There are many benefits to a motivated staff in the lab. Motivated people deliver higher performance, better teamwork, and are more productive. However, motivating people is often difficult. It requires patience, effort, and a willingness to get to know people as individuals.
Demotivating staff, on the other hand, is easy. Unfortunate actions, statements, and decisions can demotivate the entire staff in moments. These behaviors often arise from short-term, tactical thinking that doesn’t include the impact on staff, and can reverse long-term efforts in building motivation.
Advanced Lab Management Certificate
The Advanced Lab Management certificate is more than training—it’s a professional advantage.
Gain critical skills and IACET-approved CEUs that make a measurable difference.
One of the most powerful approaches to improving motivation among your lab staff is to stop demotivating them. While there is an extensive list of demotivating behaviors, here we focus on some of the top ones that lab managers can readily be aware of and control.
10 common demotivating behaviors
Dishonesty
Tell the truth and be honest. Of course, lab managers have access to confidential information and can’t always share everything they know. What is shared needs to be the truth. Lying to staff will be discovered and destroy trust.
Lack of respect
Treat everyone with dignity and respect. Building respect for individuals into the lab culture enables emotional safety and improves motivation. Like dishonesty, treating some or all individuals in your lab disrespectfully erodes trust.
Lack of follow-through
Ensure your actions are consistent with your words. If you commit to something, do it. Communicate an appropriate timeframe and then meet your commitments.
Micromanagement
Clearly communicate your expectations for each individual in the lab and let them decide how to best deliver on those expectations. Hovering over how the work is completed and second guessing their choices removes their motivation for decision-making and delivering quality results.
Slow decisions
The lab relies on the lab manager for prompt decisions. Many decisions must be made at the management level. The absence of decisions or late decisions saps staff of their momentum and interest in the work.
Playing favorites
Everyone looks to the lab manager for recognition, praise, and opportunity. If the lab manager treats some people differently than others and seems to show them greater favoritism, the rest of the staff will be demotivated and resentful.
Badmouthing others
Statements by the lab manager carry greater weight than others in the lab. Be aware of how you talk about others who are not present. This could be other members of the lab, stakeholders, or line management. People who hear persistent negativity will assume that they are also being badmouthed when not present.
Lack of listening
An unwillingness to listen leads staff to think that only the lab manager’s thoughts, ideas, and perceptions matter. This will harm the psychological safety of the lab, and they will stop sharing their ideas and observations.
Concealing problems
While maintaining positivity is valuable, lab managers should avoid masking serious issues under the guise of optimism. Hiding the truth of the financial stability of the lab, line management decisions, audit findings, or other things of interest to the staff will only result in demotivated employees. Find ways to be candid with staff about the lab’s reality and work with them to find ways to improve the situation.
Lack of gratitude
Staff appreciate being noticed for the good work they contribute. Thank them for their efforts. Show them that you care.
The key to reducing the behaviors that demotivate staff is to be mindful of the impact of your words and actions. The more you can demonstrate that you care about the people in the lab through your interactions with them and focus on building trust and belonging throughout the lab, the more you can continue to build motivation in the staff.
