be CEO of the newest technology company one day or lead a research team in the latest healthcare investigation? Career aspirations start with small milestones and goal setting is an effective way to stay actively engaged in your day-to-day affairs and projects.
Consider setting yearly, quarterly and even monthly goals for yourself. Collaborating with your manager can be a beneficial way to set timely, attainable goals that will help further your career. Findings from a Gallup research paper confirmed that those who feel that setting goals is a team effort between themselves and their manager are 3.6 times more likely to be engaged than other coworkers.
3. Let HR work for you
At the end of the day, it is your career at stake. If you are still struggling to remain motivated at work, consider talking with a manager about better retention strategies. Leading companies in Silicon Valley have not only discovered the key to retaining happy and motivated employees, but they have also earned the funds to afford these strategies, according to an article by insurance industry expert Michael Rogers published on Business.com. Moreover, what major tech companies such as Google can’t afford to lose is people like you: the top talent helping to drive their company.
While you may not work at the likes of Amazon or Apple, your talent deserves to be recognized and it’s likely your company can’t afford to lose you. Let that work in your favor by addressing your concerns during a feedback session with management. Maybe a 401k match program will keep you motivated, or perhaps it’s an industry seminar or tuition reimbursement that will encourage you to put your best foot forward each day. Whatever it may be, don’t be afraid to speak up and ask for what you want. Most often, companies will work as hard as they can to meet these requests – as long as it means they’ll retain your top talent.
Incorporating the above practices can encourage motivation in your career that yields long-term results. The key is to strategize how to leverage these methods to continually move your career forward.